50 Years Of The Porsche Turbo
50 years ago today the Paris Motor Show was being shown something that today has legendary status amongst performance car enthusiasts. A name that started as a way to signify a powerful model in the Porsche line up, yet today has become a brand in its own right, signifying some of the most sought-after vehicles the manufacturer produces. That car was the first 911 Turbo.
The 1974 Porsche 911 3.0 Turbo was the first turbocharged series production car for the brand and was a result of Porsche utilising their motorsport knowhow to make their road cars even more impressive. Following the success of their hugely successful 917 race cars of the early 1970’s featuring turbocharging technology, the performance gains it generated when the advancements were introduced for the 911 were huge.
At a time when most sports cars of the era were offering 0-62mph times of 7 seconds or slower, the addition of a turbocharger meant the 911 offered 256bhp and could reach the same speed in just 5.5 seconds. Porsche’s constant desire for innovation and improvements meant that by 1977 the 911 Turbo utilised intercooling technology, again inherited from their motorsport programme, boosting power further together with increasing engine displacement to 3.3-litres.
The Turbo stood out from the rest of the range, as well as its competition, in a number of ways that made it instantly recognisable. The addition of a large rear wing, often with the letters ‘Turbo’ written on it, together with flared rear arches to house wider wheels and the model specific chassis to accommodate the increase in power. But it wasn’t just the outside that was different, inside the car the use of tartan upholstery options made sure that you know you were in a Turbo from the inside too.
The Start Of A Legacy
From the very first 911 Turbo, a model gifted to Ferdinand Porsche’s daughter Louise for her 70th birthday, the Turbo was instantly recognisable and heralded as a new age of powerful sports cars at the pinnacle of motorsport technology for the road. The name became synonymous not just with the fact that the car was equipped with a turbocharger, but it became known as the flagship of that Porsche model.
It wasn’t just the pinnacle of the 911 range either. After the 930 Turbo was introduced in 1974 came the 924 Turbo in 1979, the 944 Turbo in 1985 and continued on to the Cayenne Turbo in 2002, the Panamera Turbo in 2009 and eventually the Macan Turbo in 2014. Its transformation from the use of a turbocharger to merely the naming of the most performance minded models in the range could not have been more obvious when the ‘Turbo’ naming was given to the flagship of the all-electric Taycan in 2014. A naming statement that has continued again today with the flagship all-electric Macan Turbo.
50 Years And Counting
Who would have thought that when the first 911 Turbo was shown to the world on this day in 1974 at the Paris Motor Show, that 50 years later it would become so iconic that the name has become a brand in its own right. Even with the whole 911 range these days being turbocharged, anything sporting a Turbo badge still stands out above the rest, and the fact that it can also be used as the flagship of an all-electric line up, just shows the power of the idea and what it stood for all those years ago.
To signify the milestone, Porsche have created a rather special edition of the 911 called the ‘Turbo 50 Years’. With special ‘Turbo 50‘ badging inside and out, ‘Turbo’ graphics to the top of the rear wheel arch just like the original, a ducktail spoiler as a nod to the original ‘whale tail’, and inside it features special tartan upholstery to the seating and door panels as a nod to the original ‘Mackenzie’ pattern. It also features design details finished in special ‘Turbonite’ colouring, unique to Turbo models and replicating the silver colouring of the first ever 930 Turbo model.
A Porsche Turbo model today takes over 50 years of motorsport knowhow to create an even more impressive and capable vehicle. Purchasing a Turbo means you know that you are buying a product that incorporates the very best technology, a vehicle with an abundance of power and performance, and the latest iconic part of Porsche’s illustrious history.
With so much changing in the automotive world right now, who knows what the next 50 years holds. But one thing is for sure, the Porsche Turbo will continue to represent the pinnacle of what a performance car is all about.
Funding Your Next Porsche
At Oracle Car Finance we fund more Porsche’s than any other type of car, and the Porsche 911 is our most funded model out of them all. Also, as official partners to Porsche Club GB we know our 992’s from our 991’s, our GTS’s from our GT3’s and our 718’s from our 987’s, and can source the right finance package for you and your Porsche.
If you are looking at purchasing your very own Porsche model, whether brand new, pre-owned or a classic car, our expert team have over 19 years’ experience in sourcing tailored car finance products for Porsche models. Whatever type you are looking for, you can get in touch with us either by calling 0800 012 6666 or find out more by clicking: Porsche Car Finance.
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