PORSCHE 911 TURBO: THE BOOST IS BACK

The first-ever Porsche 911 Turbo is set to reappear at this summer’s Concours of Elegance.

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Back in 1973, Porsche created a turbocharged prototype of its popular 911 sports coupe. Taking a standard 911S as its base, the concept was built up in Porsche’s design studio Style Porsche, with the construction overseen by the firm’s chief engineer, Helmuth Bott. The Turbo was created to show the automotive world what a ‘super 911’ would look and go like, combining aggressive style with a literal boost under the now iconic whale tail spoiler.

An all-time automotive great: A piece of motoring history: the first Porsche to wear the ‘Turbo’ name.

UNDER PRESSURE

Ironically, when it was first displayed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the turbocharged 2.7-litre flat-six motor wasn’t ready, so Porsche created the turbo and all its components in wood and painted them to look real. Despite its imitation mechanicals, the Turbo concept was a great hit with the show’s crowds. It then went on to inspire the world’s car enthusiasts, appearing at motor shows in Paris, Tokyo, and Melbourne, before returning home to Stuttgart.

3-in-1: In addition to debuting the Turbo name, it featured styling elements that would go into the 911 ‘G’, while also previewing the RSR racer and ultra-rare

As the prototype had done its job of convincing Porsche to go ahead with the idea (the production 930 Turbo appeared on the market two years after its debut), it was mothballed in the Stuttgart factory until 1975 when it was spotted by Australia’s Porsche importer and racing driver Alan Hamilton. Hamilton saw it as a quick route to RSR ownership, so a deal was done and the car was exported to Australia where it made a handful of competitive outings in the hands of Hamilton, before being traded amongst Australia’s Porsche aficionados over the coming decades.

It was later exported to the United States in 2010, making a rare public appearance at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance later that year. After six years in the States, the Turbo concept was purchased by the current owner, who brought it home to Europe. Now featuring a genuine turbo motor, the concept will be on display at this year’s Concours of Elegance, to be held at the picturesque Hampton Court Palace. The Turbo will be one of 70 of the world’s rarest cars set to join the event in the Main Concours area, with over 500 cars in total set to be on display across the weekend.