[DFWX]

Hello!
I do not boycott the PCA and am a paid member, plus a member of the 928 club and attend PCA functions as well.
The historic significance of the 928 in Porsche history can not be understated in reality, but it is essentially ignored.
People forget the era.
EPA and DOT standards crashed down on the auto industry in 1972 with GM behind the wheel of this. Ford was shattered and Chysler needed a government bail out just to struggle by selling Japanese powered disposable "K cars". American Motors folded shop.
GM, which has pulled out of racing in the early 60s, saw opportunity to gut the auto industry in political action. Beyond smashing domestic competitors, they smashed the European auto industy even worse.
The horsepower drop between 1971 and 1972 averaged about 40% for most cars, though torque was less affected, and the crash standards resulted in horrid square jutting out bumpers. The European cars, which were designed for small engine power and sleek lines also were devastated. Within a decade, 80% of independent manufacturers in Europe also closed.
Particularly vunerable was Porsche. Figuring if they could not sell air cooled rear engine cars (Corvair), then no one should, GM took after all rear engine designs seeking their ban as supposely dangerous.
While most other rear engine manufacturers also had front engine models in their history, Porsche did not. It only had air cooled, small to medium displacement air cooled rear engines. Porsche was a small, niche market building what many saw as merely custom bodies, spartan VWs with over carberated VW motors with hot cams. In that era 911s were certainly not in the top class supercar league.
The 928 project was a billion dollar do or die gamble of Porsche. With its first stage release of the 924, the 928 was unlike any Porsche ever built. Rather than spartan, the interior was luxurious. It had massive V-8 torque, perfect 50/50 balance, was a cutting edge design in appearance, pioneered early computer management, and defied the seeming demand for jutting out square bumpers - and not only was the only Porsche to earn the company "fastest production car" status year after year, but redefined Porsche as a, if not THE premier production exotic car manufacturer.
Despite the $150,000+ (in today's dollars) price of the 928, I have no doubt Porsche lost money on every one sold due to the enormous costs of tool and die work. But the 928 brought them into the showroom and sold tens upon tens of thousands of 924, 944s and 911s. The 928 added vast value to the trademark and dealership value of the world and license of "Porsche".
The threat of putting twin turbos on the 928 - certainly possible given the 944 met EPA ppm emissions - lead GM to throw in the towel to avoid the massive retooling costs and then overall radical reaction of the insurance industry, environmentalists and such if 500 horsepower cars were coming off assembly lines in competition in the mid 80s. Giving in to the 928 turbo threat, GM released the stylish but sluggish Fiero. The battle was over and the 928 had saved the 911 for being outlawed for safety issues and public perceptions of safety.
It is questionable if Porsche could have survived. let alone become the super car company, against the GM drive at the rear engine 911 without the 928 counter attack by Porsche and the 924/944 little sisters coming from the project. It is certain that it was the 928 that defined - worldwide - Porsche as a super car for the first time.
Name any other Porsche that was "Fastest production car in the USA" and "in the world". And for how many years was that for the 928?
For the 911, the count is easy - ZERO.
I am often stunned at the PCA gunning down Porsche that are not of some rear engine ala 911 concept. For example, the Cayenne is a stunning, awesome SUV - 450 horsepower and a price notably lower than other turbo Porsche with far more features and production costs. It also cost Porsche hundreds of millions of dollars to design, tool and die for.
The 928, year after year, was "THE FASTEST", despite being a mid-steel body, 4 place luxury cruiser. Its production run as a semi-exotic car spanned 18 years using virtually the identical body, chassis and power train - unequalled by any other manufacturer - ever.
Porsche executives should be required to pass a 1977 Porsche 928 each day and give a nod of respect as they own their jobs to the 928.
To this day, the 928 is an awesome car. The last models at 360 horsepower and 3600 pounds does not also recognize the incredibly long horsepower and moreso torque curve.
Back to the wall, a tiny German company scrounged up a billion dollars in the ultimate gamble - did a 100% shift in design and definition of what a Porsche is from the ground up - and conquered the automotive world.
Why don't I ever read that in any PCA or Porsche material? Why not boast of the historic genious and extreme boldness of the Porsche company in the 928, rather than "we added 2.1% horsepower and reduced weight 1.7%" to the 911 as the Porsche historic genious?
Where does Porsche turn when the Boxster conservative yuppies tire of the identical model year after year that does not really have much in uniqueness, boldness or creativity remaining in them?
The answer, of course, is the endless 911. Or is it?

