1979 Porsche 930 Turbo
SPEED
SPECIFICATIONS
1979 Porsche 930 Turbo
When Porsche committed to developing a turbocharged version of the 911 in the early 1970s, the Chairman of the Board himself, Ernst Fuhrmann oversaw the project. With a background in motorsports and past experience with turbocharging, Furhmann was perfectly positioned to bring the technology to the 930.
The 930 (known to the public as the 911 Turbo) was developed as a means to an end. In order to qualify for Group 3 racing, car makers had to produce and sell minimum of 100 of the cars over a 12-month period. In what was originally supposed to be a design upgrade created to satisfy these FIA requirements for Porsche’s racing team, the now upgraded and turbocharged 911 debuted at the 1974 Paris Motor Show – and stole the show in the process. One year later, Porsche had produced its 1,000th 930 Turbo, cementing the car’s popularity worldwide as a sports car that delivers the performance of a supercar.
Don’t let the vehicle’s understated looks fool you – this car is built for speed. The 930 Turbo is quick off the line, with a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds. And lest you forget what’s under the hood, the turbocharger kicks in at 3,000 rpm to remind you that you’re basically driving a street-legal race car. The car’s “whale tail” spoiler helps stabilize the car by providing more downward force to the rear of the car, while simultaneously directing more air to the engine.
The 930 turbo is powered by a 3.3 liter, 5-speed, 6-cylinder turbocharged Boxster engine, producing 253 hp. Combine that with a curb weight that’s lower than a VW Golf, and you’ve got a car that takes off like a scared cat.
Some cars practically drive themselves. This is not one of them. The performance capabilities require that you become an active driver, especially off the line, while you’re passing, and as you accelerate through the turns. It’s easy to get over your skis in a car like this if you don’t pay attention when summoning the car’s raw power.
Originally priced at $37,000 in 1979 ($105,524 in today’s dollars), the 930 Turbo now sells for upwards of $120,000, depending on the vehicle’s condition. The value of this baby has essentially outpaced inflation for the past 4 decades – yet another measurement of performance that car enthusiasts will appreciate!