Porsche history · 1974–present

Porsche 911 Turbo: History, Specs & What to Know

By CarWhere Research · Updated

The Porsche 911 Turbo debuted in 1974 with a 260 PS 3.0-liter engine and reached the US as a 1976 model. Every generation since has had one, and the Turbo S — which Porsche's own history starts with a 1992 lightweight 964 — became the regular range-topper. The 992.2 Turbo S makes 711 PS from a T-Hybrid flat-six.

The first 911 Turbo, known internally as the 930, combined a turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six with wide fenders and a large rear spoiler. From 1977 an intercooler and 3.3 liters raised output to 300 PS. All-wheel drive and twin turbochargers arrived with the 993 generation, and from the 997 onward the Turbo used variable turbine geometry, a first for a gasoline engine.

The Turbo S name started on special and limited cars — 86 lightweight 964 Turbo S models, 345 993 Turbo S cars — before becoming a regular model with the 996 and 997. Porsche's own counts show how the Turbo S grew: 1,563 for the 996, 5,296 for the 997, and about 9,600 and 10,000 for the two halves of the 991.

911 Turbo history: what changed, year by year

  1. 1974 — 911 Turbo debut: 3.0 liters, 260 PS.[1]
  2. 1975 — First customer deliveries in spring; the US gets the car as a 1976 model.[2],[3]
  3. 1977 — Intercooler and 3.3 liters raise output to 300 PS.[1]
  4. 1992 — 964 Turbo S lightweight: 381 PS, 86 built.[2]
  5. 1995 — 993 Turbo: twin turbochargers, 408 PS and all-wheel drive as standard.[4]
  6. 1997–1998 — 993 Turbo S: 450 PS, 0–100 km/h in 4.1 seconds.[2]
  7. 2000 — 996 Turbo: water-cooled, 420 PS, the first series Porsche past 300 km/h.[3],[5]
  8. 2006 — 997 Turbo shown in Geneva with the first variable-turbine-geometry turbochargers on a gasoline engine.[3],[6]
  9. 2010–2012 — 997 Turbo S: 530 PS with the seven-speed PDK as standard.[2]
  10. 2013–2016 — 991.1 Turbo S: 560 PS, first Turbo with rear-axle steering and active aerodynamics.[2]
  11. 2020 — 992 Turbo S: 650 PS and an eight-speed PDK.[2],[3]
  12. 2024 — The 911 Turbo 50 Years edition marks the anniversary, limited to 1,974 cars.[7]
  13. 2025 — 992.2 Turbo S: first Turbo S with the T-Hybrid system and two electric turbochargers; 711 PS system output.[2]

How many 911 Turbos were made?

Porsche 911 Turbo production figures (units). ≈ marks a figure Porsche gives as approximate.
Model / variantYearsUnitsWhat the figure counts
9641992–199386[2],[8]total built
9931997–1998≈ 345[2],[8]total builtPorsche Exclusive history: 345; Porsche's Turbo S history press kit: 336.
9962004–20051,563[2]total built
9972010–20125,296[2]sold worldwide
991 — 991.12013–20169,629[2]built up to the facelift
991 — 991.22016–10,079[2]total built
9912017500[9]limited to 500 units worldwide
992 — 992.1 Turbo S basis2024 (reveal)1,974[3],[7]limited to 1,974 units globally
G-model — Porsche Exclusive slant-nose1982–1989984[8]units sold

More model-by-model totals: Porsche production numbers.

911 Turbo variants and engines

Key Porsche 911 Turbo variants. Power in PS (metric horsepower) as Porsche quotes it, or hp where marked.
VariantYearsEnginePowerNotes
930 Turbo 3.01975–19773.0 L turbocharged flat-6260 PS[1]Rear-wheel drive.
930 Turbo 3.31977–19893.3 L turbocharged, intercooled flat-6300 PS[1],[10]US rating 282 hp on 1986–1989 cars.
964 Turbo / Turbo 3.61991–19943.3 L, then 3.6 L turbo flat-6320 PS; 360 PS (3.6)[11]
993 Turbo1995–19983.6 L twin-turbo flat-6408 PS[4]First all-wheel-drive Turbo.
996 Turbo / Turbo S2000–20053.6 L twin-turbo flat-6, water-cooled420 PS; 450 PS (Turbo S)[2],[5]Turbo S had ceramic brakes standard.
997 Turbo / Turbo S2006–20133.6 L, then 3.8 L twin-turbo (VTG)480–500 PS; 530 PS (Turbo S)[2],[6]
991 Turbo S2013–20193.8 L twin-turbo flat-6560 PS; 580 PS (991.2)[2]
992 Turbo S2020–present3.7 L twin-turbo; 3.6 L T-Hybrid (992.2)650 PS; 711 PS system (992.2)[2],[10]

Full trim-by-trim figures (US hp, torque, 0–60, weight, launch MSRP): Porsche 911 specs by generation.

