This happened almost here exactly 50 years old. On October 3, 1974, Porsche revealed its 911 Turbo at the Paris Motor Show. If the Citroën CX, presented at the same time, monopolizes the attention, the German sports car does not go unnoticed if only by its hypertrophied lines. It in fact recovers the wide wings of the Turbo RSR concept revealed a year earlier, and is adorned with a spectacular rear spoiler. Quel look !
Under the rear hood, it’s amazement. The famous air-cooled flat-six, which stuck to 2.0 l and 130 hp in the initial 901 of 1963, increases here to 3.0 l for… 260 ch. In just over ten years, the engine has doubled its power, and even then, we are only talking about its production version. Knowing that the 911 Turbo, called 930 internally, weighs only 1,140 kg, we can guess its performances fumantes ! If the maximum speed of 260 km/h, exceptional then, does not frighten the Italian supercars, the Ferrari 365 GT4 BB and Lamborghini Countach, announced at almost 300 km/h, the accelerations of the Porsche can give it cold sweats : 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 s, 1,000 m DA in 24.7 s. Even today, it works very well.
I turbo them, Porsche didn’t invent it nor even been the first to commercialize it in series. This privilege went to the Oldsmobile 215 Jetfire in 1962, very quickly followed by the Chevrolet Corvair Turbo, equipped with an air-cooled flat-six… Or the opposite. In Europe, the BMW 2002 Turbo has outstripped Porsche, but the impact of the latter is incomparable. By its look (tracks widened by 7 cm at the front and 11 cm at the rear) which give it an incredible look. And, obviously, its performances. Road behavior is not forgotten: the entire suspension is revisedbenefiting from aluminum elements at the rear, the discs are ventilated and perforated, the Bilstein shock absorbers are specific, the 15 rims are widening…
However, the 911 Turbo is not configured as a pure sports car. On the contrary, it is a Long-term GTintended to be chic, comfortable, well equipped (electric windows) and easy for everyday use. In fact, it retains all the practicality of the 911, compact, relatively roomy and with good visibility. The complete opposite of Italian supercars. Initially thought of as a limited series, the 930 was perpetuated due to its enormous success. And this, despite the oil crisis! Billed at 163,000 F in 1975, when it was marketed (or €131,000 today according to INSEE), it remains much cheaper that the Ferrari BB (210,000 F), see the Lamborghini Countach (215,000 F).
However, the Porsche makes do with a reinforced 4-speed gearbox (the 5-speed unit of the 911 Carrera does not pass the torque) and does without a limited slip differential. Still! It is she who gives the turbo its nobility and which strengthens the image of Porsche. Subsequently, the 930 will evolve relatively little. It increased to 3.3 l and 300 hp in 1978 but waited until 1987 to be available as a convertible and Targa. In 1989, it gained a G50 type 5 box, just before its disappearance.
Since then, Porsche has taken great pride in the appellation Turbogoing so far as to uncorrelate it from the technology it designates. Retaining only what it connotes (extraordinary power, exceptional image), the manufacturer shamelessly applies it to its electric modelss, the Taycan and Macan… Paradoxically, no brand anymore calls its models “Turbo”, even though almost all benefit from this miraculous blower.
I had the opportunity to drive a Porsche 911 Turbo from Porsche Museum. A copy from 1975 initially registered in France ! I’m not particularly a fan of the 911 (yes, I know…) but I’m completely in love with the look of this immaculate green 930! Inside, I find my bearings quite easily, the well-designed driving position coupled with perfect visibility.
We are rather well installed in the integral seat. Surprise, when starting, the engine remains rather silent. I set off, the steering turns out to be a little firm but precise and the gearbox control… fuzzy. If the flat-six is flexible, it initially, believe it or not, no vigor ! On the road, at 90 km/h in 4ewe accelerate and nothing happens. We get dropped off by the first Clio to come…
In reality, the turbo only starts to show itself around 3,750 rpm, and blows in full force at 4,000 rpm. This is madness. Remember the Millennium Falcon when it goes into hyperspace in Star Wars? Well, the same thing happens on the road! Porsche administers a hell of a kick in the butt and glues you to the seat in a surreal way, while the road begins to pass by at a worrying speed. Boudiou! The fabulous engine then reveals itself, and only stops its fabulous display of force at 6,800 rpm. Incredible, unheard of, superlatives are lacking to describe what is happening. I have driven many exceptional sports cars, but few have given me such sensationss.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? It’s a cliché, but it suits the 930 well. The road behavior follows suit, thanks to precise steering, impeccable damping and rigorous running gear. However, you have to be wary of the Porsche. Already, its engine does not completely stop pushing when you release the accelerator. Worrying. Then, when cornering, you have to be wary of the arrival of power. If you’re not careful, it can send you in the decor as long as the turbo blows hard when you are in support. Clearly, we approach the turns with a little brake to hold the front, we manage to maintain a certain speed to have power output while ensuring that the engine has finished pushing, but above all, we only accelerate on the right wheels!
And in the wet… we’re riding on eggshells: many owners have found themselves spinning out after accelerating even moderately in a straight line past 4,000 rpm. In current use, and this is paradoxical, a 911 SC will be faster than the Turbo because it reacts immediately. It will be more progressive and predictable too. But on the autobahn, the 930 constitutes a sort of absolute weapon from the Seventies. Unforgettable!
