At the Paris Motor Show in 1974, Porsche presented a high-performance sports car that set new benchmarks in terms of power and luxury: the 911 Turbo 3.0. It delivered 191 kW (260 PS) and had a top speed of 250 km/h, making it Germany’s fastest road sports car for a considerable period of time.
That was a courageous step back then. Although turbocharged engines weren’t new to motor sport, at the time only one manufacturer had dared to fit a road car with a turbo engine. The massive amount of power generated by the turbocharger was usually associated with a drastically reduced engine life expectancy, extreme throttle sensitivity and even more capricious handling. In short, it was believed that a turbocharged engine couldn’t be ‘tamed’.
The engineers at Porsche solved the issues: they countered the drawbacks of the turbocharged engine, such as its power and acceleration weakness at low engine speeds, by means of boost pressure control via an exhaust bypass valve, which was something that had only been used in motor sport until then. This complex control system allowed the turbocharger to be designed so that pressure could build up even at low engine speeds, enabling the generation of more torque at the same time. To rein in this high power, Porsche also called on its extensive experience in the field of motor sport and installed internally vented disc brakes with aluminium brake callipers behind the wheels. These brakes had originally proved extremely succesful on the Porsche 917 race car.
1977: The Porsche Turbo reaches the magical 300 PS
In spring 1975 Porsche started production of the 911 Turbo, followed by the 911 Turbo 3.3 in 1977, which managed to reach the magical threshold of 221 kW (300 PS) thanks to its larger charge air-cooled engine. These sports cars, which bear the type designation 930, are still legendary even today. From 1987, a Targa version and Cabriolet were also offered for the first time on the Turbo, which had previously been available only as a Coupé.
Following a break in production for the 1990 model year, a new 911 Turbo was launched as a Coupé in the 1991 model year. Again fitted with a 3.3-litre engine, but this time delivering 235 kW (320 PS), this new model was based on the Type 964 911. Porsche revamped this model in 1993; as the 911 Turbo 3.6, it now delivered 265 kW (360 PS). In 1995 the next 911 Turbo set new benchmarks in sports car construction. The engine of the 993 Generation Turbo delivered 300 kW (408 PS) from 3.6 litres and two turbochargers. It could accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 290 km/h, and was fitted with the ground-breaking all-wheel drive system adopted from the 911 Carrera 4.
2000: more power, lower fuel consumption
The first generation of the 911 Turbo after the turn of the century was presented in February 2000 and was heralded as the “world’s cleanest car”. This was achieved by four-valve technology, water cooling and the first ever use of VarioCam Plus. Porsche also retained the all-wheel drive and biturbo layout for this Type 996 model, helping it achieve 309 kW (420 PS), zero to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 305 km/h.
The sixth generation of the 911 Turbo followed in February 2006. This 997-generation flagship was fitted with a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG) for an output of 353 kW (480 PS), delivered to the road with the new, electronically controlled all-wheel drive. For the first time, the automatic Tiptronic S transmission was faster from zero to 100 km/h than the six-speed manual transmission; at 3.7 seconds, the automatic was two tenths of a second faster. Both transmission variants had the same top speed: 310 km/h.
2010: A completely new turbo engine with 500 PS
2010 brought a key improvement for the 911 Turbo. The new Turbo wasn’t just stronger, faster and more dynamic, it was also lighter and more economical. At the heart of this new model was a larger 3.8 litre engine with 368 kW (500 PS). The engine had been designed from scratch for the first time in the history of the 911 Turbo and featured direct petrol injection. The six-cylinder unit could also optionally be combined for the first time with the Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK). Uniquely in this market sector, fuel consumption was reduced by up to 16 per cent compared with its predecessor – depending on the car’s configuration, the new top model had a consumption of just 11.4 to 11.7 l/100 km. Critically, the Porsche 911 Turbo was below the fuel consumption limit values of the so-called ‘gas guzzler tax’ in the USA.
2013: The first 911 Turbo with rear axle steering and active aerodynamics
On the 50th anniversary of the 911, Porsche presented two new range-topping models of the latest 911 generation: the 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S. Together with new active aerodynamics, an all-new lightweight body with a 100 mm longer wheelbase, active rear axle steering for the first time and larger, 20-inch wheels, performance soared to new levels. PDCC active roll compensation was standard equipment on the 911 Turbo S, along with the Sport Chrono package Turbo with dynamic engine mounts and the PCCB ceramic brakes. The result was that the new 911 Turbo S cut the lap time on the Nürburgring Nordschleife track to under 7.30 minutes – on road tyres.
Meanwhile, engine developments were paired with the new PTM all-wheel-drive system. The turbocharged 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine with direct petrol injection delivered 383 kW (520 PS) in the 911 Turbo and 412 kW (560 PS) in the S model. Porsche remained the only manufacturer to combine two variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers with a petrol engine. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) handled the entire power transmission.
Porsche revamped the 911 Turbo at the end of 2015. The facelifted 991 series received an extra 20 PS, a sharper design and enhanced equipment. The biturbo six-cylinder engine in the 911 Turbo now produced 397 kW (540 PS), achieved by modifying the intake channels in the cylinder head, fitting new injection nozzles and increasing fuel pressure. Meanwhile, thanks to a new turbocharger with larger compressor, the 911 Turbo S reached 427 kW (580 PS). The 911 Turbo’s appearance evoked the distinctive design of the current Carrera models.
Evolution instead of revolution: the 911 Turbo has always remained true to its roots
The character of the 911 Turbo hasn’t changed in four and a half decades and remains the technological pioneer in the 911 series to this day. Extreme sporting prowess, outstanding acceleration and supreme luxury, quality and residual values have enabled the 911 Turbo to establish itself as a classic vehicle over the past 45 years – and it occupies a unique place in automotive development history.
