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1981 Porsche 928 S

Sold Price

£5,220

  • Mileage~72,926 on clock
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Engine4.7-litre
  • LocationClare, Suffolk

SOLD

1981 Porsche 928 S

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Introduction

Dom Ginn
Professional Consigner

A distinctive V8 grand tourer, blending striking styling and long-distance comfort - the 928 S is a hugely characterful classic with plenty of appeal.

The Porsche 928 S stands as one of the most distinctive cars Porsche produced during the early 1980s, offering a very different interpretation of the traditional sports car. Conceived as a high-speed grand tourer, the 928 was designed to combine Porsche performance with the comfort and refinement needed for long-distance journeys.

Being a project car there are considerations for restoration works. These range from some trim works to the exterior (some elements of which are included with the final sale), re-trimming to the interior, and electrical works such as the rev counter, radio, seat and mirror functions. The Porsche doesn't come with any paperwork and hasn't been on the road for several years as it was purchased as a non-runner.

The current owner has completed several projects on the 928, works here include; a check over of the cylinder compression, cam-belt and oil change, fuel tank clean and a fuel line flush. It has a new ignition coil, distributer, starter motor, fuel pump and the car now starts, runs and drives. The bodywork has had restoration completed around a ~year ago, with a glass out respray in its original WeinRot colour.

For anyone looking to experience one of Porsche’s most ambitious and distinctive cars, this one, with a little attention, could be a really compelling classic.

This listing was written from information supplied by Dom after meeting Philip the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I always knew the 928 was something special - it has a really unique blend of effortless comfort and character.

We met with the current owner, Philip, who shared his experience of owning the Porsche 928. “I had always wanted a 928, particularly an early example with its distinctive rounded bodywork, so when the opportunity arose in April 2025, I bought this car as a non-running barn find".

Philip explains more about his time with the Porsche, "I had planned to gradually restore and keep it, but with limited time, other projects and the discovery that I was simply too tall to use it comfortably, I have decided it is time for it to move on".

The car comes to market reluctantly as Philip is still a big fan of it, but, with works required and less time on his hands, the time has come to let the 928 go to a new home, he adds, "I really hope someone will pick up the baton and get this beautiful car back on the road where it belongs".

If any additional questions are required, Philip would be happy to answer these below.

Philip
Vehicle Owner

Philip saved £0,900* when they
sold their Porsche with us.

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Exterior

The 928 S packs a sleek, futuristic profile, defined by its pop-up headlights, smooth lines and distinctive Porsche styling.

Wheels and Tyres

Fitted with 16” 928 S wheels, these show in good condition, there were a few signs of age, but nothing major. Overall, a clean over and a level of detailing would bring these back up to a higher standard.

The wheels are wrapped with a front set of Dunlop tyres, and to the rear, Michelin. Tyre tread spec show both front and rear at 225/50.

Please take time to review the photos and videos for a detailed view of the exterior, wheels, and tyres so you can make your own assessment of their condition. Tyres are a key safety item, and you should consider replacing any that are cracked, perished, unevenly worn, or over 10 years old.

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Bodywork

The car stands level, shut lines look good, and we could see no visible distortion to the panels. Both doors and bonnet open and close well, although the boot catch to the rear wasn't latching shut.

We found no major areas of concern when looking over the car, although there were 2 small holes on the rear quarter panels to both sides, nearest the window trim.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

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Paint

The paintwork presents with a good, consistent colour match throughout, although there are some signs of overspray to the underside. The car was resprayed in 2025 in its original WeinRot (maroon) finish. It had also received a respray in 1993 from its previous red shade.

If we were being picky, there were a few marks on the front of the car, on the door panels and paint chip was noted to the rear boot edge. These areas however, didn't detract too much from the lovely exterior of the 928.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

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Glass and Trim

Overall the glass on the Porsche showed with no major cause for concern. The windscreen showed well, with no significant scratching or marks. The rear window and side windows showed with a little delamination, mainly due to age.

The seals look reasonable around the outside of the car, although there were sections to both the rear drivers sides, where the trim would ideally need to be replaced. The headlining of the cabin looked good, just signs of age. Badges and emblems are present and correct.

Front and rear lights all appear in good condition, and we could see no sign of scratching to the finish here; just some minor haze to the glass at the front that typically comes with age.

We've taken you around the car in greater detail in our exterior review video, please take the time to look over the video and see how the glass and trim look from different perspectives.

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Interior

A beautifully distinctive cabin where Porsche’s grand-touring character meets 80's sophistication - a driver-focused interior with plenty of character.

Seats and Carpets

Both front seats are finished in check cloth and rear backed black leathers. Overall, the passenger seat shows in respectable condition, although there were signs of wear to the bolster sections. You will see from the interior images and video, that the drivers seat shows with major wear and would need to be re-affixed as the centre section has fallen away.

We noted some scratching and age to the back of the seats, but as these were out of sight, it wasn't a major concern. The compact rear section shows its age, although not a major concern. Overall, a re-trim would go a long way to bring the seating back up to a great standard.

Black carpets showed in reasonable condition through the interior and the boot raised no major concerns. Underneath the carpets, we found no issues with the flooring.