911 Turbo engine and drivetrain facts

  • All-wheel drive has been standard on the 911 Turbo since the 993; the 930 and 964 Turbos were rear-wheel drive.[2],[4]
  • The 996 Turbo engine was based on that of the GT1 race car that won Le Mans in 1998, and a five-speed Tiptronic S automatic became an option.[3]
  • Variable turbine geometry first appeared on the 997 Turbo in 2006 and has been used on every Turbo since.[2],[3]
  • The 991.2 Turbo S was the first Turbo to reach 100 km/h in under three seconds (2.9 s); the 992.2 Turbo S claims 2.5 s.[2]

What to check before you buy a 911 Turbo

  • Confirm it is a real Turbo. Turbo-look bodies and badges were sold for many non-Turbo 911s; the VIN and factory record identify the actual model.
  • 996 and 997.1 Turbos use the Mezger engine, which avoids the IMS-bearing design of the Carrera but has bonded coolant pipes that should be pinned or checked.[12]
  • On PDK-equipped 997.2 and later Turbos, service history matters; look for documented fluid services.[12]
  • Limited Turbo S editions (for example the 500-car 991 Turbo S Exclusive Series or the 1,974-car Turbo 50 Years) should be verified against the factory record, not the badge.[7],[9]

Documented problems, recalls and pre-purchase checks: Mezger coolant pipes (996/997 Turbo) · Porsche 911 known issues by generation.

How to verify a 911 Turbo's factory options

For US-market Turbos with a 17-character VIN (from 1981, which covers every US Turbo from the 1986 model year on), a build sheet lists the factory paint, interior and options recorded for the VIN — useful for confirming a Turbo S or an Exclusive Series car.

Earlier cars with short chassis numbers are covered by Porsche's own record instead — see the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity guide.

See a 911 Turbo's factory options from its VIN.

For US-market cars with a 17-character VIN (1981 and later), the CarWhere build sheet lists the factory paint, interior and option codes recorded for that VIN. $9.99, and the free availability check shows whether build data exists before you pay.

Porsche build sheet by VIN

Porsche 911 Turbo FAQ

When did the Porsche 911 Turbo come out?

Porsche showed the first 911 Turbo in 1974 with a 3.0-liter, 260 PS engine. Customer deliveries began in spring 1975, and the US received it as a 1976 model.

What is the difference between a 911 Turbo and Turbo S?

The Turbo S is the higher-output version with more standard equipment. On the 992.1, for example, the Turbo makes 572 hp and the Turbo S 640 hp in US ratings. Earlier Turbo S models (964, 993) were small limited runs.

How much horsepower does the 911 Turbo S have?

It depends on the generation: 450 PS for the 993 and 996 Turbo S, 530 PS for the 997, 560 and 580 PS for the 991, 650 PS for the 992.1 and 711 PS system output for the 992.2 T-Hybrid.

Is the 911 Turbo all-wheel drive?

Every 911 Turbo since the 993 generation (1995) has all-wheel drive. The original 930 and the 964 Turbo were rear-wheel drive.

How many 911 Turbo S were made?

Porsche's counts: 86 lightweight 964 Turbo S, 345 993 Turbo S (its press kit says 336), 1,563 996 Turbo S, 5,296 997 Turbo S sold, 9,629 991.1 and 10,079 991.2 Turbo S.

Related Porsche history

Specs, production and buying research

Sources

Production counts, power outputs and dates on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.

  1. Seven generations of the 911, part 2: the G-model — Porsche Newsroom
  2. Porsche 911 Turbo S: history (press kit) — Porsche Newsroom
  3. Porsche Historical Background: 1948-2025 — Porsche Cars North America (Porsche Newsroom)
  4. The 993: Pinnacle of the air-cooled era and the last of its kind (part 4) — Porsche Newsroom
  5. Seven generations of the 911, part 5: Type 996 — Porsche Newsroom
  6. The 997: Technology offensive, new design and great variety for the 911 (part 6) — Porsche Newsroom
  7. Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years unveiled during 2024 Monterey Car Week (Porsche Newsroom USA) — Porsche Newsroom
  8. Porsche Exclusive makes nearly all dreams come true — Porsche Newsroom
  9. A rarity with increased power and luxury: the new 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series — Porsche Newsroom
  10. Porsche 911 specs by generation (US-market figures, each sourced on the page) — CarWhere Research
  11. The type 964: a new start with this 911 (part 3) — Porsche Newsroom
  12. Porsche 911 known issues by generation (each issue sourced on the page) — CarWhere Research

Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera, Targa and Boxster are trademarks of their owner.