1984 Porsche 930 (911 Turbo)
Referred to variously as the '911 Turbo', '930 Turbo' or just 'Turbo', the turbocharged 911 was an immediate classic. Aside from the addition of a 3.3 litre engine in 1978 to replace the original 3.0 litre unit, little changed over the years, but 1983 saw the 930 receive some major upgrades.
The most obvious of these was the introduction of the 'slant-nose' front end. Inspired by the '935' racing models, this replaced the Porsche's traditional frontal appearance with a bonnet and front guards that fell sharply towards the front bumper, necessitating the use of pop-up headlights, taken from Porsche's 944 road car. The slant-nose package, also known as the 'SE' (Sport Equipment), added air inlets in the flared rear wheelarches, which were claimed to improve brake cooling, along with other minor changes. Features that debuted with the standard-appearance 1983 model Turbos included improved ignition, fuel injection and exhaust systems. These changes improved fuel consumption over the preceding models, while rerouting the turbo's wastegate to bypass the exhaust silencer improved torque from 304 lb/ft to 317 lb/ft. Inside, the Turbo's comfort was improved with the addition of two extra blowers to the heater.
By the early 1980s, the popularity of the 930 Turbo, fed by racetrack victories and showroom success, led to the addition of the 'Turbo look' across Porsche's normally-aspirated models. This took the form of the large rear spoiler and wide wheelarch flares that had visually set the 930 apart from 'normal' 911s, as well as Turbo-spec wheels, brakes and other components. This, in part, led to the 1983 upgrades to the 930, to take it to another level above its 911 brethren.
The key to the popularity of the 930 was, of course, the turbocharger. Provided by 'KKK' (Kuhne, Kopp and Kausch), the debut version of the 930 produced 10psi boost pressure and 260hp - almost 60 horses more than a 911 Carrera from 1975. Torque was also notably up compared to normally-aspirated Porsches. By the 1984 model year, power was up to 300hp, more than enough for most, but a healthy aftermarket industry was able to wring even more performance out of the flat six engine for those that wanted it. As engine upgrades had been made only the year before, the basic engine specs remained unchanged for 1984, but some mechanical upgrades were made. These included an auxiliary oil cooler (which was applied to all Porsche 911s that year), more powerful alternator and brake pad wear sensors. The oil cooler was particularly welcome on the Turbo, given the high engine speed at which it usually ran.
On the outside, the only cues to identify the 1984 930 Turbo from previous years are the front spoiler-mounted foglamps, which debuted across all 911 models that year. Options for 1984 included a limited slip diff, leather or cloth upholstery, air conditioning and an electric sunroof. Take-up rate of the LSD must have been pretty high, as most 930s advertised appear to be so equipped. Same goes for the electric sunroof, while the leather/cloth choice over the standard vinyl appears to have been a more even split. Options that became standard fitment in 1984 included central locking and electric seats.
As you'd expect, the driving experience of the 930 is one to savour. The cautionary tales about Porsches biting their owners are all the more relevant with Turbos, but the 930 is a reasonably docile car to drive at inner city speeds. It's when you plant the right foot and that turbo spools up that you have to have your wits about you. The acceleration, grip and handling delivered by the 1984 930 Turbo was hard to match when new (it was just about the fastest standing start car available), and is still pretty competitive today. While it doesn't carry the 'Supercar' tag of machines from Italy, the 930 Turbo is more than worthy of the title, given the performance it delivers. Of course, the 'Supercar' tag also requires a degree of driver competence and respect for what the engine and chassis can deliver, so it's not a car for everyone, and certainly not a car for those that don't enjoy spirited driving. It also goes without saying that the 930, like most 911s, is definitely not a family car. There are rear seats, but they're little more than parcel shelves.
For all its praise, there were a few criticisms levelled at the 930 when new, the main one being its four speed gearbox. It was generally agreed that the power of the turbo could have been better delivered with an additional gear, but a five speed transmission didn't arrive until 1988. The only other negative that can affect the desirability of these cars today is neglect. Most survivors will have been well looked after, but a badly neglected example can be prohibitively expensive to return to daily driver spec, let alone concours condition.
In the eleven years between the 1978 introduction of the 3.3lt version and the debut of the 5 speed manual in 1988, 14,476 930 Turbos were produced. That averages out to only 1316 cars a year, so the 930 certainly isn't what you'd call a volume production car. Examples from between 1980 and 1985 are even rarer, as the temporary halt in US distribution meant that production was smaller than what it could have been with US market support.
Never a cheap car, a 930 Turbo cost $89,000 Aussie dollars in 1984. When a new Commodore could be had for under $12,000 and even a tricked-out HDT VK SS Gp3 was around the $25,000 mark, $89K was serious money, enough to buy a decent house. The 930 was also around 63 percent more expensive than a normally aspirated 911 Carrera, so it attracted a very select clientele. After 1985, Australian-delivered 930s were fitted with catalytic converters, which robbed the turbo of around 50 horses, so pre-1986 examples are definitely the ones to look for. The good news is that 930s, like most Porsche 911s from the 1980s, have hit the bottom of their depreciation curve, so any example purchased now should only go up in value in the future. If you're a classic performance enthusiast, and you think you can handle it, the Porsche 930 is one of the most enjoyable 'assets' you can own.
SPECIFICATIONS: 1984 Porsche 930 (911 Turbo)
Engine: 3.3 litre (3299cc) turbocharged/intercooled horizontally-opposed OHC 6 cylinder
Bore/Stroke: 97mm x 74.4mm
Compression: 7.0:1
Power/torque: 300hp@5500rpm / 317ft/lb@4000rpm
Fuel system: Bosch K Jetronic fuel injection
Cooling system: Air
Electrics: 12 Volt
Transmision: 4-speed manual
Front Suspension: Independent wishbone/McPherson strut/torsion bar/anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Independent semi-trailing arms/shock absorber/torsion bar/anti-roll bar
Front brakes: 304mm drilled/ventilated disc
Rear brakes: 309mm drilled/ventilated disc
Wheels: 7J x 16" (Fr) / 8J x 16" (Rr)
Tyres: 205/55 VR 16 (Fr) / 225/50 VR 16 (Rr)
Wheelbase: 2272mm
Length: 4291mm
Width: 1775mm
Weight: 1300kg
0-100 kph: 5.4 seconds - approx
Top Speed: 260 kph - approx
