Porsche 930
Encyclopedia
The 930 was a sports car
built by Porsche
, 930 actually being the "type number" for the pre-964
generation 911 Turbo produced between 1975 and 1989. It was Porsche
's top-of-the-range model for its entire production duration and at the time of its introduction the fastest production car available in Germany
.
technology on their race cars during the late 1960s, and in 1972 began development on a turbocharged version of the 911
. Porsche originally needed to produce the car in order to comply with homologation regulations and had intended on marketing it as a street legal race vehicle like the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS. When the homologation rules changed, Porsche continued to develop the car anyway, deciding to make it a fully equipped variant of the 911 that would top the model range and give Porsche a more direct competitor to vehicles from Ferrari
and Lamborghini
, which were more expensive and more exclusive than the standard 911. Although Porsche no longer needed the car to meet homologation requirements, it proved a viable platform for racing vehicles, and became the basis for the 934
and 935
race cars. Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche
, who was running the company at the time, handed development of the vehicle over to Ernst Fuhrmann, who adapted the turbo-technology originally developed for the 917/30
CAN-AM car to the 3.0 litre flat-six from the Carrera RS 3.0, creating what Porsche internally dubbed as 930. Total output from the engine was 260 PS, much more than the standard Carrera. In order to ensure that the platform could make the most of the higher power output, a revised suspension, larger brakes and stronger gearbox became part of the package, although some consumers were unhappy with Porsche's use of a 4-speed whilst a 5-speed manual
was available in the "lesser" Carrera. A "Whale-Tail" rear spoiler was installed to help vent more air to the engine and help create more downforce at the rear of the vehicle, and wider rear wheels with upgraded tires combined with flared wheelarches were added to increase the 911's width and grip, making it more stable.
Porsche badged the vehicle simply as "Turbo" (although early U.S. units were badged as "Turbo Carrera") and debuted it at the Paris Auto Show in October 1974 before putting it on sale in the spring of 1975; export to the United States
began in 1976.
The 930 proved very fast but also very demanding. The 911 was prone to oversteer because of its rear engine layout
and short wheelbase
; combining those traits with the power of the turbocharged motor, which exhibited significant turbo-lag, meant driving the car required more skill to drive at the edge of its (higher) level of performance. Even though the rear engine layout provided superior traction, sudden bursts of power to the rear wheels in mid-corner could break the tires loose, causing the car to literally spin out of control. This effect was amplified if an inexperienced driver would instinctively lift the throttle
in reaction. The vehicle needed to be kept at high revs during spirited driving to minimise the turbo lag. Skilled drivers quickly learned how to drive the 930 properly, and with that knowledge came the ability to drive the car above and beyond the levels of most other sports cars. Nevertheless, some fatal accidents caused by drivers outside their capabilities and traffic regulations resulted in product liability law suits brought against Porsche in the US, where Ralph Nader
had made his name criticizing the rear engine-rear wheel drive layout of the Chevrolet Corvair
.
Porsche made its first and most significant upgrades to the 930 for 1978, enlarging the engine to 3.3 litres and adding an air-to-air intercooler
. By cooling the pressurized air charge, the intercooler helped increase power output to 300 hp (DIN); the rear 'whale tail' spoiler was re-profiled and raised slightly to make room for the intercooler. Porsche also upgraded the brake
s to units similar to those used on the 917 racecar.
Changing emissions regulations in Japan
and the U.S. forced Porsche to withdraw the 930 from those markets in 1980. It remained, however, available in Canada. Believing the 928
would eventually replace the 911, Fuhrmann cut-back spending on the model, and it was not until Fuhrmann's resignation the company finally committed the financing to re-regulate the car.
The 930 remained available in Europe
, and for 1983 a 330 PS performance option became available on a build-to-order basis from Porsche. With the add-on came a 4-pipe exhaust system
and an additional oil-cooler requiring a remodelled front spoiler and units bearing the add-on often featured additional ventilation holes in the rear fenders and modified rockers.
Porsche offered a "Flachbau" ("slantnose") 930 under the "Sonderwunschprogramm" (special order program) beginning in 1981, an otherwise normal 930 with a 935
-style slantnose instead of the normal 911 front end. Each Flachbau unit was handcrafted by remodeling the front fenders. So few were built that the slantnose units often commanded a high premium over sticker, adding to the fact that they required a premium of up to 60 per cent (highly indivdualized cars even more) over the standard price. Several sources claim the factory built 948 units. The Flachbau units delivered in Europe usually featured the 330 hp performance kit.
