Doug DeMuro

It suffered from that stigma for sure. The saving grace was it was actually a pretty good car to drive. And so over the years, and even at the time, it was kind of accepted as, hey, we all get that it came from a Volkswagen, but sort of the beloved 914. And it drives pretty well. Yeah. So, like, people were like, yeah, we'll take this as the entry Porsche of the time. But it wasn't a 911.

It suffered from that stigma for sure. The saving grace was it was actually a pretty good car to drive. And so over the years, and even at the time, it was kind of accepted as, hey, we all get that it came from a Volkswagen, but sort of the beloved 914. And it drives pretty well. Yeah. So, like, people were like, yeah, we'll take this as the entry Porsche of the time. But it wasn't a 911.

It was a totally different thing. Yeah, the 914 was a small, lightweight, compact roadster, removable top. The 924 was definitely a different kind of situation.

It was a totally different thing. Yeah, the 914 was a small, lightweight, compact roadster, removable top. The 924 was definitely a different kind of situation.

And regulations started to really show up like in this time period. In the car world, the 60s are kind of viewed as like the last bastion of just like anything goes and some very special cars came out of that era. In the 70s, everything started to get... The oil crisis was a big factor because that started to screw with emissions.

And regulations started to really show up like in this time period. In the car world, the 60s are kind of viewed as like the last bastion of just like anything goes and some very special cars came out of that era. In the 70s, everything started to get... The oil crisis was a big factor because that started to screw with emissions.

And then you had all these regulations about bumpers and safety and seatbelts that, you know, were very important and beneficial. But at the time, it was like, oh, they're killing our fun.

And then you had all these regulations about bumpers and safety and seatbelts that, you know, were very important and beneficial. But at the time, it was like, oh, they're killing our fun.

And they're faster than they were back then. So it's kind of the best of all worlds. And in most cases, they're more efficient also.

And they're faster than they were back then. So it's kind of the best of all worlds. And in most cases, they're more efficient also.

Now, I want to defend the 928 a little bit here, because this is an important moment in Porsche's history. When we look back on it now, it seems insane that the 911 would go away. Like, how could that be? But it's important to keep in mind that, like, the 356 went away, and that was the Porsche. Like, how now you say, like, oh, I have a Jeep, and you're referring to the Wrangler.

Now, I want to defend the 928 a little bit here, because this is an important moment in Porsche's history. When we look back on it now, it seems insane that the 911 would go away. Like, how could that be? But it's important to keep in mind that, like, the 356 went away, and that was the Porsche. Like, how now you say, like, oh, I have a Jeep, and you're referring to the Wrangler.

Like, the Porsche was the 356. And so that went away, and for the 911, it only made sense at some point the 911 would also go away. The crazy thing about the 928 in the Porsche world is that it was a front-engine V8 car, which Porsche had never pursued before and was more kind of an American thing. But in the context of the time, it's not that insane that they went after this.

Like, the Porsche was the 356. And so that went away, and for the 911, it only made sense at some point the 911 would also go away. The crazy thing about the 928 in the Porsche world is that it was a front-engine V8 car, which Porsche had never pursued before and was more kind of an American thing. But in the context of the time, it's not that insane that they went after this.

All sports cars were starting to get bigger and more powerful, and because of the oil crisis and because of tightening emissions laws – It was getting very difficult to make any sort of power from anything other than a big engine. And even big engine cars at that time didn't really make a lot of power. Cadillac had like eight liter V8s that made like 150 horsepower.

All sports cars were starting to get bigger and more powerful, and because of the oil crisis and because of tightening emissions laws – It was getting very difficult to make any sort of power from anything other than a big engine. And even big engine cars at that time didn't really make a lot of power. Cadillac had like eight liter V8s that made like 150 horsepower.

It was embarrassing stuff because they had to put so many emissions controls on that by the time you actually got the power out, it was a disaster. So it didn't seem that insane. And the Jaguar E-Type had just been replaced. That was the big competitor. It was another sports car. That had been replaced by the XJS, which was now a V8, comfortable, automatic transmission car.

It was embarrassing stuff because they had to put so many emissions controls on that by the time you actually got the power out, it was a disaster. So it didn't seem that insane. And the Jaguar E-Type had just been replaced. That was the big competitor. It was another sports car. That had been replaced by the XJS, which was now a V8, comfortable, automatic transmission car.

Mercedes-Benz did the same thing with the SL class. It went from like a little fun sports car like the 911 to a big V8, kind of relaxed, leather, luxury cruiser, that sort of thing. And so it made sense that Porsche would maybe want to head in that direction also and start thinking about moving past the 9-11 just as they had moved past the 356, you know, 20 years before.

Mercedes-Benz did the same thing with the SL class. It went from like a little fun sports car like the 911 to a big V8, kind of relaxed, leather, luxury cruiser, that sort of thing. And so it made sense that Porsche would maybe want to head in that direction also and start thinking about moving past the 9-11 just as they had moved past the 356, you know, 20 years before.