Porsche 930 (911 turbo)

The 930 was the pre-964 generation 911 Turbo produced between 1975 and 1989. It was Porsche's top-of-the-range model for its entire production duration and at the time of its introduction the fastest production car available in Germany.

Porsche began experimenting with turbocharging technology on their race cars during the late 1960s, and in 1972 began development on a turbocharged version of the 911. Porsche originally needed to produce the car in order to comply with homolagtion racing regulations and had intended on marketing it as a street legal race vehicle like the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS. When the homologation rules changed, Porsche continued to develop the car anyway, deciding to make it a fully-equipped variant of the 911 that would top the model range and give Porsche a more direct competitor to vehicles from Ferrari and Lamborghini, which were more expensive and more exclusive than the standard 911. Although Porsche no longer needed the car to meet homologation requirements, it proved a viable platform for racing vehicles, and became the basis for the 934 and 935 race cars.

Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche, who was running the company at the time, handed development of the vehicle over to Ernst Fuhrmann, who adapted the turbo-technology originally developed for the 917/30 CAN-AM car to the 3.0 litre flat-six from the Carrera RS 3.0, creating what Porsche internally dubbed as 930. Total output from the engine was 260 hp (DIN), much more than the standard Carrera. In order to ensure that the platform could make the most of the higher power output, a revised suspension, larger brakes and stronger gearbox became part of the package, although some consumers were unhappy with Porsche's use of a 4-speed gearbox whilst a 5-speed was available in the "lesser" Carrera. A rear spoiler was installed to help vent more air to the engine and help create more downforce at the rear of the vehicle, and wider rear wheels with upgraded tires combined with flared wheelarches were added to increase the 911's width and grip, making it more stable.

Porsche badged the vehicle simply as "Turbo" (although early U.S. units were badged as "Turbo Carrera") and debuted it at the Paris auto show in October 1974 before putting it on sale in the spring of 1975; export to the United States began in 1976.

The 930 proved very fast but also very demanding. The 911 was prone to oversteer because of its rear engine layout and short wheelbase; combining those traits with the power of the turbocharged motor, which exhibited significant turbo-lag, made the problem more prevalent. Even though the rear engine layout provided superior traction, sudden bursts of power to the rear wheels in mid-corner could break the tires loose, causing the car to literally spin out of control. This effect was amplified if an unexperienced driver would instinctively lift the throttle in reaction. The vehicle needed to be kept at high revvs during spirited driving to minimise the turbo-lag. Skilled drivers quickly learned how to drive the 930 properly, and with that knowledge came the ability to drive the car above and beyond the levels of most other sports cars.

Porsche made its first and most significant upgrades to the 930 for 1978, enlarging the engine to 3.3 liters and adding an air-to-air intercooler. By cooling the pressurized air charge, the intercooler helped increase power output to 300 hp (DIN); the rear spoiler was re-profiled and raised slightly to make room for the intercooler.

Changing emissions regulations in Japan and the U.S. forced Porsche to withdraw the 930 from those markets in 1980. Believing the 928 would eventually replace the 911, Fuhrmann cut-back spending on the model, and it was not until Fuhrmann's resignation the company finally committed the financing to re-regulate the car.

The 930 remained avaiable in Europe, and for 1983 a 330 hp (DIN) performance option became available on a build-to-order basis from Porsche. With the add-on came a 4-pipe exhaust system and an additional oil-cooler requiring a remodelled front spoiler and units bearing the add-on often featured additional ventilation holes in the rear fenders and modified rockers.

Porsche offered a "Flachbau" ("slantnose") 930 under the "Sonderwunschprogramm" (special order) program beginning in 1981, an otherwise normal 930 with a 935-style slantnose instead of the normal 911 front end. Each Flachbau unit was handcrafted by remodelling the front fenders. So few were built that the slantnose units often commanded a high premium over sticker, adding to the fact that they required a premium of up to 60 per cent (highly indivdualized cars even more) over the standard price. Several sources claim the factory built 948 units. The Flachbau units delivered in Europe usually featured the 330 hp performance kit.
928 sales had risen slightly by the 1985 model year, but there was still some question as to if it was truly capable of superceeding the 911 as the company's premier model, and for 1986 Porsche re-introduced the 930 to the Japanese and U.S. markets, now featuring an emission-controlled engine producing 282 hp (DIN). At the same time Porsche introduced the Targa and Cabriolet variants, both of which proved popular.

Porsche discontinued the 930 after model year 1989 when its underlying "G-Series" platform was being replaced by the 964. '89 models were the first and only versions of the 930 to feature a 5-speed transmission. A turbo version of the 964 officially succeeded the 930 in 1991 with a modified version of the same 3.3 litre engine and a 5-speed transmission.

Porsche 965 (964 C2 turbo)

Porsche introduced the 964 Turbo model in 1991 as the successor to the 930. Unfortunately, they hadn't had the necessary time to develop a turbocharged version of the 3.6 litre M64 engine, and choose to re-use the 3.3 litre engine from the 930, with several minor revisions that made the engine smoother, less prone to turbo-lag and more powerful, with a total output of 320 bhp (235 kW) @ 5750 rpm. 3,660 964 Turbos were built in total.

