The first-ever production V-8 Porsche, the 928 was launched in Europe in 1977 and exported to the U.S. the following year. The muscular yet luxurious 928 was intended to replace the highly popular and highly strung 911. It differentiated itself as a more mature and refined alternative. As if to underline the evolution of the marque, Porsche broke with its penchant for rear-engined, air-cooled engineering by endowing the 928 with a forward placed, water-cooled 4.5-liter engine, capable of pulling the 928 to a top speed of 171 mph.

Heralded as one of the world’s best grand touring motor cars and the most expensive offering in the Porsche stable, the 928 garnered the singular distinction of being chosen by Warner Brothers as the car driven by Tom Cruise’s character Joel Goodsen in the 1983 blockbuster Risky Business.

This 928 may not have been driven by Tom Cruise, but it does remain largely original and has fewer than 26,000 miles on the odometer. It is one of the first-generation 928 models and was completed in February 1979 dressed in the stunning Light Blue Metallic (Hellblau) over a black leather interior with the rare and highly desirable five-speed manual transmission. This superbly preserved, highly original, and unmodified 928 Porsche has all matching numbers, as verified by its Porsche Production Specification certificate. It presents almost exactly as it did on 31 July 1979, when it was purchased new by Dr. Scarella of Berea, Ohio.

The performance and drivability of this 928 reflect the meticulous maintenance it has received for almost four decades with its first owner. The factory Cosmoline treatment, zinc plating, and decals are evident throughout the vehicle, and the paint, when tested, read a respectable 3.5–3.7 mls. The leather interior is in excellent condition, and the glass, factory Porsche Blaupunkt CR radio, manuals, warranty cards, and keys are all original. A plethora of seemingly unused factory accessories accompany the car, including the jack and tools.

In 2018, the current owner had correct 225/50R16 Pirelli tires fitted and commissioned a full inspection and service, plus a 30-hour detail with steam cleaning to ensure that every aspect of this 928 is exceptional. Bound to excite the discerning eye of the Porsche purist, this gorgeous 928 provides aesthetic satisfaction teamed with superb performance.