Jeremy Clarkson’s declaration that his all-time favorite car is a Porsche usually invites assumptions of a 911 Turbo or perhaps a howling GT3. Instead, he has repeatedly pointed to the Porsche 928, a car long treated as a strange detour in Stuttgart history. For Clarkson, that contrarian choice is precisely the point. The 928 represents Porsche at its most intellectually ambitious, not its most nostalgic.
A Grand Tourer Built to Replace an Icon
When the 928 debuted in 1977, it was never meant to coexist with the 911. Porsche engineered it as a full replacement, a clean-sheet rethink of what a high-performance sports car could be in a changing world of emissions, safety, and refinement. Front-mounted, water-cooled V8, rear transaxle, near-perfect weight distribution, and the kind of long-legged comfort the 911 could not offer at the time.
Clarkson has always admired cars that solve problems rather than cling to tradition. The 928 was Porsche attempting to out-engineer the future, not romanticize the past. That willingness to challenge its own legend is central to why the car resonates so deeply with him.
Engineering Brilliance Over Romantic Noise
At the heart of the 928 sat an aluminum V8 ranging from 4.5 to 5.4 liters, producing between 219 and 345 HP depending on generation. More important than raw output was delivery: smooth, elastic torque that made serious speed feel effortless. This was not a car that demanded constant attention; it devoured distance with unsettling ease.
The transaxle layout and Weissach rear axle gave the 928 stability that bordered on uncanny for its era. Lift-off oversteer, the traditional sports car vice, was engineered out through passive rear-wheel steering geometry. Clarkson has often praised cars that inspire confidence at speed, and the 928’s chassis dynamics did exactly that, especially on fast, imperfect roads.
A Driving Experience Clarkson Actually Values
Where many journalists fetishize edge-of-adhesion theatrics, Clarkson has always valued composure, speed, and usability. The 928 excels in the real world, where roads are long, surfaces vary, and comfort matters. It is devastatingly quick without feeling frenetic, refined without being sterile.
This duality is what Clarkson latched onto. The 928 is a thinking person’s performance car, one that rewards understanding rather than aggression. It aligns perfectly with his belief that the best cars are those that work with you, not against you.
Overshadowed, Misunderstood, and Therefore Perfect
The 928’s greatest failure was not technical but cultural. It lived in the shadow of the rear-engined 911, a car that refused to die and only grew stronger with age. Enthusiasts never forgave the 928 for what it symbolized: a future without the sacred flat-six hanging over the rear axle.
Clarkson’s admiration is rooted in that very misunderstanding. The 928 was never inferior; it was simply different, and arguably ahead of its time. In celebrating it, he isn’t being provocative. He’s recognizing a landmark GT that dared to redefine Porsche, and in doing so, quietly became one of the most accomplished road cars of the 20th century.
Born to Replace the 911: The Radical Vision and Controversial Origins of the Porsche 928
Understanding why Clarkson reveres the 928 requires rewinding to one of the most audacious moments in Porsche’s history. In the early 1970s, the company genuinely believed the 911 was living on borrowed time. Regulations, safety concerns, emissions pressures, and internal fatigue with the rear-engine layout pushed Porsche’s leadership toward a clean-sheet rethink of what a flagship sports car should be.
The result was not an evolution, but a philosophical rupture. The 928 was conceived not as an alternative to the 911, but as its outright successor. That ambition would define both its brilliance and its troubled legacy.
A Front-Engine Porsche, and the End of Sacred Cows
At a time when Porsche’s identity was inseparable from air-cooled flat-sixes and rear weight bias, the 928 detonated every sacred cow at once. It adopted a water-cooled V8 up front, a rear-mounted transaxle for balance, and near-perfect weight distribution. This was heresy to traditionalists, but engineering orthodoxy to Porsche’s more forward-looking minds.
The logic was sound. A front-engine GT could deliver stability, refinement, and safety the 911 struggled to match without losing performance credibility. Clarkson, who has always favored intelligent solutions over romantic stubbornness, instinctively understands why this made sense.
