Speculation over the possible rebirth of the classic Porsche 928 is rife once again, the latest rumour frenzy following a 'round table' media grilling of Porsche execs at the Shanghai motorshow.
928 was produced from 1977 to 1995Apparently various members of the Porsche board have expressed positive thoughts about re-entering the front-engined luxury coupe sector, with sales and marketing director Klaus Berning reported as confirming such a car is of particular interest to the firm.
With global sales of lower-end Porsches like the Boxster and Cayman under pressure while interest in range-topping 911 and Cayenne models remains strong, it would seem to make sense for the Stuttgart manufacturer to investigate a flagship GT model based on the technically advanced Panamera platform.
Adding weight to the story, Porsche design chief Michael Mauer told journalists in Shanghai he is 'still busy' with design work on the Panamera project, as well as with the next iteration of the 911.
Panamera could get the coupe treatmentAlthough Porsche has had runaway success with its Cayenne SUV, the firm is missing out on sales in the luxury GT sector where rival manufacturers like Aston Martin, Bentley and Maserati are proving successful. Additionally, the all-new Panamera platform required a major investment by Porsche and a successful coupe spin-off would surely help to ease the financial burden.