928 sales had risen slightly by the 1985 model year
, but there was still some question as to if it were truly capable of superseding the 911 as the company's premier model, and for 1986 Porsche re-introduced the 930 to the Japanese and U.S. markets, now featuring an emission-controlled engine producing 282 PS. At the same time Porsche introduced the Targa and Cabriolet variants, both of which proved popular.
Porsche discontinued the 930 after model year 1989 when its underlying "G-Series" platform was being replaced by the 964
. '89 models were the first and last versions of the 930 to feature the G50 transmission, a 5-speed manual transmission. A turbo version of the 964 officially succeeded the 930 in 1991 with a modified version of the same 3.3 litre flat-6
engine and a 5-speed transmission.
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
built by Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, 930 actually being the "type number" for the pre-964
Porsche 964
The Porsche 964 is the company's internal name for the version of the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1989 and 1994. It featured significant styling revisions over previous versions of the 911, most prominently the more integrated bumpers , although it was still obviously a 911...
generation 911 Turbo produced between 1975 and 1989. It was Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
's top-of-the-range model for its entire production duration and at the time of its introduction the fastest production car available in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Model history
Porsche began experimenting with turbochargingTurbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
technology on their race cars during the late 1960s, and in 1972 began development on a turbocharged version of the 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...
. Porsche originally needed to produce the car in order to comply with homologation regulations and had intended on marketing it as a street legal race vehicle like the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS. When the homologation rules changed, Porsche continued to develop the car anyway, deciding to make it a fully equipped variant of the 911 that would top the model range and give Porsche a more direct competitor to vehicles from Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
and Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
, which were more expensive and more exclusive than the standard 911. Although Porsche no longer needed the car to meet homologation requirements, it proved a viable platform for racing vehicles, and became the basis for the 934
Porsche 934
The Porsche 934 was a racing version of the Porsche 911 Turbo, prepared to FIA Group 4 rules, similar to the Porsche 935 which was prepared to FIA Group 5 rules.-History:...
and 935
Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
race cars. Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche
Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche
Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche , mainly known as Ferry Porsche, was an Austrian technical automobile designer and automaker-entrepreneur. He operated Porsche AG in Stuttgart, Germany. His father, Ferdinand Porsche Sr was also a renowned automobile engineer. His nephew, Dr...
, who was running the company at the time, handed development of the vehicle over to Ernst Fuhrmann, who adapted the turbo-technology originally developed for the 917/30
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
CAN-AM car to the 3.0 litre flat-six from the Carrera RS 3.0, creating what Porsche internally dubbed as 930. Total output from the engine was 260 PS, much more than the standard Carrera. In order to ensure that the platform could make the most of the higher power output, a revised suspension, larger brakes and stronger gearbox became part of the package, although some consumers were unhappy with Porsche's use of a 4-speed whilst a 5-speed manual
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
was available in the "lesser" Carrera. A "Whale-Tail" rear spoiler was installed to help vent more air to the engine and help create more downforce at the rear of the vehicle, and wider rear wheels with upgraded tires combined with flared wheelarches were added to increase the 911's width and grip, making it more stable.
Porsche badged the vehicle simply as "Turbo" (although early U.S. units were badged as "Turbo Carrera") and debuted it at the Paris Auto Show in October 1974 before putting it on sale in the spring of 1975; export to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
began in 1976.
The 930 proved very fast but also very demanding. The 911 was prone to oversteer because of its rear engine layout
RR layout
In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle. In contrast to the RMR layout, the center of mass of the engine is between the rear axle and the rear bumper....
and short wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
; combining those traits with the power of the turbocharged motor, which exhibited significant turbo-lag, meant driving the car required more skill to drive at the edge of its (higher) level of performance. Even though the rear engine layout provided superior traction, sudden bursts of power to the rear wheels in mid-corner could break the tires loose, causing the car to literally spin out of control. This effect was amplified if an inexperienced driver would instinctively lift the throttle
Lift-off oversteer
Lift-off oversteer is a form of oversteer in an automobile that occurs when the vertical load on the tires shifts from the rear to the front quickly due to throttle release while cornering...
in reaction. The vehicle needed to be kept at high revs during spirited driving to minimise the turbo lag. Skilled drivers quickly learned how to drive the 930 properly, and with that knowledge came the ability to drive the car above and beyond the levels of most other sports cars. Nevertheless, some fatal accidents caused by drivers outside their capabilities and traffic regulations resulted in product liability law suits brought against Porsche in the US, where Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
had made his name criticizing the rear engine-rear wheel drive layout of the Chevrolet Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
.
