Porsche is well known for its flat-six engines. The distinctive layout has been used in all 911s since the very start and a 911 is the Porsche that everyone knows. However, in 1977 the Porsche 928 made its debut. This was the very first Porsche product to carry a bent eight. To celebrate 45 years of the Porsche V8 the company has compiled a love letter to the engine.

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First, but not the last

The Porsche 928 is one of those overlooked cars, overshadowed by its sportier, more collectable siblings. But it holds a very special place in Porsche’s history. Since it was launched several models have been home to a Porsche V8 engines. Incidentally, the 928 still holds the honour of being the only V8-powered coupe from Porsche. Among the more modern road cars are the Cayenne SUV, Panamera and highly desirable 918 hypercar.

On the racing front the, open-top RS Spyder boasted a small capacity, high-revving V8. Incidentally, the engine in the 918 Spyder road car can trace its roots back to the highly successful RS Spyder sports prototype.

Continuing tradition

The next chapter of Porsche’s endurance racing will also feature a V8 engine. Porsche has already shown the LDMh racer in development guise. However, it will make its race debut in 2023. The mid-mounted Porsche V8 is mated to a hybrid component. A maximum of 500 kilowatts must not be exceeded at any given moment, as per the class rules. The new prototype will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship and the North American IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In these series it will face up against other manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Peugeot and SCG.