1986 Porsche 928 S2

This particular 928 S2 is somewhat of a revered car for enthusiasts and ‘those in the know’ as it is a ‘1986.5’ car, featuring the old-style body but boasting numerous 928 S4 components such as revised suspension, upgraded brakes and a modified exhaust system, but retaining the original bodywork, 4.7-litre engine and automatic transmission.

Having been owned by our vendor - a bona-fide Porsche 928 enthusiast - for a number of years, this S2 has seen limited use due to the vendor working abroad for significant lengths of time. In spite of this, the car has always been kept in excellent health, and has been garaged throughout its tenure with the current owner.

Other than the upgraded (we use that term loosely) radio unit, the car remains in its stock configuration, as confirmed by the Porsche certificate of authenticity which is included in the history file. The front bumper has been previously resprayed to tidy up the car, but otherwise the car has required little in the way of work, with the vendor simply noting that the shock absorbers would benefit from replacement, and that the driver’s window switch is temperamental, both items which we also noted during our test drive.

One particularly interesting note about this 928 S2 is that it starred in the June 2011 issue of Classic Motoring Magazine, in a comparison test with an XJS of the same era.

Having now retired, our vendor barely uses the car at all, and thus has made the difficult decision to part with this much-loved example of the V8 transaxle Porsche.

Wonderfully 80’s in its nature, the bodywork and paint of this example has stood the test of time well, and remains in good condition throughout.

Whilst there are a few marks here-and-there (as shown in the photographs below) the only notable distractions from an otherwise excellent example are the scuff on the nearside of the numberplate on the front bumper and some more notable marks on the rear bumper and around the loading hatch, along with some very minor patches of bubbling - all of which have been documented.

The D-slot wheels are all nice and solid, but would benefit from a full strip and refurbishment to bring them back to their mirror-finish best.

Of course, no 928 would be complete without its iconic pop-up headlights, and we’re pleased to report that the lights on this example are in excellent functioning order, with no hesitation or unusual behaviours noted by the mechanism. Similarly, the sunroof is also in working order, though the motor is somewhat on the noisy side.

If you thought the outside was wonderfully period in its nature, just you wait until you see the inside. Fantastic in the way only an 80’s interior could be, its body-colour matched leather interior with cream accents is in remarkable condition for its age, and transports the driver back to a time of wild excess and over-engineering.

The seats remain in excellent condition with no noted wear to the foams, though there is the odd scuff and mark here-and-there as you’d expect from a car of this age and mileage. The carpets are in remarkably good condition throughout with even the driver’s footwell holding up well to years of use, whilst in the back and around the transmission tunnel the fabric is virtually unmarked.

As we’ve mentioned, the sunroof is functioning as it should, and the headliner shows no sign of any sagging or damage. There is some usage and wear noted to the steering wheel and shifter, but this is commensurate with the car’s age and certainly don’t detract from an otherwise excellent interior.

From what we could tell, all systems are working as they should, with the air-conditioning blowing cold and no untoward noises coming from the system, with the clutch for the compressor engaging and disengaging as it should. The driver’s window switch is indeed temperamental as the vendor notes, but a replacement part is included with the car. We also noted that the electrical mirror adjustments are not working, though judging by an invoice dated from 1995, this is a recurring issue.

Having de-activated the immobiliser, the 4.7-litre V8 engine in the front of this 928 S2 fires into life with ease, and settles into an impressively smooth and refined idle, fitting of a high-end GT car such as this.

On our short test drive, the engine appeared to be in rude health and pulled well with no noted signs of smoking, hesitation or untoward noises whilst accelerating or decelerating. We did, however, note that there appears to be a slight rattle from the mid-section of the exhaust upon idle, whilst the car requires an alignment as the steering wheel is around 20-degrees off-centre to keep the car in a straight line.

Looking at the engine itself, there are no causes for concern that we could see, nor any signs of any fluid leaks or misting. Underneath the story is similar, with only some slight smatterings of surface ‘bloom’ and what appears to be surface corrosion noted on various suspension components and exposed areas. Evidently, however, none of this is of concern, as the most recent MOT exam from 23 October 2020 shows no advisories whatsoever, which is excellent news for any potential bidders.

Accompanying this 928 S2 is an impressive and vast history folder, comprised of paperwork from both during and prior to the vendor’s ownership.

The current V5 is in Welsh and shows 6 former owners. There are two sets of keys with the car, though only one immobiliser fob.

In terms of paperwork, the number of invoices from both OPC workshops and independant specialists is impressive, showing that this 928 has been fastidiously maintained irrespective of cost.

As previously mentioned, the front bumper has been replaced and resprayed, with the invoice from Brookspeed Porsche included in the file. The most recent servicing took place in April 2019, with an invoice for an oil and filter change, new spark plugs, anti-vibration mounts and an air filter at the cost of £454 evidencing this work.

Finally, the Porsche certificate of authenticity is included, stating the specification of the car and confirming the Garnet Red paintwork and Burgundy interior are as supplied.

Offering Porsche build quality, styling and performance with exceptional comfort and the ever-cool pop-up headlights, the Porsche 928 is a true enthusiast car, and one that is becoming more and more appreciated by Porsche and driving enthusiasts alike.

This particular 1986-registered example is one of the rare ’86.5’ cars with numerous desirable parts and upgrades over a standard S2, and remains in great condition throughout but has potential for some minor fettling and light aesthetic restoration work, which will give the next owner something to do between long-distance drives - exactly what the 928 was designed to do.

Given the condition and history of this example, we estimate it to fetch in the region of £13,000 to £17,000, so be sure to get your bids in early to secure this wonderful Transaxle GT car.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.