Designed for the Autobahn, Not the Race Track
The 928 was engineered around sustained high-speed travel, not lap times. Porsche expected owners to cross countries at 150 mph, not chase apexes on Sunday mornings. That’s why the car emphasized torque curves, high-speed stability, low NVH levels, and long-legged gearing rather than raw immediacy.
This intent shows everywhere. The chassis prioritizes composure over drama, the steering is calm rather than hyperactive, and the suspension was tuned to breathe with imperfect surfaces. It’s exactly the kind of real-world performance Clarkson has repeatedly argued matters more than theoretical brilliance.
The Shark That Shocked Stuttgart
Even visually, the 928 announced its independence. The smooth, aerodynamic body, integrated polyurethane bumpers, and pop-up headlights were radical in the late 1970s. Internally nicknamed “the Shark,” it looked like nothing else Porsche had ever built, or would build again.
Inside, the design was equally forward-thinking. The instrument binnacle moved with the steering wheel, the seating position was relaxed but purposeful, and comfort was treated as a performance asset rather than a compromise. This was a car designed for adults who drove hard and far.
Corporate Confidence Meets Enthusiast Resistance
Ironically, the 928 did exactly what Porsche intended. It won European Car of the Year in 1978, proved reliable, and earned respect from engineers and executives alike. What it never earned was emotional acceptance from the faithful.
Buyers didn’t want the future Porsche was offering. They wanted the 911 to survive, and it did, evolving far beyond what anyone in Stuttgart initially expected. The 928 became collateral damage in that unexpected success, forever framed as the car that tried, and failed, to replace an icon.
That failure, however, is precisely why Clarkson champions it. The 928 wasn’t wrong; it was simply too rational, too capable, and too early for a world addicted to nostalgia.
Design Without Precedent: Pop-Up Headlights, V8 Power, and a Grand Tourer Soul
If the 928 failed as a replacement for the 911, it succeeded brilliantly as something entirely new. Porsche didn’t soften its values; it redirected them. This was a clean-sheet rethink of what a high-performance Porsche could be when freed from rear-engine dogma and motorsport obsession.
A Shape That Rewrote Porsche Design Language
The 928’s body was dictated by aerodynamics and long-distance stability, not heritage cues. Its cab-forward stance, wide hips, and smooth nose reduced lift at autobahn speeds where a 911 began to feel busy. Those pop-up headlights weren’t a gimmick; they allowed a low frontal area and clean airflow when stowed.
Polyurethane bumpers, seamlessly integrated into the body, were decades ahead of industry norms. While traditionalists scoffed, engineers quietly smiled. This was Porsche designing for the future, not the past.
V8 Power: A Radical Break from Flat-Six Orthodoxy
Under that long hood sat Porsche’s first production V8, initially a 4.5-liter all-alloy unit producing around 240 HP, later growing to 5.4 liters and over 340 HP in GTS form. More important than peak output was torque: thick, accessible, and ideal for high-speed cruising. This was power you leaned on for hours, not revved mercilessly for seconds.
Mounted up front and paired with a rear transaxle, the engine delivered near-perfect weight distribution. Clarkson has often praised this layout for its stability and confidence at speed. In the 928, it created a car that felt unflappable at velocities that would have lesser machines sweating.
Engineering for Adults Who Drive Hard
The Weissach rear axle remains one of the most underrated chassis innovations of the era. By inducing passive rear-wheel steering under lift-off, it reduced snap oversteer and rewarded smooth inputs. You didn’t fight the 928; you collaborated with it.
This was not a car for showing off reflexes. It was engineered for composure, for crossing continents quickly and calmly, which aligns perfectly with Clarkson’s long-held belief that true performance is about usable speed, not stopwatch heroics.
A Grand Tourer in the Purest Sense
The interior confirmed the mission. Deeply bolstered seats, excellent ergonomics, and genuine luggage space made the 928 a car you could live in. Noise insulation, climate control, and ride quality were not concessions but deliberate performance tools.
This is where the 928 reveals its soul. It wasn’t trying to be loved in the way the 911 demanded. It was built to be respected, trusted, and used hard over long distances. That quiet confidence, more than any spec sheet figure, explains why Jeremy Clarkson sees it not as a failure, but as one of Porsche’s most honest achievements.