Porsche released the 964 Turbo 3.6, also sometimes referred to as the 964 Turbo II three years later in 1993, now featuring a turbocharged version of the 3.6 litre M64 engine and producing 360 bhp (265 kW) @ 5500 rpm, the 3.6 litre powered Turbo was produced only for the 1993 model year, with fewer than 2,000 of them produced in total, making it one of the rarest cars Porsche has produced since the 959.

In 1994, the Turbo S was introduced. With a power of 385 hp, it was one of the fastest cars on the road. The Turbo S was available either with the traditional 964 Turbo 3.6 body (except for the asymetrical air scoops in front of the rear wheels), or with the exclusive Flatnose (Flachbau) option. While Japanese Flatnose models actually used the same parts as the previous 930 Flatnose, European and American models used pop-up lights similar to those in the 928 and 968. Only 93 units were built in 1994: 17 Turbo S, 10 Japanese-edition Flatnose models, and 66 European or American new Flatnose models.

Porsche 993TT

The 993 Turbo coupe was released in 1995. It featured a new and widely acclaimed turbocharged engine displacing 3.6 liters. Twin turbochargers and air-to-air intercoolers, electronic engine management, redesigned cylinder heads and other modified engine internals were used. The 993 Turbo was the first Porsche Turbo with all wheel drive. The electronic engine management helped the Turbo to achieve fuel efficiency far superior to any of the previous production Turbos. In connection with two catalytic converters and an on-board-diagnostics-system including four oxygen-sensors, it also made the 993 Turbo the cleanest sports car at its time. The Turbo's bodyshell differs from the Carrera body by widened rear wheel arches (approximately 6 cm), redesigned front and rear bumper moldings, and a fixed rear wing housing the intercoolers. New 18 inch alloy wheels with weight-reducing hollow spokes were standard.

During the 1997 model year of production of the 993, Porsche offered the 993 Turbo S. Ultimately 375 pieces were sold. The Turbo S is a fully loaded Turbo including a power upgrade to 424 hp (SAE) for the Amercian market and to 450 hp (DIN) in other markets. The inclusion of every thinkable amenities including a carbon decoration in the interior makes it different to the earlier lightweight, spartanic 964 Turbo S. The 993 Turbo S is easily recognized by yellow brake calipers, a slightly larger wing, a 4-pipe exhaust and air scoops behind the doors.

The GT2 is best described as the race variant of the Turbo. For weight saving reasons the 4WD was deleted. The interior is similar to the Carrera RS. The fenders of the Turbo have been cut and replaced with bolt-on plastic pieces in order to accommodate large racing tires and to ease the repair of damages to the fenders often occurring in racing. Until 1997, the GT2 had almost the same engine as the Turbo, but delivering 430 hp (DIN). In the last year (model year 1998) output was raised to 450 hp (DIN) and twin ignition was added.

The many racing variants have different engine set-ups depending on the applicable racing series. Power output came as high as 600 bph in a "Evo" version designed for the GT1-series, which was ultimately replaced by the mid-engine 911 GT1.

Porsche 996TT

This turbocharged 996 featured twin blowers and full-time four-wheel drive, much like its 993 predecessor. Based on the 996 Carrera 4 frame, the Turbo featured a number of important changes over those normally aspirated 911's, riding some 10mm lower and on mildly re-rated springs and dampers. Thicker anti-roll bars were fitted front and rear whilst the track got widened by 40mm at the back and new eighteen-inch alloy wheels came as standard.

However, unarguably the Turbo's most innovative feature came via the options list, Porsche offering ceramic composite brake discs and rightfully taking the plaudits for being the first manufacturer to incorporate these hugely effective items onto a road car. Meanwhile, as on the Carrera 4, Porsche’s sublime PSM came as standard. Engine-wise, Porsche began with the GT1-derived 3.6-litre powerplant from their GT3, the German engineers unarguably creating one of the finest turbocharged engines of all time by producing a motor whose characteristics were not too dissimilar to that of a large capacity normally aspirated powerplant. With 420bhp on tap at 6000rpm and custom mapped Bosch Motronic ME 7.8 engine management, these dry sumped twin turbocharged 996 posted what were the fastest performance figures of any series production 911, its top speed of 190mph and zero to sixty sprint time of just 4.2 seconds putting it firmly in the territory of Europe's most lavishly engineered supercars. A six-speed gearbox was derived from the 993 Turbo, the 996 also coming with the option of a re-engineered dual configuration Tiptronic S gearbox (for what was the first time on a turbocharged Porsche). Offering drivers the choice of either a fully automatic five-speed or sequential shiftting via steering wheel mounted switches, Tiptronic S was a no cost option. Visually, the Turbo featured a number of aesthetic tweaks to the bodywork over what was the concurrent 3.4-litre engined 996, the most obvious being those re-shaped headlight clusters and gaping air intakes carved out from the nose. They fed cool air through to the brakes, that large central intake to a front-mounted radiator whilst there were also a pair of ugly intercooler vents ahead of the rear wheelarches.

