Description
Recognized as the first-ever sports car to be voted Europe’s Car of the Year, the 1978 Porsche 928 won over the hearts of the general public and motoring press at the time of its arrival. Praised by columnist and test driver Bob Rassa in the 1978 April issue of Porsche Panorama, he concluded: “The 928 is the ultimate combination of superb styling, the quintessence of luxury, and the pinnacle of handling and performance…It is predictable, beautiful, deliberate and desirable – without a doubt the finest car we have ever driven.”
A lovely example from the first year of the 928, this particular Porsche was bought new by Mr. Arthur Watson Jr., who at the time owned Imported Cars of Greenwich, Connecticut. Mr. Watson purchased this Porsche from a well-known car collector and dealer, the late Malcolm Pray, in 1978, registering it under his own dealership. Watson would end up selling his dealership to Pray in 1985, so this 928 was then re-registered under his own name. The car was tucked away shortly after in his garage in 1985 with 29,762 miles and would not be taken back out till 2020 when Blackhorse Garage took ownership of it. In February of 2022, the current consignor would acquire this Porsche from Blackhorse with 30,885 on the odometer. When he took ownership, this Porsche was taken to Autobahn Centre Inc. located in Albany, New York to have a $10,300 service. Documented by invoices on file, some of the work included installing all new seals and belts, water pump, clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder, air-conditioning compressor, alternator and cooling hose, as well as working out any kinks within the transaxle. At the same time, new Pirelli P Zero Rossa 225/50R16 tires were installed. The work was completed on September 6th of 2022. To ensure everything was sorted and in working order, the consignor and mechanic drove it about 300 miles, as the odometer currently shows 31,150 miles. As a result of the service completed, the 4.5-litre V-8 engine and five-speed transaxle are both in fine working order and this Porsche is ready to be enjoyed on the road.
A largely original car finished in Guards Red, it is noted that it does have several minor paint touch-ups in various spots of the body and the right front fender has been repainted due to it sitting in front of a window while being stored between 1985 and 2020. For being 45 years old, the paint still presents quite well with only a few minor blemishes. A signature feature on these 928s, both headlights pop up and down with the twist of a knob and both electric windows go up and down with ease. Uniquely styling the cabin, it wears its original black and white factory “Pasha” pattern interior trim that presents well, with only a few noticeable flaws. The air-conditioning blows cold air thanks to its newly installed compressor, and the heat setting is also in proper working order. The radio works as well, and all the interior lights and gauges are currently functional.
Accompanying the sale of this 928 Porsche are its original Porsche+Audi customer identification card, original warranty and maintenance booklet, original 1978 State of Connecticut registration certificate paperwork, and 1985 State of Connecticut Vehicle Inspection Report when Watson had the car re-registered. Recently, Porsche 928s such as this have gained significant traction in the collector car market, thanks to the combination of Porsche aficionados and the growing demand among the younger generation of collectors. Largely original and recently sorted, this 1978 Porsche 928, with its unique and funky interior that screams the ‘70s and ‘80s, is a growing collectible that will certainly make anyone smile while shifting through the gears and easily conquering turns and corners on their way to their desired destination.
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