What has become the most beloved Porsche 911 of all time is the Porsche 930. It is the product of experimenting with turbos in the late 60s and early 70s. Their goal was to only build enough cars to homologate the racing of a Porsche 911 Turbo. Project 930 required many changes to the suspension and body that it became its own model. This will focus on the 930, which was Porsche’s internal code for the turbo cars.
Larger brakes and a four-speed transmission set it apart from the base Porsche 911 Carrera which had a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter flat-six. It arrived in the US for the 1976 model with 276 horsepower. This was shocking to the industry, as pollution-choked V8s couldn’t offer anything comparable.
Every example came with a single large turbo, and that is why the Porsche 930 Turbo gained a reputation as the “Widowmaker.” Almost all turbos have a 4-speed manual, so It took a few seconds to spin up the big turbo. Boost eventually arrived like a freight train, and it sent many professional drivers into the wall or the infield. The 1989 930 Turbo was the only one to receive a 5-speed transmission, and it actually hurt performance by allowing the car to fall out of boost between gears.
Porsche 930 Turbo Cabriolet Specs:
Price: $49,720
Engine: Turbo 3.0L Flat Six
Horsepower: 282 hp
Torque: 278 lb-ft
0-60: 4.9 seconds
1/4 Mile: 13.1 @ 109 mph
That’s why if you are considering a Porsche 930 for sale, it needs to be scrutinized inside and out by a reputable Porsche shop. These are old cars now, and survivors will need suspension bushings and pushrod tubes addressed. Rust is also a common issue. The rear cross member and motor mount area can be expensive to fix, so be sure to check them out. Here is the data you need to make an informed buy:
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A Porsche 930 for sale is a dream-find for many Porsche purists. If it is a numbers-matching condition, it is the most desired Porsche Turbo on the market. Convertibles were not popular in the ’70s, but by the ’80s they were back in vogue. So the Porsche 930 Cabriolet and 930 Targa were released in 1985. It was also the 80’s that saw the aftermarket develop Porsche 930 twin-turbo kits. These Porsche 930 turbo kits allowed for an instant boost by eliminating turbo lag.
930 Production Numbers
The first three years had 3.0-liter engines and were known just as 930 Turbo, and 2,819 cars were produced. From 1978 to 1989, the name was changed to 930 Turbo Carrera, and the engine was enlarged to 3.3 liters. As one of the fastest cars on the market, 18,7770 vehicles were built. The 3.3-liter engines were the first Porsche 911 to have intercoolers from the factory. This allowed for more boost, but it caught the eye of the US EPA. The 3.3-liter cars were never legally imported after 1979, they used the gray market to get around DC’s dumb laws. Nevertheless, they made it in, and since they are over 25 years old, the government doesn’t care anymore.
Porsche 930 Turbo Coupe Specs:
Price: $37,000
Engine: 3.0 or 3.3-liter Flat Six
Horsepower: 282
Torque: 298 lb-ft
0-60: 5.5s
1/4 Mile: 13.7 @ 1.6 mph
930 Prices
1977 Carrera Turbo Coupe Retail: $30,630
1988 Carrera Turbo Cabriolet Retail: $ 85,060
You can see the jump in base prices through the years. Porsche knew their customers were willing to pay for the quality and performance. If you adjust these for inflation, you won’t even come close to what they are selling for. Porsche stopped selling the 930 Turbo in the US at the end of 1979. They continued to be imported through gray-market importers, who charged a premium for the luxury. Porsche realized this was a massive error on their part and the 1988 model’s retail reflects its acknowledgment of the American market’s booming economy.
930 S Slantnose
Racing the 930 developed many iconic body modifications, but none have been as famous as the 935 race car. To maximize aerodynamics, the nose and fenders were redesigned for high-speed tracks. They were known as “Flachbau” or flat nose. Most examples were naturally aspirated Carrera models, powered by the 3.2 engine with a 5-speed manual. The Holy Grail would be a 930S (Turbo Slantnose) Cabriolet. Here in the US, dealers and 930 owners dubbed it the Slantnose 930 S, and it was a popular upgrade in the early 80s.
Porsche 930 Carrera Slantnose Specs:
Horsepower: 270
Torque (lb-ft): 318
0-60 mph (seconds): 5.2
Top Speed: 139 mph
1/4 Mile: 14.5 @ 95 mph
Weight (lbs): 2,668
Production: 800
Porsche realized its popularity and decided to build them in-house. Built-in limited numbers, production peaked in 1985. If you are considering a 930 Slant Nose for sale, keep in mind they were also offered by Kremer, Ruf, and other aftermarket companies. No matter who built it, they are a piece of history with a price tag to match.
930 Speedster
To celebrate the anniversary of the 356 Speedster, Porsche built 2,100 examples of the 930 Speedster. Only 800 came to the US. They are turbos with all non-essential weight removed. The windshield is short and raked, and an aerodynamic decklid covers the rear seats when the top is down. The naturally aspirated 3.2 was state of the art, and it had fast numbers for an 80’s car.
Porsche 930 Speedster Specs:
Horsepower: 215
Torque (lb-ft): 195
0-60 mph (seconds): 5.9
0-100 mph (seconds): 15.2
1/4 Mile: 14.5 @ 95 mph
Weight (lbs): 2,668
Production: 800
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