Behind the Wheel: How the 928 Drives—and Why Clarkson Reveres Its Engineering Genius
Slip from theory into motion, and the 928’s purpose becomes instantly clear. This is where the car justifies every controversial decision Porsche made. Clarkson’s admiration doesn’t come from nostalgia or contrarianism; it comes from how devastatingly right the 928 feels once it’s rolling at speed.
Stability First, Speed Second—and That’s the Point
The defining sensation is stability. At 100 mph, the 928 feels like it has only just cleared its throat, tracking arrow-straight with minimal steering correction. The long wheelbase, wide track, and transaxle balance create a platform that seems immune to crosswinds and surface imperfections.
Clarkson has repeatedly argued that a great fast car should calm the driver, not excite them into mistakes. The 928 embodies that philosophy. It doesn’t demand constant attention; it earns your trust, then quietly raises the pace without drama.
Steering and Chassis: Precision Without Nervousness
The steering is slower than a contemporary 911’s, but that’s intentional. It communicates grip levels clearly without dartiness, encouraging smooth, deliberate inputs rather than frantic corrections. On a fast road, this makes the 928 devastatingly effective, especially over long distances.
The Weissach axle works invisibly in the background. Lift mid-corner and the rear subtly self-corrects, reducing yaw rather than amplifying it. Clarkson has called this kind of engineering “clever without being smug,” because it flatters the driver without dulling involvement.
V8 Character: Effortless, Elastic, and Grown-Up
The V8’s delivery defines the driving experience. Torque arrives early and stays with you, allowing rapid progress without chasing redlines. Where a 911 eggs you on to wring its neck, the 928 simply surges forward, mile after mile, with turbine-like smoothness.
This is exactly the kind of powertrain Clarkson champions. Not theatrical, not peaky, but deeply competent. It’s the difference between feeling fast and actually being fast when the road opens up.
High-Speed Comfort as a Performance Advantage
What truly separates the 928 is how it treats the driver over time. The seats support without fatigue, the cabin remains hushed at speed, and the suspension absorbs imperfections without losing body control. You arrive fresher after three hours at speed than you would after thirty minutes in something more frenetic.
Clarkson has long maintained that endurance is the ultimate test of engineering. By that measure, the 928 is a triumph. It turns distance into an ally, not an obstacle, redefining performance as something sustainable rather than explosive.
Why This Driving Experience Was Misunderstood
The tragedy of the 928 is that it drove too well for its own good. It didn’t scare journalists, didn’t bite inattentive drivers, and didn’t conform to the raw, rear-engined drama people expected from Porsche. As a result, it was labeled aloof instead of advanced.
Clarkson sees through that misreading. To him, the 928 represents engineers winning an internal argument against nostalgia. Behind the wheel, it reveals itself not as a failed 911 replacement, but as something rarer: a Porsche that prioritized intelligence over tradition, and execution over mythology.
The Long Shadow of the 911: How Internal Rivalry and Market Timing Doomed the 928’s Reputation
If the 928 was misunderstood dynamically, it was politically doomed. Not by customers, and not by engineers, but by the impossible task Porsche gave it internally. From the moment it launched, the 928 wasn’t judged on what it was, but on what it was supposed to replace.
The Impossible Brief: Replacing an Icon Still Selling
In the early 1970s, Porsche leadership believed the rear-engined 911 had reached the end of its development road. Safety regulations, emissions laws, and basic physics all suggested its days were numbered. The 928 was engineered as the solution: front-mounted V8, water cooling, modern crash structures, and predictable handling at the limit.
The problem was simple and fatal. The 911 refused to die. It kept selling, kept winning races, and kept evolving faster than anyone expected. Instead of succeeding the 911, the 928 was forced to coexist with it, and in that comparison, tradition always wins the first impression.
Two Porsches, Two Philosophies, One Confused Audience
To enthusiasts, Porsche meant a specific sensation: light nose, heavy tail, mechanical intimacy, and a sense that the car was daring you to keep up. The 928 offered none of that theater. It was heavier, wider, quieter, and vastly more refined at speed.
This created a branding paradox. The 911 felt like a sports car that happened to be usable, while the 928 felt like a grand tourer that happened to be devastatingly fast. Journalists struggled to place it, and buyers didn’t know whether to compare it to a Ferrari, a Jaguar XJ-S, or its own sibling sitting next to it in the showroom.
