Production of the Porsche 911 Turbo began in 1974. The car was also called the Porsche 930 in the US; the number 930 refers to the internal type number of the car. In Europe, it was called the Porsche 911 Turbo. One of the most distinctive features of the 911 Turbo is its wide wheel arches, made to accommodate the wide tires. The car also has a unique rear wing; it was called a whale tail on early models and a tea tray on later cars.

The Porsche 930 developed a reputation for outright acceleration and difficult handling and towing. The first models came with a 3-litre engine spitting out 256 BHP. In late 1976, a racing version of the Porsche 911 Turbo was introduced, called the Porsche 934. It became a favorite of many competitors at Le Mans and other races due to its power and handling.

The 1989 911 Turbo (930) was the only model to feature a 5-speed gearbox.

Porsche 964 Turbo (1990 – 1993)

In 1990, Porsche released a Turbo version of the 964 series. For the 1991 and 1992 model years it used a 3.3-litre engine, similar to that used in the Porsche 930, the engine delivering 320bhp. Porsche then introduced the Carrera 2 and 4 in 1993, with a 3.6-litre engine and 360bhp to the rear wheels.

Today the 964 Turbo is a rear entry-level product; it was eventually succeeded by the Porsche 993 Turbo (1995 – 1998).

Porsche 993 Turbo (1995-1998)

In 1995, Porsche released a Turbo version of the Porsche 993. It was revolutionary in more ways than one; the 993 Turbo was the first standard Porsche to use dual exhaust turbochargers and the first 911 Turbo to have permanent all-wheel drive. [Side Note: If you wanted to remove the AWD, you would have to refer to the more powerful and race homologated GT2 or another option is to remove the drive shaft leading to the front differential].

It was 1997 and Porsche decided to present a limited run of 200 units of the Porsche 993 Turbo S (Porsche 911 Turbo S); the Turbo S delivered even more performance. The new car also had a few additions, among them being an additional 24 PS (17.7 kW), this was on top of the normal 400 PS (294kW) Turbo and modifications to the car’s bodywork.

The Porsche 993 Turbo still commands a premium price, mainly due to its reliability, raw power, and the fact that it’s the last air-cooled 911 Turbo.

Porsche 996 Turbo (2000 – 2004)

In the year 2000, Porsche introduced the 966 Turbo, which is, as the name suggests, a turbocharged version of the Porsche 966. It was equipped with standard four-wheel drive and a 3.6-liter engine, derived from the 911 GT1 engine. It also came with twin turbochargers and an intercooler producing a whopping 415 BHP (309 kW), which meant the car could go from 0-60mph in just 3.9 seconds. In 2002, the 996 Turbo received an update known as the X50 or Turbo S, which increased the car’s power to 444 hp (336 kW). The 996 Turbo also had air vents in the front and rear bumpers.

Porsche 997 Turbo, 997 GT3 (2006 – Now)

The 997 GT3 or 997 Turbo debuted in 2006 and, like previous models, gave Porsche the opportunity to homologate aerodynamic characteristics for racing and add a model for customer races. The car used the same 3.6-litre engine as the Porsche 996 Turbo, but with the exception that it had more power; 480 PS. It accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds (using the Tiptronic transmission). The Porsche 997 Turbo is more driver-friendly compared to its predecessor.