Porsche 930 / 911 Turbo 3.3

The Exhaust Driven Supercharger

The 1970’s saw a renaissance in the use of the exhaust-driven supercharger, or turbo-charger, to give it its now more popular title. BMW brought out a Turbo version of their 2002 saloon which press and public alike greeted with open arms. Unlike the mechanically driven, power-consuming supercharger which boosts induction to a greater or lesser extent all the time, the turbocharger offered 'something for nothing'.

Drive gently and the inherently lower powered engine (due to the necessarily low compression ratio used with turbochargers) gave better fuel consumption than a standard compression engine. Put the engine under load, however, and the turbocharger would then come-in and boost performance accordingly; more load, more boost and more performance, and so on.

Saab and Buick liberated their sedans with turbos to give them sporting and brisk performances, respectively. Porsche, however, did not use a turbocharger to up the performance of a small model in the range; they made the Carrera, even quicker. In 1975, the Turbo (as it was known in Europe) was blessed with four gears (five were deemed unnecessary, an Interesting new slant on one-upmanship), a 155 mph top speed, the ability to accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and to cover a quarter mile in 13.8 seconds with an overall fuel consumption of 18-19mpg, or 20-21 mpg if high-speed cruising was your wont and not low gear flying.

As mentioned, the 930 was called the Porsche 911 Turbo in Europe, the 930 being derived from its internal type number in the US. The body shape was distinctive, thanks to wide wheel-arches to accommodate the wide tires, and a large rear spoiler often known as a "whale tail" on the early cars, and "tea-tray" on the later ones.

For 1978 the Turbo was uprated from three to 3.3 liters in order, mainly, to overcome the turbo lag. In addition, an inter-cooler was fitted to an even larger rear spoiler and the yearly Porsche development and refinement were carried out. Performance was now quicker with 60 mph being possible in five seconds dead. Braking, as before, was in the same class as the performance, but it was only when the engine was enlarged to 3.3 liters that Porsche deemed it necessary to fit a servo.

The handling was superb and neutral, tending towards understeer when pressed really hard, to a tail-out attitude when driven either stupidly with a leaden right foot or when at high speed on a race track. Drive at a reasonable fast-road pace and the handling, along with the by then famous Pirelli P7 roadholding, and you would realise just how well sorted the 911’s chassis was, and how brilliantly it excelled at handling.

The Turbo's sheer ability meant that it is a very safe car in which to travel. Even so, Porsche went to huge lengths to pre-empt future safety legislation, particularly here in the USA, including the development of front and rear impact absorbing bumpers, progressive deformable zones and a strong integral roll cage. The body was zinc treated. Never had such performance been available with such style, comfort and ease.

Porsche 930 / 911 3.3 Turbo Quick Specifications:

Comments: The "original" turbo started out with a 3.0 L engine 260 PS (190 kW; 260 hp), these early cars are known for their exhilarating acceleration coupled with challenging handling characteristics and extreme turbo lag. For 1978, capacity rose to 3.3 L 300 PS (220 kW; 300 hp), and an intercooler was added which was placed under the rear spoiler.
Engine: Rear-mounted, air-cooled, flat-six. 97.0 mm (3.82 in) bore x 74.4 mm (2.93 in) stroke 3299 cc (201.24 cu in). Maximum power (DIN) 300 bhp at 5500 rpm; maximum torque (DIN) 3081b ft at 4000 rpm; light-alloy cylinder block and heads. Compression ratio 6.5:1.8 main bearings. 2 valves per cylinder operated by a single overhead camshaft per bank. Bosch K-Jetronic fuel-injection.
Transmission: Single-dry-plate clutch and- four-speed manual gearbox. Ratios 1 st 2.25, 2nd 1 .3, 3rd 0.88, 4th 0.65, rev 2.43:1. Spiral-bevel final drive 4.22:1.
Suspension: Front - independent by MacPherson struts, longitudinal torsion bars, anti-roll bar and telescopic dampers. Rear - independent by semi- trailing arms, transverse torsion bars and double-acting telescopic dampers.
Steering: Rack and pinion. Turns from lock to lock 3.1.
Brakes: Servo-assisted discs all round.
Wheels: Light alloy 7 in x 16 in front, and 8 in x 16 in rear.
Tires: 205/55VR x 16 in front, 225/50VR x 16 in rear.
Body/chassis: 2 door, 2 seats. Integral.
Dimensions and weight: Wheelbase 89.45 in; track-front 56.61 in, rear-59.49 in; length 168.94 in; width 69.88 in; height 51.97 in; ground clearance 4.7 in; dry weight 26351b; turning circle 35 ft; fuel tank capacity 17.6 gal.
Performance: Maximum speed 162 mph; acceleration 0-60 mph 5.0 secs; fuel consumption approx 15-20 mpg.