Timing Is Everything, and the 928 Arrived Too Early
In many ways, the 928 predicted the future of performance cars. Today, front-engine V8 GTs with adaptive suspension, long-distance comfort, and high-speed stability are celebrated. In 1978, they were seen as soft.
The market hadn’t caught up to the idea that refinement could coexist with genuine performance. Clarkson has often argued that the 928 would be praised without hesitation if it wore a modern badge and launched today. Back then, it was penalized for being mature in an era obsessed with edge.
The 911 as Cultural Armor
The 911 didn’t just survive; it built mythology in real time. Racing success, celebrity ownership, and decades of incremental evolution created emotional armor no new model could penetrate. Against that backdrop, the 928 was always the outsider, regardless of its technical brilliance.
Every improvement the 928 made highlighted what it wasn’t. It didn’t sound like a flat-six, didn’t look familiar, and didn’t demand constant correction at the limit. To purists, that felt like betrayal rather than progress.
Why Clarkson Gravitate Toward the 928 Anyway
This internal rivalry is exactly why Clarkson admires the 928. He’s never been sentimental about layout or lineage. He values outcomes: speed over distance, stability under pressure, and engineering that works quietly in the background.
To him, the 928 represents Porsche unshackled from its own legend. A car that dared to ask whether tradition was actually the best answer, and then delivered a solution so competent it threatened the old order. Its reputation suffered not because it failed, but because it challenged the wrong icon at the wrong time.
Cultural Amnesia: Why the Porsche 928 Became a Forgotten Icon Despite Critical Acclaim
For all its engineering audacity, the Porsche 928 fell victim to something far more powerful than flawed execution. It was undone by narrative, by expectations, and by an enthusiast culture that often remembers stories more vividly than facts. The result is a car praised in period, respected by engineers, and quietly erased from popular memory.
Praise Without a Tribe
When the 928 launched, critics loved it. It won European Car of the Year in 1978, a rare honor for a high-performance GT, and road tests raved about its stability, refinement, and sheer pace over long distances. Yet praise alone doesn’t build legacy if no passionate group claims ownership of the story.
The 911 had racers, tinkerers, and romantics. The 928 had satisfied customers who used their cars as intended, crossing continents at speed, then parking them quietly. That kind of excellence doesn’t generate folklore; it generates silence.
Too Competent to Be Dramatic
The 928’s brilliance was subtle, and that worked against it. Its Weissach rear axle passively countered lift-off oversteer, making high-speed driving safer and more predictable without the driver ever noticing. The front-mounted V8 delivered smooth, linear torque rather than theatrical spikes, and the transaxle layout gave it near-perfect weight distribution.
But drama is what fuels memory. Cars that bite, wobble, or demand constant correction leave stronger impressions than ones that simply do everything right. The 928 was devastatingly effective, but it didn’t scare you into respect, and for many enthusiasts, that made it feel less alive.
The Wrong Shape for the Right Job
Visually, the 928 never aligned with what people thought a Porsche should be. Its wide hips, integrated bumpers, and pop-up headlights spoke the language of futurism, not heritage. Over time, that design aged into a specific era rather than timelessness.
As the 911 evolved without abandoning its silhouette, the 928 became anchored to the late 1970s and 1980s. That aesthetic timestamp made it easier to overlook as tastes shifted, even as its engineering aged remarkably well.
Success That Didn’t Need Attention
Perhaps most damning is that the 928 never failed loudly. It wasn’t a commercial disaster, nor was it a technological dead end. It enjoyed an 18-year production run, continual upgrades, and increasing displacement and power, culminating in the 5.4-liter, 345 HP GTS.
Because it didn’t crash and burn, it never needed redemption. And because it didn’t become a racing legend or a poster car, it slipped through the cracks of enthusiast memory. The 928 became a victim of quiet competence, respected but rarely celebrated, admired but seldom mythologized.
