989 Prototype Was a Production-Ready Four-Door 911
Porsche's 989 was designed to go head to head with the best sedans from BMW and Mercedes way back in the late '80s.
Ahead of Its Time
Today, the idea of a four-door Porsche isn't terribly shocking. But before the Panamera and all the modern-day SUVs came along, it was a fairly controversial topic. Regardless, it wasn't the Panamera that nearly became the first production four-door Porsche, but rather the 989 Prototype that was designed way back in 1988.
Photos: Porsche
Clean Sheet Design
The 1980s was a decade filled with high-performance luxury sedans from the likes of BMW and Mercedes, which is why Porsche spent a grand total of three years designing and building the 989 prototype. The car itself was a blank sheet design, though with obvious 911-inspired styling cues including the roofline and front end mixed in with influences from the 928 as well.
Photos: Porsche
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Different Approach
Underneath its exterior, however, the 989 was nothing like the 911. To compete with existing luxury sedans at the time, the 989 was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan with a water-cooled 4.2-liter V8 engine that produced 350 horsepower. That was a big number for the late '80s when the 911 Turbo was making only 282 horsepower.
Photos: Porsche
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Well Tested
Since Porsche actually intended to produce the 989 from the start, they went through pretty much the entire developmental process. That included chassis tuning and testing the engine in a W124 Mercedes mule, chosen because it was similar to the 989 in size and weight, as well as the fact that Porsche had a hand in helping to build the 500E.
Photos: Porsche
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Expensive Project
The plan was to launch the 989 in 1995, but problems began to arise long before that. As a company, Porsche was facing difficulties with plunging sales and was even rumored to be facing bankruptcy at one point. And developing the 989 was, of course expensive.
Photos: Porsche
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Trickling Down
Thus, the automaker canceled the project in 1991. It wasn't a complete loss, however, as some of the 989's styling cues trickled down to the 993 and 996-gen 911. A four-door Porsche wouldn't arrive until the Panamera debuted in 2009, however, and the 989's V8 never made it past the developmental stage.
Photos: Porsche
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Pure Speculation
It's hard to say whether or not the 989 would have been a hit or a sales dud for Porsche. Had things been different, it most definitely would have made it to market, however. But sometimes, things just aren't meant to be, and bad fortune delayed what was ultimately inevitable.
Photos: Porsche
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