1988 Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo Slant Nose

After a wealthy private customer and racing sponsor asked the Sonderwische (Special Wishes) department to create a unique road car that resembled the Type 935 racer, the company obliged. The first example soon generated requests from customers who were also seeking their own '935 for the street.' The company was soon production a small series of 911 Turbo coupes and cabriolets that had a close resemblance to the aerodynamic 935. In the front were new louvered steel fenders which were lowered to hood level and given retractable headlamps. The rocker panels were boxed and extended to meet the widened rear quarter panels. Those panels had new brake cooling vents with side strakes along with additional oil cooling with an electric fan. Other upgrades included wider wheels and tires, and a large racing-style rear wing.

In 1985, just 44 cars were converted for by another 52 the following year. Realizing the profits available in the conversions, Porsche created Option Packages M505/506. Another 87 examples were built that year. In total, 678 Flachbau (Flat Nose, or Slant Nose) Turbo coupes and cabriolets were built by Porsche. Option M505, for US-market cars, was priced at $29,559 above the $85,000 base cost of the car.

This 1988 Slant Nose Turbo Cabriolet is powered by a 3.2-liter Type M930/68 turbocharged engine mated to a four-speed transmission. It has a limited-slip differential, a power top, air conditioning, a tinted windshield, electric windows, central locking, heated and electric multi-adjustable seats, rear seat belts, an alarm system, integrated fog lights in the front valance, headlamp washers, a Blaupunkt Reno stereo system, a pair of electrically heated and adjustable outside mirrors, and a heavy-duty battery. There is optional velour carpeting in the front trunk, and the wide Fuchs alloy wheels have silver anodized rims with color-coordinated spokes, hand-painted Porsche crests on their center caps, and locking nuts. The Cabriolet is finished special-order Silver Metallic (980) with a Marine Blue partial leather interior and a dark blue canvas top and tonneau cover.

This Cabriolet has had just three owners from new. Currently, it has less than 9,000 miles since delivery. The car was delivered on March 20th, of 1980, by Dorsey Horton Porsche-Audi in Columbia, South Carolina, to Dennis Higginbotham of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Ownership later passed to another Florida resident who kept the car until 2013, when it was acquired by its current caretaker. It was given a major service in July 2013.

The car has a correct and unused tool roll, a collapsible spare tire, a jack, and an air compressor.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2016