Only three years after Porsche introduced the 928 range on the market, the German car-maker decided to apply the first facelift.
The year was 1980, and the GT market started to be more contested by other car-makers. Along with the Jaguar XJS and the BMW 6-Series, Porsche claimed a slice of the market with the 928.

The exterior looked like a GT, with a long and flat hood, a 2+2 cabin, and a big window for the tailgate. One of the most characteristic features of the car were the pop-up headlights. They were exposed and leaned back when they were not needed and tilted forward to a vertical level when they were lit. The front and rear bumpers received a lip on the bottom to help the airflow.

Inside, the 928 featured bolstered seats in the front and two seats in the rear. The center tunnel was big due to the gearbox placed in the back. The instrument cluster was different than the one found in the 911. Since it was a luxury GT, Porsche fitted the car with that time’s comfort features, including air-conditioning.

Under the hood, there was a new, 4.7-liter engine. It featured a direct fuel injection, which helped to get better fuel efficiency and lower the emissions. The engineers paired the V8 unit to a 5-speed manual. For some markets, an automatic version was available.