Porsche V8 engines: 45 years of history

If one engine best embodies Porsche’s DNA, the choice would undoubtedly be the flat-six, the horizontally opposed six-cylinder unit. Yet the Stuttgart marque also has a longstanding connection with the “all-powerful” V8.

Porsche first fitted a V8 engine during the 1970s, in the 928. Over the years, that relationship developed through new forms and different models, from the 918 Spyder to the Cayenne, with the Panamera also playing its part.

Nevertheless, the 928 will always be the original. To mark 45 years of this “marriage” with the V8 engine, Porsche produced a true love letter, in video form, for Valentine’s Day.

It all began in 1977…

Unveiled at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show, the Porsche 928 was a revolutionary car. It went on to win the European Car of the Year award, becoming the first sports car ever to claim the prize - a distinction that still stands today.

Porsche set out to unite sports-car power and performance with the comfort and sophistication of a luxury saloon. However, the feature that truly set this model apart was its longitudinally mounted front V8 engine.

The decision to use this powertrain was directly linked to the American market, as Porsche was seeking to increase its sales in the United States.

Between 1977 and 1995, Porsche built 61,000 examples of the 928. It was not until the early 2000s that another model from the Stuttgart “house” appeared with this engine configuration: the Cayenne.

A few years later, Porsche again turned to a V8 for the RS Spyder in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), before using one in the Panamera, its five-door saloon, at the start of the previous decade.

The defining chapter in Porsche’s history with V8 engines arrived in 2013, when it launched the 918 Spyder. This “hyper-hybrid” paired a naturally aspirated petrol V8, inspired by that of the RS Spyder, with two electric motors.

Porsche V8 engines remain in service

Today, Porsche still offers V8 powertrains in two of its models, the Panamera and Cayenne, across seven distinct variants:

• Panamera GTS
• Panamera Turbo S
• Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid
• Cayenne GTS
• Cayenne Turbo
• Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid
• Cayenne Turbo GT

Within this line-up, the Cayenne Turbo GT takes centre stage. Its twin-turbo V8 produces 640 hp and 850 Nm, and enabled the model to lap the 20.832 km Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7min38.9s, setting a new official SUV record at the renowned German circuit.

What comes next?

Porsche’s story with V8 engines was set to enter a new chapter in 2023 with the debut of its LMDh prototype, which will race at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring.

Already undergoing testing, the prototype will combine a V8 engine with hybrid technology for a maximum combined output expected to be around 680 hp.