We've captured high-resolution photos and a full interior video tour through the car. This covers off the angles inside the car for you to review the condition of what's on offer here in our interior review section.

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Dashboard

The dashboard looks to be free from any splits and cracks and showed nicely on our visit.

The clocks and dials presented well, with ~72,926 miles shown at the time of our visit. These showed clearly with no obvious scratching to the facings.

Our interior gallery section takes you over some closer images of the Porsche dashboard, head over and see the car's interior in finer detail.

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Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

A classic Porsche, 928 branded, 4-spoke steering wheel, finished in black leather looks reasonable, although you will note the split to the top section of the wheel finish.

The automatic gear selector also shows well, just wear to the drivers side top edge. The black gaiter shows no major concerns.

We've captured high-resolution photos for you to review and check over the condition of the interior in our gallery section.

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Mechanics

At the heart of the Porsche lies its characterful 4.7-litre V8 - smooth, powerful and built for effortless grand-touring performance.

Engine and Gearbox

We weren't able to take the car out, due to it needing a few additional restorative works completed.

However, firing the Porsche up at home with the current owner, we noted no concerns. The car started well, ticked over and sounded great.

Take a look over the video for yourselves to hear the Porsche start up and take in the lovely sounds of the engine.

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Suspension and Brakes

We saw no concerning issues with the suspension when we looked under the car, although we were unable to take this out on the road.

The current owner advised, "The car hasn't been driven out properly for several years, so I expect some recommissioning work will be required. In particular, the brakes and hoses will need attention, while the suspension components are also likely to require inspection and refurbishment before the car is returned to the road".

We did spot, what we believed to be a sign of coolant leak, an aspect worth reviewing when looking over the mechanical videos. This, along with the mechanical photographs, provide close-up images from under the car.

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The Drive

We weren't able to take the Porsche out on the open road, but, from our experience with these cars, the Porsche 928 S offers a very different character from Porsche’s more traditional sports cars, favouring effortless pace, stability and long-distance refinement.

It's V8 delivers strong, smooth acceleration, encouraging you to settle into the car and enjoy its combination of power, comfort and precision rather than demanding an aggressive driving style.

In our experience, it is a true grand tourer, equally rewarding on winding country roads and longer journeys.

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Electrics and Other

The car is equipped with a sunroof, a nice feature. Several additional sections of trim are included as part of the final sale.

The front seats are electrically operated, although we were advised that these are currently not working correctly. The Porsche is also equipped with air conditioning, which is not currently working and is believed to require attention to the condenser.

There are a number of other electrical items requiring investigation, including the Pioneer stereo, horn and electrically operated door mirrors, none of which are currently functioning correctly.

Despite these considerations, we feel some attention and restoration works could get the Porsche back up to a really lovely condition.

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History and Paperwork

A distinctive Porsche with plenty of potential, this 928 S offers a great opportunity to bring this 80's icon back to its former glory.

Philip, the current owner, told us, "The car had reportedly been off the road since 2007, having been left in a garage following the previous owner’s passing, and came without any history. I had planned to gradually restore and keep it, but with limited time and other projects, I have decided it is time for it to move on".

There are a few restoration works still to consider for this Porsche and speaking with the current owner Philip, he advises, "Since buying it, I have brought the car back to life, checking the cylinder compression, fitting a new cam-belt and oil, cleaning the fuel tank and flushing the fuel lines, as well as replacing the ignition coil, distributor, starter motor and fuel pump".

Although a little bit of love and attention would go a long way to bring this back up to its former glory, Philip lets us know, "It now starts, runs and drives, while the bodywork has also benefited from a glass-out respray in its original 'Weinrot' colour".

Philip explains further on his project work, "Having been off the road for around ~20 years, it will require further recommissioning, including attention to the brakes, hoses and suspension, along with some electrical and trim-related work, but it now provides a very solid and exciting basis for someone to complete the restoration".

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Key Details
  • Year1981
  • Model928 S
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Reg. Date04.06.1981
  • CC4,664
  • Mileage~72,926 on the clock
  • Colour'WeinRot' (Maroon)
  • Interior ColourCheck / Black
  • Interior TrimCloth / Leather
  • Chassis #WPOZZZ92ZBS841159
  • Engine #8215588
  • MOTNo
  • MOT ExemptYes
  • Road Tax ExemptYes
  • HPi ClearYes - All Clear
  • Former Keepers11
  • Tyre BrandDunlop / Michelin
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~1 year, 5 months.
  • Key FeatureProject Car
  • Vehicle RegistrationABZ 1991
  • Driver’s SideRight
  • Fuel TypePetrol
  • Body TypeCoupe
  • Auction ID4003







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Ask Questions
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6 Comments
coffindodger
coffindodger
3 days ago

Hi, can you please tell me what the condition of the panels under the carpets are like please and could you please include the boot.

LordBob
LordBob
6 days ago

Hello. Is the car watertight and does the sunroof and boot close correctly? Was the water pump and pulley changed with the cambelt? Does car need towing away or would it drive 100 miles? Thanks

LordBob
LordBob
  LordBob
6 days ago

Is the coolant leak coming from the waterpump?

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Vehicle Location

Clare, Suffolk

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