911 Turbo
A new interpretation of a masterwork.
480 hp @ 6,000 rpm
0-60 mph: 3.7 s
Top Track Speed: 193 mph
Over the past century, the turbo concept has undergone multiple uses and refinements. It was first embraced by the aviation industry, which used turbochargers to provide more oxygen to engines during high-altitude flight. In the 1930s, turbochargers were applied to diesel engines, to compensate for their relatively slow acceleration.
Porsche was among the first to realize the potential of the technology for racing engines. Using high-boost turbochargers, Porsche engineers developed small displacement engines that produced astounding power for their size and weight.
Porsche’s first turbo racing car set the bar high, in every sense. The 917/10 was created for the 1972 CanAm Championship, which placed no restrictions on engine size or power. Porsche met the challenge with a five-liter, twin-turbo engine that developed 1,000 horsepower. It won half the series races and captured the championship. In 1973, Porsche fielded the 917/30. The most powerful Porsche ever, its 5.4-liter engine developed 1,100 horsepower. It proved practically unbeatable.
One year later, the first 911 Turbo was born. Arriving in the midst of the first oil crisis, it was a bold statement—and looked the part. Wider wheel arches were essential, to accommodate larger tires capable of handling 253 lb.-ft. of torque, the highest ever achieved by a 3-liter engine at the time.
Aerodynamic changes were also a must. These included a fixed front spoiler and the now-legendary rear wing, which helped keep the tires planted at speed. Developing 260 horsepower, the car could sprint from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 5.5 seconds. The legend had begun.
The second 911 Turbo arrived in 1977 with several notable advances. Its larger 3.3-liter engine was the first to feature an intercooler, which further improved intake air density and helped the car break the 300-hp barrier. With so much power on tap, brake performance was also enhanced with four-piston, aluminum fixed calipers and cross-drilled discs. In 1993, Porsche launched the last 911 Turbo to feature dedicated rear-wheel drive. Based on the latest 911 platform (Type 964), it used a 3.6-liter engine to achieve a major boost in output to 360 horsepower.
A technological tour de force, the Type 993 Turbo arrived just two years later. This was the first 911 Turbo with twin turbochargers, which helped develop power more quickly and smoothly. Although displacement was unchanged, output leapt to 408 horsepower. It was also the first Turbo with allwheel drive, providing greater active safety and driving dynamics.
In 2000, a new Turbo was introduced based on the Type 996. Although it too was powered by a 3.6-liter engine with twin turbochargers, this was a radically new power plant, featuring the first application of water cooling and the first use of VarioCam Plus in a 911 Turbo. These advances improved fuel economy while boosting performance to 420 horsepower, propelling the car to 62 mph in just over 4.2 seconds. In 2005, a Turbo S version boosted power to 450 horsepower.
For over 30 years, the 911 Turbo has established itself not as an icon, but as an iconoclast: Each generation has crushed old beliefs about the limits of sports car performance. The 911 Turbo builds on that tradition. With its unprecedented acceleration and handling dynamics, it makes a thrilling leap forward in performance, ride comfort and visual presence.