Although the Porsche Turbo is now an iconic example of Porsche’s high-performance ethos in the minds of nearly everyone, it was genuinely earth-shattering when it emerged in the mid 1970s. After massive success pioneering the use of turbocharging in the first half of the 1970s in the 917 Can Am and 911-based sports cars, Porsche had the knowhow (and the boldness) to bring a reliable and capable turbocharged road car to market. Where Porsche’s previous high-performance 911, the Carrera RS, was a raw and elemental homologated race car adapted for the road, the Turbo (designated 930) was designed to be a proper flagship: a luxurious and refined car in which to effortlessly cover distance at high speed.
It’s hard to describe just how significant a paradigm shift the 930 represented when it was new. Contemporary press gushed about its effortless ability to gain speed with deceptive composure, an attribute that seemed positively alien in a period when few drivers had experienced turbocharged cars. Aesthetically, it was also incredibly impactful. The fender flares and massive rear spoiler were straight off the race cars, and gave the car an aggressive and extraverted look that contributed as much to its status as an icon as its performance. This, coupled with the car's massive performance qualified it as a proper supercar in period, placing Porsche in a different category than it had previously occupied in the eyes of performance car junkies. Porsche went from making underdog Davids that could take on Goliaths, to making their own Goliath.
The 930 arrived in the United States for the 1976 model year in 3.0 liter form, which grew to 3.3 liters for 1978 which also added an intercooler and of course more power. This lasted for only two model years before the 930 was unable to meet emerging US emissions standards. During the 1980 to 1985 model years, Americans could not buy 930s new, but a new fuel injection system for 1986 meant that the 930 was once again compliant with US emissions regulations.
This particular example is a 1987 model year coupe which was sold new in Chicago before being relocated to California in 1996, where it has remained with two long-term owners, one from 1996 to 2013, and the current owner for the subsequent 11 years.
