Description
Offered for sale is a striking, 56k mile, mechanically strong 1988 Porsche 928 S4, finished in menacing and factory correct Black over Burgundy leather. Ordered new by its original owner in New York, he would own the car for more than a decade, always keeping it garaged and maintained and using it sparingly (only accumulating 37k miles by 1999). The car made its way out to the West Coast in 2002, where it continued to be used as a weekend driver. We first acquired the car in 2014 and subsequently sold it to a buyer in New Jersey. In the ensuing two plus years, he put less than 1k miles on the car before asking us to sell it again on consignment, a decision precipitated only by a recent move and a lack of proper storage. Consequently we know the car well and can confirm that the 56k miles showing on the odometer are correct, documented by the car’s clean Carfax report and stamped service booklet.
When the 928 first hit the showroom floor, it was absolutely the car to have. As Porsche’s first seriously expensive GT car, the 928 initially drew the ire of Porsche enthusiasts worldwide, but as soon as they realized it wasn’t built to replace the beloved 911, rather to compliment it in an enthusiast’s garage, opinions changed. A big V8 Autobahn bomber, the 928 was far more civilized than the 911, boasting big comfortable seats, power everything, usually an automatic transmission and all the Star Wars/Reagan-era futuristic design elements that a successful 1980’s man could ask for. The 928 is a true GT cruiser; extremely comfortable with a torquey V8, making smooth, enjoyable driving effortless. Furthermore, in following with Porsche’s legacy, the handling is great and the looks are all-at-once timeless and era specific.
The original Black finish is in excellent condition: deep, lustrous and marred only by the most negligible of imperfections, none of which are significant enough to register in the pictures. The car’s body is entirely straight, free of any evidence of bodywork, and all of the panel fits and gaps are consistent and factory correct. The glass and rubber is in excellent original shape and the original alloy wheels are wrapped in nearly new Michelin Pilot Exalto tires. The car’s interior is equally as clean, the interior panels, carpet and burgundy leather seats showing only minimal wear, primarily (and typically) relegated to the driver side seatback bolster. With the exception of the Blaupunkt Montreal CD player, everything on the car is stock.
The car is also very strong mechanically, feeling like a tight, well-maintained 56k mile example should. Despite its relatively low miles, the car was always regularly driven and serviced and always garaged and professionally detailed. The engine starts effortlessly, producing a low rumble to announce its 316hp 5.0L V8. It’s smooth through all of the gears, pulling with incredible force when asked. With its quiet cabin and even drive quality, it’s very easy to look down at your gauges on the freeway and realize you’re doing 95mph when you assumed you were only a hair over 70. Despite the fact it’s a front engine V8, it’s still a Porsche and it performs with poise in the canyons as well as on the freeway.
This is an excellent opportunity at what is likely one of the cleanest 928 S4s on the market. With vintage Porsches appreciating faster than any other marque (save for Ferrari), the outlandish numbers that 356s and 911s have been realizing have made the 928 a legitimate and unique collector’s car. Tasteful colors, impeccable condition, low miles, 5.0L engine, etc. etc…if you’ve been looking for one at a fair, market appropriate price, it would be hard to find a better example.