Clarkson’s Philosophy of Cars: What the 928 Reveals About His Taste Beyond Lap Times
Understanding why the 928 resonates with Clarkson requires stepping away from stopwatch worship. He has always been suspicious of cars that exist purely to impress on a circuit while punishing their drivers everywhere else. The 928’s quiet competence, previously seen as a flaw, aligns perfectly with his belief that a great car should enhance real driving, not dominate it.
Speed as a Byproduct, Not the Mission
Clarkson has long argued that outright pace is meaningless without context. The 928 was fast for its era, with later versions capable of effortless high-speed cruising well beyond 150 mph, yet it never shouted about it. Its V8 delivered torque smoothly across the rev range, prioritizing momentum and stability over dramatic acceleration theatrics.
That matters because Clarkson values speed that feels usable. The 928 didn’t require bravery or punishment to access its performance; it simply went fast when asked, all day, without fraying nerves. In his worldview, that is a higher form of engineering achievement than shaving tenths off a lap.
A Grand Tourer for Adults, Not Heroes
Where many idolize cars that demand sacrifice, Clarkson has consistently gravitated toward machines that respect the driver. The 928’s ergonomics, visibility, ride quality, and long-distance comfort were engineered for humans, not racing drivers. You could cross countries at speed, step out without fatigue, and do it again the next day.
This adult approach to performance is central to his taste. The 928 didn’t flatter ego or require constant correction to feel special. Instead, it rewarded restraint and smooth inputs, making the driver feel competent rather than tested.
Engineering That Solves Problems Quietly
Clarkson has a deep appreciation for engineering that works invisibly. The Weissach rear axle, transaxle balance, and cooling solutions were not headline features but functional answers to real-world challenges. They reduced danger, increased confidence, and made high-speed driving safer without ever demanding attention.
To Clarkson, that kind of intelligence is more impressive than flamboyance. The 928 embodied a philosophy where brilliance was measured by how little you noticed it, not how loudly it announced itself.
Why the 928 Fits Clarkson Better Than a 911
Despite his respect for the 911, Clarkson has often highlighted its compromises and quirks. The 928 represented what Porsche could do when tradition was set aside in favor of logic. Front-engine balance, predictable handling, and V8 refinement made it a car that worked with the driver, not against them.
In that sense, the 928 mirrors Clarkson himself. It is pragmatic, slightly contrarian, and unimpressed by orthodoxy. Its appeal isn’t rooted in mythology or motorsport trophies, but in how devastatingly well it performs its intended role.
A Car for Those Who Understand, Not Applaud
Ultimately, the 928 appeals to Clarkson because it doesn’t chase approval. It was built to solve a problem, not to become an icon, and it succeeded on its own terms. That refusal to pander, combined with its depth of engineering and real-world brilliance, is precisely why it stands above louder, more celebrated machines in his personal hierarchy.
For Clarkson, greatness isn’t about being loved by everyone. It’s about being right.
Reappraisal in the Modern Era: Why the Porsche 928 Deserves Rediscovery Today
Viewed through a modern lens, the Porsche 928 suddenly makes far more sense than it did in period. The qualities that once confused buyers and critics now align perfectly with how enthusiasts actually use high-performance cars. Long distances, real roads, mixed conditions, and sustained speed are where the 928 was always meant to shine.
In many ways, the market has finally caught up with the car’s original intent. What was once dismissed as neither fish nor fowl is now understood as a deeply sophisticated grand tourer that anticipated modern performance values decades ahead of schedule.
Modern Driving Values Favor the 928’s Philosophy
Today’s best performance cars emphasize stability, refinement, and usable speed rather than raw, edge-of-control theatrics. The 928 was built on exactly that logic. With near-perfect weight distribution, a long wheelbase, and progressive suspension geometry, it delivers confidence rather than adrenaline spikes.
On contemporary roads crowded with traffic, speed cameras, and variable surfaces, that matters. The 928 allows you to make rapid progress without drama, fatigue, or constant correction. That is precisely the kind of capability Clarkson has always championed, even when surrounded by louder alternatives.
The V8 Grand Tourer We Forgot to Celebrate
The 928’s naturally aspirated V8, ranging from 4.5 to 5.4 liters across its lifespan, remains a highlight even by modern standards. It delivers torque where you actually use it, with a linear, muscular character that suits long-distance driving far better than peaky, high-strung engines. Power outputs north of 300 HP in later GTS form were genuinely serious for the era.
