1991 Porsche 928 S4

Porsche's intended replacement for the 911 may not have achieved that particular goal, but it wasn't for a lack of performance or technological wizardry. An alloy V8 was attached to a rear-mounted gearbox, and the galvanised body had aluminium doors and bonnet, plus body-coloured plastic bumpers - pretty radical for its time. The 928 was launched to a fanfare and surprised many by being named European Car of the Year, an award that traditionally went to worthy, but dull, family hatchbacks.

Critics immediately recognised the advances inherent in the 928 over the 911, and the car was universally praised as one of the greatest 'GT' cars of all time. It handled, it was quick, it looked fantastic and it was comfortable. With the 928, Porsche created a serious long distance grand-touring car that could also tackle twisting B-roads with ease, thanks to super-direct steering, 50/50 weight distribution and a clever Weissach rear axle that kept the car firmly planted. Many road testers found that their nerve ran out long before the 928's grip. Porsche continuously developed their range-topper throughout its production life, culminating with the launch of the S4 in 1987, which differed slightly from the earlier Series cars with its smoothed-off front and rear bumpers, larger rear spoiler, more interior equipment and a 5-litre version of the V8 engine developing 316bhp and with improved low-end pulling power. The 928 S4 was an even greater technical 'tour de force' than before.

The car presented here is a Porsche 928 S4 Automatic manufactured on the 28th November 1990 (last-of-the-line 1991 model). It was new to Japan where its early history is interesting, as we believe it was retained by Porsche as a showroom centrepiece, explaining why it was not registered until February 1994 when the Porsche warranty commenced and why it's UK registered on an 'L' prefix. The second owner bought it from the original supplying dealer in March 1995 with circa 5,000 miles and kept it until 2014.

The odometer indicates just 31,000 miles which, given the history file and the car's overall condition, would suggest may well be accurate. It looks fabulous in its White paintwork with a contrasting Sherwood Green leather interior. Unusually, the interior extended leather pack (seats, console, dash, headlining, visors and tail-gate trimmed in leather) is not standard for a C18 car and could have been an exclusive option.

Our Porsche-enthusiast vendor believes the paintwork to be original (apart from a small repaint on the rear quarter carried out by a Porsche specialist). He describes the car as "being immaculate', right down to the layer of 'Cosmoline' wax coating still on the underside. Small details like the original radio, the unused spare wheel, and the correct fixings still in place, all add up to reassure that this car is completely genuine. Also present are all the correct labels, books, records, tools and two sets of keys.

The car has a continuous service and maintenance record, from both Porsche and marque specialists, to help support its condition and authenticity. It's most recent was a full service (including belts, rollers, tyres, and bushes) done by marque specialists Williams Crawford.

Front-engined Porsches are having the renaissance they richly deserve, and this competitively guided 928 S4 opens the door into a very exclusive club of Porsche ownership, although acquiring examples of the 928 in this sort of condition is getting much harder. Now ready to be enjoyed by a new owner, this is one not to be missed and has the potential to be a shrewd investment.