1978 Porsche 930 Turbo

The Porsche 911-based Type 930 was the road-going version of Porsche's dominant racing program of the early 1970s. Introduced at the Paris Show in October of 1974, it was the company's renewed commitment to the 911 following the retirement of the 917 by the early 1970s. It was based on the normally-aspirated 911 car, but sufficiently different, prompting a new model designation. Porsche began offering the 930 for sale during the spring of 1974 with U.S. exports occurring the following year.

The Porsche 930 was the most expensive road-going model in the vehicle's lineup. It sold for $10,500 over the price of the 911S Targa. Due to the steep price, Porsche planned for just 400 Turbos (Group 4 homologation rules required 400 road cars to be built) to be produced over a two-year period. Sales were much stronger, with 23,341 930s built in total through 1989.

The 930 was given a KKK turbocharger to the 3.0-liter Carrera RSR engine in road trim, delivering 260 horsepower and offering a top speed of 155 mph. The engine was backed by a four-speed gearbox. It had an aggressive stance with its flared wheel-arches and 'tea tray' rear spoiler, which had already been seen on the Carrera model. The interior was the most luxurious yet seen in 1991, with leather upholstery, air conditioning, and electric windows.

The 930 would also provide the basis for the legendary 935 Turbo, which would capture a succession of victories through 1984 including six wins at Daytona, six at Sebring, and the overall win at LeMans in 1979.

In 1978, the first-generation 930 was given its first major upgrade, utilizing the technology derived from Porsches' RSR 934 and 935 racing program. The engine displacement grew to 3.3-liters, received upgraded engine cooling, an air-to-air intercooler, higher compression, more power, and reduced turbo lag. The European versions produced 300 horsepower while the U.S. versions produced 265 horsepower while complying with emissions restrictions.

The large yet functional 'whale tail' rear spoiler was reshaped to improve aerodynamics and to provide increased space and airflow for the 930's new intercooler. The large disc brakes from the 917/30 Can-Am car now resided at all four corners of the 930.

The first generation of the 903 was officially imported to the United States through 1979. These vehicles can be identified by their VIN plate which has the '930' prefix, as opposed to the re-introduced U.S.-market cars sold from 1984 to 1989 with their 'WPO' VIN prefixes.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2019