Crucially, the engine was engineered for durability and thermal stability, not lap records. It will sit at autobahn speeds all day without protest, a trait that feels almost exotic today. This was Porsche building a car for sustained real-world use, not brochure statistics.
Overshadowed by the 911, Not Outclassed by It
The 928’s greatest misfortune was sharing showroom space with the 911. Iconography tends to erase nuance, and the rear-engined legend cast a long shadow. Yet in objective terms, the 928 was often the more advanced, better-balanced, and more versatile machine.
History has a habit of rewarding tradition over innovation, at least initially. Only now, as enthusiasts look beyond mythology and toward engineering substance, is the 928 being reappraised on its own merits. Clarkson’s admiration looks less contrarian with every passing year.
A Misunderstood Icon for a More Mature Enthusiast
The modern collector and driver is older, more experienced, and less interested in proving anything. That demographic aligns perfectly with the 928’s character. It rewards mechanical sympathy, smooth inputs, and an understanding of momentum rather than aggression.
This is not a car that begs to be driven hard for ten minutes. It wants hours, distance, and commitment. In an era of instant gratification and digital theatrics, the 928’s analog depth feels refreshingly serious.
Why Rediscovery Feels Inevitable
Values are rising, but they still lag behind the car’s significance. That gap exists because the 928 was never about image. It was about solving problems intelligently, a theme that runs through everything Clarkson admires most.
As modern enthusiasts reassess what truly makes a great car, the Porsche 928 stands ready for vindication. Not as a quirky footnote, but as one of the most quietly accomplished performance cars of its era, finally understood on its own terms.
Legacy Secured: The 928’s Quiet Influence on Modern Porsche Grand Tourers
The 928 was never meant to be an evolutionary dead end. It was Porsche thinking forward, deliberately and rationally, about what a high-speed, long-distance performance car should be when freed from tradition. That philosophy did not disappear when the 928 left the catalog; it simply went underground, resurfacing decades later in cars that enthusiasts now take for granted.
The Blueprint for the Modern Porsche GT
Look closely at today’s Panamera and even the front-engined 911 derivatives, and the 928’s fingerprints are unmistakable. A powerful engine mounted for optimal weight distribution, a chassis tuned for stability at sustained high speeds, and an interior designed to support hours behind the wheel rather than minutes on a track.
The 928 proved that a Porsche could be brutally fast without being nervous or demanding. That balance between performance and refinement is now central to Porsche’s brand identity. In that sense, the 928 didn’t fail; it simply arrived before the audience was ready.
Engineering Priorities That Aged Exceptionally Well
What Clarkson instinctively understood is what modern Porsche engineers now openly embrace. Usable torque matters more than peak horsepower, cooling capacity matters more than Nürburgring headlines, and real-world chassis composure matters more than ultimate lap times.
The 928’s transaxle layout, wide track, and emphasis on neutral handling anticipated the way modern GT cars are engineered. These were solutions designed for drivers who cover serious distances at serious speed, exactly the brief Porsche now markets so effectively.
Why Clarkson’s Favorite Makes Perfect Sense
Clarkson has always valued cars that feel engineered rather than marketed. The 928 fits that worldview perfectly. It is unapologetically heavy, mechanically honest, and designed to do one job extremely well: cross continents faster and more comfortably than almost anything else of its era.
It is also a car that reveals its brilliance over time. The steering weights up beautifully at speed, the V8 settles into a relentless rhythm, and the chassis communicates with calm authority. That kind of depth is catnip to experienced drivers, and it explains why Clarkson’s praise has never wavered.
Final Verdict: A Legacy Finally Understood
The Porsche 928 no longer needs defending. Its influence is baked into the DNA of modern Porsche grand tourers, from their layout philosophy to their refusal to sacrifice usability for image. History has caught up with it.
For enthusiasts willing to look beyond mythology, the 928 stands as one of Porsche’s most important cars. Not a failed 911 replacement, but the quiet origin of a lineage that now defines how Porsche does long-distance performance. Clarkson saw it early. The rest of the world is finally catching on.
