1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Type 930

The Type 930, or Turbo, holds the distinction of being the fastest German sports car of its time, and its attractive, youthful, and sporty appearance earned it a comfortable spot amongst the most iconic sports cars of all time.

The existence of the Turbo (Project 930) was intended to satisfy FIA Group 4 homologation rules, which required 400 manufactured automobiles to be built. Debuting in 1975, the Type 930 came equipped with a 3.0-litre Carrera RSR engine mated to KKK (Kühnle, Kopp & Kausch) turbocharger for considerably more power and top speed. By 1978, the engine had grown to 3.3 liters, and an intercooler was implemented for the first time. A wider stance and provocatively flared wheel arches complemented the car's mechanical sophistication, and a whale tail spoiler delivered significant downforce and optimal power delivery to the rear wheels. Additionally, it helped vent more air to the engine. To rein in the increase in power, Porsche engineers installed thicker, cross-drilled brake discs with better ventilation. Wider rear wheels improved grip and stability. The interior gained leather upholstery, air-conditioning, and power windows.

Porsche produced 2,819 examples of the 3.0-liter Turbo from 1975 to 1977 and an additional 18,770 examples of the 3.3-liter Turbo from 1978 to 1989.

Known simply as 'Turbo,' albeit the early U.S. examples were badged as 'Turbo Carrera,' it was introduced in October 1974 at the Paris Auto Show and was offered for sale in the spring of 1975. Examples were exported to the United States beginning in 1976.

Homologation
The development of a turbocharged version of the 911 began in 1972, using the knowledge and experience gained from the racing program during the late 1960s. Its existence became more apropos when new FIA regulations required street-legal counterparts to racing versions. The Carrera RSR 2.1 was competed according to FIA's Appendix 'J' rules during the 1974 season, but in 1975 and 1976, new rules for Group 4 and Group 5 cars stated they had to be production cars available for sale to individual purchasers through manufacturer dealer networks. The rules for 1976 required 400 examples to be produced during a twenty-four-month period to gain approval for Group 4. Cars competing in Group 5 were required to be derived from a homologated model in Group 3 or 4. Porsche Group 4 entry was the 934 (homologated on December 6, 1975), and its Group 5 competitor was the 935. By the end of the 1975 season, Porsche had satisfied the 400 car requirement, and on May 5th, 1976, they built the 1,000th 911 Turbo.

Development and Mechanical Specification
The Type 930 had an 89.4-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 168.9 inches, a width of nearly 70 inches, and stood 51.6 inches tall. Its turbo technology was based on development work applied to the 917/30 Can-Am car. Using a 3.0-liter flat-six engine sourced from the Carrera RS 3.0, Ernst Fuhrmann installed a single KK&K turbocharger, resulting in an output of 256 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 243 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM. It had a 6.5:1 compression ratio, a stronger four-speed manual gearbox, larger brakes, and a revised suspension system. A Getrag G50 five-speed manual transmission became available in 1989.

The 3.3-liter Engine
An increase in engine bore by 2 mm (0.08 inch) for 1978 resulted in engine displacement growing to 3,299cc (3.3 liters). The addition of an air-to-air intercooler helped cool the pressurized air charge, boosting output to nearly 300 horsepower (296hp) at 5,500 RPM and 304 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM. To accommodate the intercooler, Porsche engineers re-profiled the 'whale tail' spoiler, and its revised appearance earned it the nickname the 'tea tray' spoiler. Further modifications were carried out throughout the vehicle, with upgraded brakes similar to those used on the 917 race car and a suspension system with firmer shock absorbers, larger diameter rear torsion bars, and new anti-roll bars.

Handling
The Type 930 had a short wheelbase, a low overall weight, a rear engine layout, and a tremendous amount of power. When the upper boundaries of its performance were explored, it was most successfully achieved with a skilled driver. Oversteer and turbo-lag led to the 'windowmaker' nickname following several crashes and deaths. The 3.3-liter version with the intercooler brought even more power, but it also increased the weight of the vehicle, resulting in substantial changes to the vehicle's handling. Porsche advised caution and training, and even to this day, requires all of its corporate employees who drive 911 Turbo models for testing or for business reasons to undergo 'Turbo Training.'

Emission Regulations
The 930 was withdrawn from the Japanese and United States markets in 1980 due to emission regulations. Rather than making the 911 Turbo compliant, the void was intended to be filled by the 928 Gran Turismo. This decision was championed by Fuhrmann; following his resignation, Porsche updated the car's emission system making it available for sale in all markets. Porsche reintroduced the 930 to the Japanese and U.S. markets in 1986 with an emission-controlled engine featuring an upgraded Motronic engine management system that developed 282 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 278 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM.

Werksleistungssteigerung (WLS, 'Works Performance Increase')
In 1983, Porsche offered a special, built-or-order performance package on the 911 Turbo, which increased output to 325 horsepower at 5,750 RPM and 320 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM. Dubbed the Werksleistungssteigerung package, it came with an additional oil cooler and a quad-pipe exhaust system. These changes required a remodeled front spoiler, and some examples received additional ventilation holes in the rear fenders.

Targa and Cabriolet Body Styles
Initially offered solely as a 2-door 2+2 coupé, Porsche introduced a 2-door Targa and a 2+2 convertible in 1986.

911 Turbo SE Flachbau ('Flat Nose' or 'Slant Nose')
As early as 1981, Kremer Racing offered conversion kits for the 930 Turbo, which included front bodywork similar to that of the 935 race car. It was popular, but several years passed before Porsche offered a factory conversion.

Mansour Ojjeh, a TAG Heuer co-owner, commissioned Porsche in 1982 to develop a road-legal version of the 935 race car. Beginning with a 930 body shell, Porsche applied the body panels from the 935 to create a unique, one-off creation. It was given special paintwork called Brilliant Red, plus the brakes and suspension of the 935, BBS wheels, and a 3.3-litre turbocharged flat-6 engine sourced from the 934 race car.

Strong demand from enthusiasts persuaded Porsche to offer a Flachbau (meaning 'flatnose') upgrade for the 930 under the Sonderwunschprogramm (special order program) from the 1986 model year. This modification replaced the 911 front end with a 935-style slantnose, and the previous 'bug eye' headlamps were replaced by pop-up units.

The option code for the Flachbau in the United States was M505, while 'other markets' used option code M506. Of the 948 examples built with this option, 160 were sent to the United States. Those figures would have been higher had the Flachbau not been so expensive, initially having a premium of up to 60 percent over the standard price.

More than just a change to aesthetics, the Flachbau improved aerodynamics and enabled the Type 930 to reach 60 mph from a standstill in 4.85 seconds. The Type 930 of 1975 did the same in 5.2 seconds, and the 1978 930 (with the 300-horsepower engine) in 5.0 seconds.

Conclusion
The Porsche 930 was arguably the definitive sports car of its era and among the most coveted of all 'G-series' 911s. In addition to their stunning performance, they were among the final cars built at Porsche's old Stuttgart works, with each one virtually hand-built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2025