The Porsche 928 built anew by Nardone Automotive

We’ve just written about the Renault 5 getting a makeover by designer Pierre Gonalons, so to keep on theme, we thought we would write about another exciting remodel – the 928 Porsche by Nardone Automotive. It is not an easy task to redesign and rebuild a classic while keeping the elements that made it one, but Nardone Automotive rose up to the challenge, with pretty impressive results. 

The original Porsche 928 

The original Porsche 928 was first created as a replacement for the all-time classic, the 911 . It turns out that the 928 was actually heavier and a lot more complicated than the 911, but it was eventually launched in 1978, and rewarded by the 1978 European Car of the Year award . 

Because the focus was on lightweight construction, its doors, front wings and bonnet were made from aluminium instead of sheet steel. Behind the plastic bumpers integrated in the body shape there were also aluminium profiles that could withstand a collision at up to 8 km/h without any damage. The 928 also had round, electrically operated pop-up headlights that were integrated into the wings. 

Nardone Automotive x Porsche 

Thierry Nardone, a French entrepreneur with a fascination and passion for Porsche cars of that era, decided he would take the leap. “Back in the day, the 928 was a very disruptive design with a huge investment in engineering, so it was 20 years in advance compared to other cars,” he said. “Today, after having disassembled one, I can confirm that it is still contemporary in terms of its engineering.” 

Because of the sheer scale of Thierry’s project – taking the car apart and rebuilding it anew, with brand new design – Nardone Automotive of course collaborated with other partners on the project. Notably, the French firm Podium Advanced Technologies on the engineering, and Italian company BorromeodeSilva on the design.

Building anew

As with many restomods (restores and modifies), the first task at hand was to take the car apart and have a peek inside. The first step was then to upgrade and refurbish the engine to bring it up to today’s standards – though still in pre-production phase, the real prototype engine should be able to reach 400hp, according to Thierry. They are also transforming the original five-speed gearbox into a six-speed, which will undoubtedly increase the car’s performance.

“To me this car is not about numbers, but about style and comfort as well,” said Thierry. “It must not be compared to a 911 as it is perfectly complementary.” 

Then, Nardone rebuilt the entire body of the car with all-new carbon-fibre body panels made near Turin, which Nardone described as the “Silicon Valley of the car industry.” As for the interior of the vehicle, Thierry took inspiration from some of his favourite artists and designers: Dieter Rams, Bill Amberg, and Jony Ive, all while keeping the original’s bold forms and key design elements.

Staying true to the original

Except for a subtle flaring of the rear wheel arches created to accommodate the larger 18 inch wheels and a slightly different approach to the pop-up lights, this remodelled version vision stays true to the 928’s original shapes and forms – bold, elegant, classic.

The pre-prototype was exhibited at the 2022 Milan Design Week, which we also wrote about on ellectric, and is set to go into production in September, with the hope to deliver the first car in 2024. The car will also have Foglizzo leather and Alcantara inserts, high-end audio and Apple CarPlay, as well as new driving enhancements. 

Pictures: Nardone Automotive