1980 Porsche 930 S Flatnose Prototype

Porsche would first offer the Flatnose, called the 'Flachbau' in German, from the factory in 1986. The official designation in the United Kingdom was Turbo SE, sometimes referred to as the Slantnose. This upgraded body work was applied to the 930 Turbo which offered 330 horsepower. It cost twice the standard model which made the Flatnose very rare.

Prior to 1986, the Flatnose body was an option offered by Porsche from its customer service department known as 'Sonderwunschen.' These additions were not just limited to the Turbo, but could be added to the Carrera and Carrera SC.

The 'Flachbau' were modeled after the Porsche 935 race car which had been given the extra body work for aerodynamic purposes and to increase top speed. The wide fender flares were needed to house the wider wheels which were necessary to get the additional horsepower to the rear without a loss of traction.

The 'Flachbau', although adding additional weight, required extended rocker panels, wider rear flares with scooped vents and flip-up headlights in the front with functional louvers.

In 1978, the turbocharged engine was enlarged to 3.3-liters, and gained an intercooler in the process. Power rose to 300 horsepower which brought the top speed to 160 mph. The turbocharged 911 came with a luxurious interior with leather upholstery, electric windows, and air conditioning. Although called simply Porsche 911 Turbo in Europe, it was marketed as Porsche 930 (930 being its internal type number) in North America.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2020