Truth be told, perhaps the first Porsche 911 Turbo was catered to drivers who enjoyed showing off in a prestigious piece of street machine.
Enthusiasts may recall that the 930 Turbo (as the turbocharged variant of the 911 model is properly known within the industry), produced between 1975 and 1989, earned itself the ominous nickname ‘Widow maker’. This reputation originated from its rear-engine layout, powerful turbocharged engine and minimal safety features. While exhilarating, the 930 Turbo certainly posed a tough challenge for many a showboating driver…
But the flipside to all that is obviously its enduring desirability.
Just like the evergreen classic little black dress that first became popular slightly over a decade before the first ‘Turbo broke cover, the car has aged well. It’s a classic. Confident. Timeless. Thrilling. Not too extravagant but not overly simple either. While the spirit of the times can change instantly, it will forever be a great choice for virtually any occasion.
But wait a minute – are we still talking about fashion here or are we now talking about the car? Either way, key here is enduring appeal and iconic style. It’s one that has also unsurprisingly endured its 50 years rather well!
Yes, this year marks the 50th anniversary of when the German sports car icons first started using a snail-shaped turbine driven by exhaust gasses to force more air into an engine to deliver explosive power. And the rest, as they say, is history… now Turbo and Porsche go together like peas and carrots (as Forrest Gump might have said).
This innovation gave birth to the 911 Turbo 3.0 of 1974. It’s the machine that spawned a heritage that has grown beyond the mechanical device that creates the forced induction. As Michael Mauer, Chief Designer at Porsche, puts it: “The 911 Turbo shifted the boundaries of what was possible. It brought benchmark turbo technology from our racing cars into a production sports car with superior performance, combining it with a unique design and unprecedented everyday usability.”
Thus, the first ever 911 Turbo, with its 260 hp engine and enormous rear spoiler, quickly showed that it offered a unique blend of luxury and performance, and became synonymous with the Porsche mystique.
Then, 1991’s succeeding 911 Turbo model was the 964, easily recognisable with its flared wheel housings and wider body compared to that of the original 964. The 964 Turbo was produced between 1991 and 1993 and went through significant changes during this short lifespan.
This was also when Porsche began to move away from the air-cooled engine, and adopted a water-cooled power plant, instead. Thus, powering the new car now is a 3.6-litre flat-six with a power output of 420 hp and can be equipped with a five-speed Tiptronic, or six-speed manual transmission.
The next 911 to wear the Turbo badge was the 997 model, and is perhaps the most sought-after 911 Turbo thus far among collectors. It made its Geneva Motor Show debut in February 2006 and showed significant physical changes compared to the 996. This introduced more aluminium elements into the production, as well as a complete redesign of the body.
The result was a dynamic, muscular and sleeker-looking car, which weighed an impressive 41kg lighter than its predecessor. Its 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine produced 473 hp, allowing for a top speed of 315 km/h with power going through the five-speed Tiptronic S transmission.
But amendments to the EU’s emissions regulation brought more changes to the 911 range. Now, every new 911 would have a turbocharger – not just the ‘Turbo’ models. The Porsche 991 911 was the first model that Porsche produced during this time. The Turbo still exists as a flagship model, just with physically larger turbochargers to create the difference in power to other, ‘lesser’ 911 models.
The Porsche 911 Turbo has a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat-six engine which generates 512 hp, whereas the Turbo S variant increased these figures to 552 hp. The 991 also sported impressive new features available as standard for the 911 range, including Adaptive Aerodynamics and Rear Wheel Steering.
Now, the Porsche 992 is in its eighth and current generation, while March 202o saw the global launch of the latest 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S. As recognisable as ever with the iconic 911 fly line, the 992 has a redesigned and squared off bonnet creating a truly gorgeous exterior persona. It’s also got improved power, capable of producing 650 hp and sprints to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds.
The boys from Stuttgart have also recently pulled the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years out of the bag at this year’s Monterey Car Week just in August. The new car has been unveiled to commemorate five decades of the high-performance, turbocharged version of the Porsche 911.
Based on the 911 Turbo S of the current 992 generation which has recently been given a mid-lifecycle update, the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years is limited to 1,974 units and is powered by a 3.7-litre twin-turbo engine delivering 641 hp. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds and to 200 km/h in 8.9 seconds.
The car comes packed with notable historical detail like the Anthracite grey colour applied to the rear wing blade, rear apron, mirror base, and air intake trims, adding a touch of elegance and heritage to the design.
There is also a badge on the rear engine cover grille with a turbocharged icon, as well as the years 1974–2024. Another distinctive feature is the LED door projector that casts the image of a turbocharger onto the ground next to the car when the door is opened.
The commemorative car’s interior is also refined with styling elements reflecting the 1974 design style. Porsche aficionados will definitely be able to spot the personal limited-edition number which can be found on the passenger side panel, along with the Black leather interior with ‘Mackenzie’ tartan (also known internally as “Ferry”), highlighting the timeless character of the 911 Turbo with reinterpreted design elements from that time!
