Porsche 930 Turbo 3.0 Book - English

Porsche's First Turbocharged Supercar

The mid-1970s were dark times for the automotive industry, and darker still for those passionate about high-performance cars. Manufacturers worldwide, struggling to comply with new emissions and safety regulations, were finding it difficult to produce cars capable of delivering a satisfying driving experience. With one or two exceptions—very expensive models built in minute quantities—none did. The cars produced in these years were at best compromised; most were simply dreadful. The OPEC oil embargo had just turned everything upside down while safety and emissions standards were strangling performance and stifling innovation from manufacturers. It was an atmosphere of complete and utter despair, as though all had been lost. Then—out of nowhere—Porsche dropped a bombshell, announcing a turbocharged series production supercar that not only met regulatory requirements but also delivered blistering performance.

The 3.0-liter Turbo was an instant sensation, inspiring enthusiasts from every corner of the world and offered hope that perhaps there was still a future for performance cars. While other manufacturers made attempts to build a turbocharged series production car, none were produced in significant numbers or were commercially viable, other than BMW with the briefly available 2002 Turbo. Porsche's 3.0-liter Turbo was that and more…becoming the first successful turbocharged production car that not only exhibited bulletproof reliability and satisfied regulators but also ran like a bat out of hell. Porsche's Turbo became THE car of the 1970s and 80s, forever cementing enthusiasm for the Porsche marque among those who came of age during that era. Having entered the popular lexicon, merely mentioning the word “turbo” in the decades that followed brought only one thought to mind: Porsche. The 3.0-liter Turbo is unquestionably the car that raised public perception and established Porsche as a top-tier manufacturer.