Porsche and the PCA should NOT be pleased to see that their super car that smashed Contach and Lotus now sells used for 1/5th to 1/15th their counterparts. Rather than always presenting the 928 as an history superstar - therefore supporting the concept that all top of the line Porsches of any vintage are and will always be superstars, instead Porsche and the PCA treat the Porsche 928 in the manner than Ford treats the Edsel.

Disregard for the 928 and the vast historic significance of it - and boldness, creativity and "take on the whole world" attitude behind the project is long term marketing stupidly by the PCA and Prosche.
I just saw a supercharged, super clean, LATE MODEL 928 S-4 that could not $10,000, were a stock Contact in average condition brought $85,000. 928s in good, running condition, are being gutted for a transmission now.
Somehow, supporting the reality that Porsche mega-costly super cars lose their resale value 10 times faster than any other manufacturer seems particularly tactically stupid - to be candid of it. And foolish.
The 928 is still a stunning automobile. I take my 928 with a mid customized body to a local drag strip now and then to watch the races. It draws crowds standing still. Heads turn with the 32V 4 cammer fires up, and there will be a "holy s...t!" when I pop the hood on what is the most awesome and gorgeous Porsche motor ever built.
It would seem prudent for the PCA and Porsche to revere the 928, for profit and preservation of Porsche in the long run, if for no other reason.
For a decade and a half, the 928 was the top dollar Porsche and reaching technically into 1995 - a decade ago. What did those buyers get in the long run from Porsche?
An 18 year runs - 1977 to 1995 - and try to find an article in Panorama about the 928? All found, if any comment, is that the 928 was "a bit on the heavy side" and "outdated".

Truly, what does PCA or Porsche offer for 928 owners other than the advise to buy a 911?
Porsche faced oblivion as a minor company for its singular focus upon the 911 series. Fortunately, they were wise enough and brave enough for the 928 gamble. If current only 911s forever retro-thinking continues indefinitely, Porsche will face a surprise downturn in the future with no bailout option other than being bought out - as happened to Lambro after being whipped up by the 928 - even when the 928 was a decade old design.
I suspect, though, one reason the 928 is so disregarded is due to its enduring potency as a performance car, particularly the latter models in contrast to any under $100K new Porsche of any model now offered.
The horsepower and torque curves of the 928 S4 and GTS series is stunning and relatively equated to over 400 horsepower and 500 pounds torque to other V-8s to this day, and vastly moreso in contrast to any 400 horsepower 6 cylinder as a torque issue.

A person can have an immaculate, particularly low mileage early 90s 928GTS with a legal Borla exhaust and adjustment to the air fuel mixture within legal range, and have a 2+2 GT car with a .31 coefficent drag, perfect 50/50 weight balance, that will do the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds with a real top speed of 190 mph - out drag race a new King of the Hill Vette and out corner a Lotus - and have that all for under $30K. Maybe that is why PCA and Porsche wish these old 928 scraped.
It is unfortunate that the PCA and Porsche do not take the position that their top of the line cars are always of top of the line interests and top of the line valve.
I do not boycott Porsche or the PCA, but am stunned by the foolish attitude towards the 928. It seems long term marketing slow suicide and is the strongest proof that Lambo, Ferrari and Lotus all are superior given subsequent interests, support and resale value.
The greatest single mistake was for Porsche and the PCA to deny that the Cayenne was of 928 legacy. Had this been done, it would have given a zillion dollars in memoribilia value of the vastly famous 928, which for over a decade was the poster car on nearly every law, medical and MBA college student in the country as why there were pursuing their high income educations.

Instead, Porsche and the PCA denied it was of 928 legacy (and therefore no legacy at all), and then PCA picked at it. Bad name for the SUV. Too heavy. Not Porsche like. Bad decision to make a deal for a like model with VW, etc. etc. - all which added up to "it ain't a 911 so it ain't really a Porsche."

Porsche is what it is because of the 928. Without the 928, it likely that Porsche would have been bought out by GM as a bankrupted company circa 1985.
Mark