A matt black wraparound chin spoiler completed the Turbo's distinctively re-profiled nose and there were a number of other changes made at the back. Indeed, a heavily ventilated skirt maximised engine cooling while, mounted on the engine lid, an electronically adjustable bi-plane rear wing that was unique to this version further extended into the airflow at speeds of above 70mph. Inside, the cabin was much the same as a Carrera 4, only a few minor detail alterations being made to the instrumentation, a more comprehensive trip computer also being fitted.

Porsche 997TT

The sixth generation of the 911 series top-of-the-range model. The 911 Turbo (Type 997) now has an output of 480 bhp at 6,000 revolutions per minute, 60 bhp more than its predecessor (Type 996). The specific output of the 3.6-litre boxer engine thus climbs to a new all-time high of 133 bhp per liter of displacement. Rated torque has been increased from 560 to 620 Newtonmeters. The speed range in which this power is available has also been extended. While the previous model’s maximum torque was available between 2,700 and 4,600 revolutions per minute, the corresponding figures are now 1,950 to 5,000 revs.
These improvements are translated into driving performance. The new 911 Turbo with six-speed manual transmission requires 3.9 seconds for the standard sprint from zero to 100 km/h. The coupé reaches the 200 km/h mark in 12.8 seconds. And just 3.8 seconds are all it takes for the most powerful series-built 911 model of all time to accelerate from 80 to 120 km/h in fifth gear. Despite these enhanced performance statistics, Porsche developers succeeded in reducing average fuel consumption by one tenth to 12.8 liters per 100 kilometers.

The 997TT with the optionally available Tiptronic S automatic transmission puts in an even more impressive performance. An optimized setup gives the vehicle the wherewithal to power from zero to one hundred in just 3.7 seconds and to reach 200 km/h after a mere 12.2 seconds. The Turbo with automatic transmission also has the advantage when it comes to flexibility. In penultimate gear it accelerates from 80 auf 120 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Fuel consumption by the Tiptronic S variant is 0.3 liters lower than that of its predecessor: 13.6 liters in accordance with the EU standard. Both transmission variants have a top speed of 310 km/h.

The vehicle’s flexibility can be enhanced even further with the optional ''Sport Chrono Package Turbo'', available for the first time. Here the driver selects the ''sports button'' adjacent to the gear lever to activate a short-time “overboost” at full throttle. This increases boost pressure in the mid speed range by 0.2 bar for up to ten seconds; torque rises by 60 to 680 Newtonmeters. The time required by the 911 Turbo with manual transmission for intermediate acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h is reduced by 0.3 seconds to 3.5 seconds.
These performance figures owe themselves to exhaust turbochargers with variable turbine geometry, featuring for the first time in a gasoline engine model. At the heart of this technology are adjustable guide blades, which direct the engine exhaust flow variably and precisely onto the turbine wheel of the exhaust turbocharger. The principle of variable turbine geometry unites the advantages of small and large exhaust turbochargers and leads to a discernable improvement in flexibility and acceleration, particularly at low speeds.
To transfer the available power to the road, the new generation of the 911 Turbo features a redesigned all-wheel drive with an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch. Porsche Traction Management (PTM) ensures variable power distribution to the two driven axles. Depending on the driving conditions, the all-wheel electronics system constantly determine the optimal torque distribution to ensure the best-possible drive. In practice this translates as high agility on narrow country roads, outstanding traction in rain and snow and optimal active safety even at high speeds. These properties make the Porsche Traction Management system in the new 911 Turbo one of the most powerful and, at the same time, lightest all-wheel systems on the market.

The new 911 Turbo’s driving performance is duly tempered by its brake system, which comprises monobloc fixed-caliper disc brakes with six pistons at the front axle and four at the rear. In comparison with the Type 996, the diameter of the internally ventilated and perforated brake discs at the front and rear wheels has been increased by 20 millimeters to 350 millimeters. As an option, Porsche is also offering its optimized ceramic brake system, PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake). The advantages of this high-tech material mean a reduction of 17 kilograms compared to the standard brake system, excellent fading stability owing to consistent friction values and absolute corrosion resistance. The brakes now have a diameter of 380 millimeters at the front axle and 350 millimeters at the rear.

A characteristic design feature of the new 911 Turbo is the modified front end with its distinctive, tautly drawn cooling air inlets. In conjunction with the standard-equipment oval bi-xenon headlights, they define its unmistakable image. The harmonious front view is enhanced by widely placed and deep-set fog lights and by new LED flashers, which are situated in the lateral air inlets of the front end. From the rear perspective too, the Turbo takes on a more powerful appearance. This is due first and foremost to its tail end, 22 millimeters wider than that of the previous model, to which the redesigned wing spoiler element has been aligned. It now slopes downward slightly at the sides to nestle into the contours of the rear fenders. The lateral air inlets behind the doors have also been redrawn and, together with the new air ducts, afford a more efficient supply of cooling air to the charge-air intercoolers.