928 S4

STORY

The 928 was Porsche's attempt to kill its own icon. Launched in 1977, it was the company's first in-house design and first V8, a front-engine, water-cooled grand tourer meant to be the smooth, civilised flagship that would eventually retire the raw, rear-engined 911.

It was brilliant on its own terms. In 1978 it became the only sports car ever to win European Car of the Year, praised for its refinement, its transaxle balance and forward-looking details like the "Weissach axle" that engineered out lift-off oversteer. Over an 18-year life it grew from 4.5 to 5.4 litres and well past 300 hp.

But buyers refused to let the 911 die, and it was the 928 that bowed out in 1995 instead. Misunderstood in its day, it is now cherished as one of the great GTs, and as the flagship Porsche that dared to replace the irreplaceable.