Porsche made its first and most significant upgrades to the 930 for 1978, enlarging the engine to 3.3 litres and adding an air-to-air intercooler
Intercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
. By cooling the pressurized air charge, the intercooler helped increase power output to 300 hp (DIN); the rear 'whale tail' spoiler was re-profiled and raised slightly to make room for the intercooler. Porsche also upgraded the brake
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
s to units similar to those used on the 917 racecar.
Changing emissions regulations in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the U.S. forced Porsche to withdraw the 930 from those markets in 1980. It remained, however, available in Canada. Believing the 928
Porsche 928
The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT car sold by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some...
would eventually replace the 911, Fuhrmann cut-back spending on the model, and it was not until Fuhrmann's resignation the company finally committed the financing to re-regulate the car.
The 930 remained available in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and for 1983 a 330 PS performance option became available on a build-to-order basis from Porsche. With the add-on came a 4-pipe exhaust system
Exhaust system
An exhaust system is usually tubing used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes...
and an additional oil-cooler requiring a remodelled front spoiler and units bearing the add-on often featured additional ventilation holes in the rear fenders and modified rockers.
Porsche offered a "Flachbau" ("slantnose") 930 under the "Sonderwunschprogramm" (special order program) beginning in 1981, an otherwise normal 930 with a 935
Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
-style slantnose instead of the normal 911 front end. Each Flachbau unit was handcrafted by remodeling the front fenders. So few were built that the slantnose units often commanded a high premium over sticker, adding to the fact that they required a premium of up to 60 per cent (highly indivdualized cars even more) over the standard price. Several sources claim the factory built 948 units. The Flachbau units delivered in Europe usually featured the 330 hp performance kit.
928 sales had risen slightly by the 1985 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, but there was still some question as to if it were truly capable of superseding the 911 as the company's premier model, and for 1986 Porsche re-introduced the 930 to the Japanese and U.S. markets, now featuring an emission-controlled engine producing 282 PS. At the same time Porsche introduced the Targa and Cabriolet variants, both of which proved popular.
Porsche discontinued the 930 after model year 1989 when its underlying "G-Series" platform was being replaced by the 964
Porsche 964
The Porsche 964 is the company's internal name for the version of the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1989 and 1994. It featured significant styling revisions over previous versions of the 911, most prominently the more integrated bumpers , although it was still obviously a 911...
. '89 models were the first and last versions of the 930 to feature the G50 transmission, a 5-speed manual transmission. A turbo version of the 964 officially succeeded the 930 in 1991 with a modified version of the same 3.3 litre flat-6
Flat-6
A flat-6 or horizontally opposed-6 is a flat engine with six cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of three cylinders on each side of a central crankcase...
engine and a 5-speed transmission.
Performance
| Performance data: Porsche 930 | |||||||
| Model | 0-60 mph | 0-100 km/h | 0-160 km/h (100 mph) |
0-200 km/h | 1/4 mile | 1 km | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 930 260 hp |
5.2 s | 5.5 s | 12.4 s | 20.1 s | ? | 24.2 s | 246 km/h (153 mph) |
| 1978 930 300 hp |
5.0 s | 5.4 s | 12.0 s | 19.7 s | ? | 24.4 s | 260.9 km/h (162 mph) |
| 1983 930 330 hp Flachbau |
4.7 s | 4.85 s | ? | ? | ? | ? | 275 km/h (171 mph) |
| 1984 930 330 hp |
4.6 s | 4.8 s | 11.6 s | 17.7 s | ? | 23.8 s | 278 km/h (173 mph) |
| 1989 930 5-speed |
4.9 s | 5.1 s | 12.0 s | 20.4 s | 13.6 | 24.6 s | 260 km/h (162 mph) |
Source
- Bongers, Marc (2004). Porsche - Serienfahrzeuge und Sportwagen seit 1948 (first edition). Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02388-1