Porsche introduced the first 911 Turbo for the 1975 model year bringing the performance of its popular sports car to the next level. That model had a 3.0-liter turbocharged engine, a wide body kit, and a massive fixed wing at the back, giving it a more race car-like appearance. As a nod to the very first 911 Turbo assembled – and as a celebration of 60 years since the launch of the original 911 – the Stuttgart-based company has unveiled a very special one-off 911 Turbo.
The collaborative effort involved Style Porsche, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, and the Porsche Middle East and Africa regional office, with crucial support from colleagues at Heritage & Museum. Inspired by the historic 911 Turbo Nr. 1 – the car that Ferry Porsche gave to his sister Louise Piëch for her 70th birthday – the bespoke creation captures the essence of a timeless classic while embracing modern design elements.
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For the uninitiated, the very first 911 Turbo had a narrow-chassis 911 Carrera body combined with the large rear wing of the later models. Inside, the car featured a distinctive red interior adorned with Tartan fabric, personally handpicked by Louise Piëch herself. The car was powered by a 2.7-liter turbo engine as opposed to the large 3.0-liter unit of the later cars.
Just like the original car, the one-off 911 Turbo displayed during Dubai’s Icons of Porsche Festival has a silver exterior finish with a vintage black-and-red Porsche lettering in the lower section of the doors and side panels, just above the side skirts. The black five-spoke wheels also draw inspiration from the classic 911 Turbo featuring a polished chrome outer ring, corresponding visually with the main body hue.
“The initial idea for this project began a year ago,” Patrick Gallas, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur Manager for Porsche Middle East and Africa, said about the one-off. “We wanted to create a modern iteration of a car that was truly unique. Luckily for us, there is no shortage of Porsche cars that people label as icons. We elected to ‘remaster’ one of the greatest icons of them all – the original 911 Turbo that belonged to Louise Piech.”
Sold as the Porsche 930 in North America, the first 911 Turbo had an air-cooled engine with a peak output of 260 horsepower. Just a few years after its launch, the motor was upgraded to a larger 3.3-liter displacement making the output even higher at 300 hp. That engine was used until 1989.
