Description

Chassis No. WP0EB0930KS070392
Engine No. 68K00787
Transmission No. 2K01401

Porsche's iconic 911 Turbo model is perhaps the most recognizable of the marque, first introduced in 1974 as a road-going homologation version of the Porsche 934 race car. As such, it made use of the factory racing program's turbocharging innovations, initially powered by an aluminum-cased 3.0-liter engine delivering 234 horsepower. The potent package represented Zuffenhausen's first supercar with performance to rival the Italian challengers of the day including the Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari 512 BB, all while offering excellent reliability and practicality expected from a German manufacturer. The Turbo gained a substantial displacement increase for 1978 to 3.3-liters, along with a larger “Whale Tail” rear spoiler to accommodate the new air-to-air intercooler, with total output now an impressive 282 horsepower. In 1986, the Coupe was joined by open air Targa and Cabriolet models, the latter offered with a power-retractable soft top.

Offered from the final year of G-bodied Turbo production, this 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet is one of the most visceral and coveted supercars of the 1980s, with examples as well-preserved as this harder to find by the day. Completed on 21 December 1988, the Turbo left the factory finished in Black (A1) with a Black (LE) partial leather interior and was well-appointed with options including: steering wheel with raised hub, Blaupunkt Reno radio, limited slip, short shifter, heated sport seats with electric height adjustment, and an amplifier system. The first entry of the CARFAX Vehicle History Report places the Turbo in Massachusetts from 1996, with registration history in the state continuing until 2013. Subsequent entries indicate the Turbo was briefly imported to Quebec, Canada, prior to returning to the United States under new ownership with registration in Florida documented from 2015-2018.

Modifications and improvements under previous ownership are said to have included a color change from Black to metallic black in 2004, refinishing the brake calipers in red, exchanging the original black gauges for VDO white-faced gauges, installing an aftermarket stereo system including speakers, amplifiers, and a trunk-mounted CD changer, and replacing the Black power-retractable soft top in 2010. Today, the Turbo's menacing “triple-black” specification presents wonderfully – its unmistakably wide, aggressive stance further complemented by a set of staggered-width, black-finished Fuchs wheels. Also of note is the drivetrain, which is recognized to be original with its engine and transaxle numbers corresponding to those listed on its Porsche-issued Certificate of Authenticity.

Infamously known by enthusiasts as the “Widowmaker,” the 911 Turbo was Porsche's first out-and-out supercar which was as fast as it was demanding to drive. This example with its matching numbers engine and transmission is both attractively liveried and well-optioned, making it a worthwhile addition to any collection and deserving of the model's legendary supercar status.