This is the new Porsche 928*!

Ah, the Porsche 928. Porsche's very first mass-produced V8 car, Clarkson's first ever test car he crashed, and - by his reckoning - a car that remains one of the best looking ever made.

Introduced in 1977 and built right through to 1995, it was Ferdinand Porsche's idea to build a flagship model that would sit atop the 911, sales of which were thought to have slumped at the time.

And thus the 928 was developed as a luxury GT car; a front-engined, rear-drive V8 coupe with space for four and advanced technology. You know how the story continued: the 911 is now in its seventh iteration and arguably the annoyingly good benchmark for all sportscars, while the 928 has, well, long since expired.

A prime candidate for a proper 21st century revival then. Step forward designer Anthony Colard who, as part of a job application for Porsche (yep, you read that right), decided to render a modern 928. And it's quite gorgeous.

He's called it the 921, and tells us it "has a slick and simple bodywork without any fancy speed activated wing or things like that. It stays true to its origins." Couldn't agree more, Tony.

The rear has links to the old 928 - the car originally intended to take over the 911 - thanks to its ‘glasshouse', together with a floating A-pillar "to emphasise the curvature and continuity between windshield and side windows".

The back also pinches the lights from the new 991-generation 911, slotting them into 928-style recesses. And though it's just a very fancy drawing, Anthony imagines a 400bhp front-mounted V8, just like the original.

Porsche, if you're reading this, please give this man a job.

Pics via Anthony Colard