History of the Porsche Turbo, beginning in 1975

The engineers had developed this new engine and Porsche chairman Ernst Fuhrman decided they could use a turbo on a production car.

The first prototype was displayed at several European shows in 1973. In 1974, “911 Turbo” went on sale and at the time it had a 3.0 litre 260 bhp engine.

The new Porsche was luxurious. The standard Turbo had air-conditioning, electric windows, tinted glass, headlamp washers, a leather interior and Bilstein shocks - not bad for 1973.

Originally, it was supposed to be a limited edition, with only 500 models to be sold. However, the demand was so high that more than 1000 cars were sold. It was now clear that Turbo would have a secure future.

What attracted so many customers was its huge rear wing, widened wheel and big tires. This great look combined with the powerful engine made the Turbo look faster than any other 911.

In 1978, the model was improved by the increase of the engine capacity to 3.3 litres and some other modifications. The engine now produced 40 bhp more.

The rear wing was also revised: the two separate grilles were replaced by one larger smooth surface, placed a little higher in order to make room for an intercooler.

In 1979 though, the Turbo was withdrawn from the US and Japan as a response to the second energy crunch.

In 1986, Turbo again became available in the US. This was the first year Porsche used flares that were created in the stamping process of the fenders.

In 1992 Porsche showed the Turbo S at Geneva's Motorshow. It’s engine delivered 381 bhp. The car weighted 120 kg less then the standard Turbo and this helped make the Turbo S really fast. There were only 80 Turbo S cars built.

In 1993, the engine capacity was increased again, now reaching 3.6 litres. It was easily recognized by the Turbo 3.6 badge. Also, there was a 93 Turbo 3.6-based 911 Turbo S built.

In 1996 Porsche launched yet another Turbo, based on the 993 series. Its engine produced 408 bhp, featuring a six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive. It looked more elegant thanks to the less evocative rear-wing.

The wheels on the 96 Turbo are 18 inches in diameter. Because the five spokes are hollow, the vehicle's weight is reduced by 20 per cent.

The front wing has air-ducts that direct extra cooling air to the brakes, making them more powerful than on the previous models. They can stop the Turbo from 100 hm/h in 2.6 seconds and from 200km/h in just 5 seconds, increasing the car’s safety.

Porsche has recently introduced the 996 Turbo. The styling is different from the previous Turbo models. Its aerodynamics are improved, making it much faster than the 993 Turbo.

The 996 Turbo gets to 100 km/h in only 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 305 km/h.

It has a few details that make it easy to recognize: bi-xenon headlights, air intakes behind the doors and a movable rear-spoiler.