1989 Porsche 928 S4

1989 Porsche 928 S4 Coupe It's hard to imagine in an era when front engine, V8 powered vehicles are acknowledged as having been Porsche's savior and 911 engines have long been water cooled, but the 928 was heresy incarnate for the Porsche purists. Heresy be damned! I loved that 928 S4. And ever since I've nurtured the belief that the 928 is the most underrated Porsche of all time. Now, 36 years later, I was to test that belief. Motor Trend, August 2023  For consignment, a 1989 Porsche 928 S4 coupe with a title verified 51,157 actual miles. Owned by our consignor since 2011 who only put 3,000 miles on the car, and during that time the timing belt, water pump, and battery have been replaced.  Exterior No trim on here to break up the Black coverage and only the light lenses deflect from the monochromatic profile that adorns this uniquely shaped Porsche. The rear wing, side mirrors, chin spoiler, body molding, window trim, all black. Beginning in '87, the exterior was made more aerodynamically with flush and elongated tail lights while retaining the bug eye headlights that point to the sky until deployed. The 16-inch factory wheels wear the engraved Porsche crest in the center caps and here suffer from a bit of staining not seen at distance. A pair of rubberized bumper guards flank the license plate and a single exhaust tip exits on the left rear, at the base of the iconic bubble shaped rear and sloping hatch. A scuff on the front bumper corner and some detachment of the chin spoiler joins earlier mentioned imperfections on this otherwise very straight and clean example.  Interior Solid black on the inside too where efficient door panels are neatly designed and clean. Then, the racy black leather bucket seats grab your attention with their sporty shape, deep pleats, and high head rests. Oh sure, there are suggestions of rear 2+2 seats, but reserved only for small children and your Trader Joe's reusable bags. That said, all four seats are in great condition. The classic H-style steering wheel leads to a simple instrument cluster with orange digital readouts in a spotless black plastic housing. The center stack is where you'll find the A/C panel and JVC AM/FM/CD with AUX and USB. Even the shifter is in nice shape with just the slightest patina on its T-shaped handle. Tight black carpet floods the floor and foot wells, and the rear cargo area and the headliner is in nice condition showing a loose motor cover door at the time of our photo session.   Drivetrain In front, you'll find the detailed engine bay housing the 5.0 liter V8, rated at 320 horsepower and mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission that routes power to the rear wheels through 2.54 gears.  Undercarriage General patina and road dust colors the underside but we're not seeing surface rust worth mentioning and only some residual oil on the front splash guard. Power disc brakes are employed at all four wheels and dual exhaust run to a stock style muffler in back that emits a dual tailpipe shrouded in an oval tip. Suspension consists of double wishbones up front and coil overs in the independent rear system.  Drive-Ability As grand touring luxury sports cars, 928's might feel heavier and more grounded than the nimble 911 to Porsche enthusiasts, but that doesn't mean it's a slow car. There's power underfoot as we round the turns of our test loop and our tires are 15 years old, so we're not flogging it unnecessarily. This is a functional test after all, not a race. We find the passenger power window does not go up, the power sunroof will not go back, and both the heater blower and A/C are non functional. All other operational items in and on the car work as intended. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. Underrated maybe, but not unappreciated as the 928 often emerges as the fantasy car of many who