A Turbo Cabriolet is almost a poseur among hard-core Porsche folk, a car to be seen in rather than a car to drive fast in
A Turbo Cabriolet is almost a poseur among hard-core Porsche folk, a car to be seen in rather than a car to drive fast in
In series production from 1975, the 911 Turbo married a KKK turbocharger to the 3.0-liter engine, a combination that delivered a stunning 260 hp and a top speed of 153 mph in road trim. The Turbo’s characteristic flared wheel arches and “tea tray” rear spoiler, introduced on the RSR models, were matched with an exceptionally luxurious Porsche interior. The engine was enlarged to 3.3 liters in 1978 and gained an intercooler in the process. Horsepower rose to 300 and top speed was 160 mph for the fastest road car of its day.
Porsche’s 1965 911 was initially designed to be a cabriolet as well as a coupe, but at the time, pending U.S. legislation forced the Targa to be a “halfway house” between a full convertible and a closed coupe. By 1981 a revival of the 911 product line was underway, under the direction of Peter Schutz, Porsche’s German-speaking American president. He wanted a way to broaden the appeal of the 911 without spending vast sums of money and his answer was to dust off the plans for a fully open 911.
Introduced to wide acclaim in 1982, the first production Cabriolets hit the market in late 1983 but it wasn’t until 1987 that the first factory Turbo Cabriolets became available. While not as rigid as the Coupe, the Cabriolet lost little in chassis rigidity compared with the Targa, due to its unique stiffening pieces. The top, which was fast and easy to manipulate, featured a zip-out plastic rear window similar to the one found in the last convertible Porsche, the 1962-65 356 B and C T-6.
This 911 Turbo has covered approximately 81,000 kilometers from new. A left-hand-drive model, it has the later, wider Speedline wheels from the special 3.6-liter cars. The body is refinished in Guards Red, complemented by a black leather interior and completed by a tonneau cover. This ultimate 911 is described by the vendor as being in very good condition.
