1979 Porsche 911 Turbo

The original Porsche 911 Turbo, or 930 as it is also know, is one of those landmark cars that defined the start of a new generation of vehicles. Before the Turbo, the 911 was a fairly lightweight, rear-engined sports car true to the Porsche tradition and which could trace its genes fairly directly to the original Volkswagen Beetle. Then came the Turbo. This car burst on to the scene in 1974 with a 3.0 liter, turbocharged flat six hanging out behind the rear axle. Producing 260 horsepower, power was delivery was less than linear, with a good bit of lag off the line followed by a brutal thrust forward towards the horizon. This was not a car for those with less than honed driving skills.

So fearsome were the characteristics of this car, that it gained a reputation over the years. In 1978, a larger 3.3 engine was supplanted and subsequent generations of 911 Turbos became more and more tame while offering up an increase in power each time around, culminating recently in the form of the 997 Turbo S, with 523 horsepower, all-wheel drive and a 0-60 time in under three seconds. Only the boffins from Stuttgart can possibly know what the latest, 991 series 911 Turbo will have in store for us.

So while we await a new Porsche 911 Turbo, now is a good time to look back at where the legend started. This silver 1979 Turbo for sale in California has low mileage and has benefitted from a professional respray. It still looks sharp and modern after all these years.

Year: 1979
Model: 911 Turbo
Engine: 3.3 liter flat six
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 25,544
Price: Reserve auction

1979 Porsche 911 Turbo on eBay

Matching numbers – K27 turbo, new paint meeting factory standards. The Auto Gallery is proud to present this refined 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo with 4-Speed Manual Transmission. Finished in Silver Exterior and a Black Leather Interior, this 911 Turbo is simply stunning! This Porsche has been very well maintained, recently serviced, and with only 25,544 miles, it is in superb condition! In addition to its luxurious standard factory equipment, this 911 Turbo boasts an extensive list of options that includes MATCHING NUMBERS, K27 TURBO, NEW PAINT MEETING FACTORY STANDARDS, New Leather Interior Meeting Factory Standards, Factory Wheels, Original Radio and much more!

The 911 Turbo is critically acclaimed for its turbocharged intercooled six-cylinder engine, four-speed manual gearbox system and four-wheel disc brakes. This particular car features Matching Numbers through the entire car, a powerful K27 Turbo, and a new Paint job that meets factory standards, making this a great buy. Take advantage of this opportunity as this beautiful 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo is being offered at an incredible price and WILL BE SOLD SOON! As with all of our vehicles it is CARFAX certified.

A Turbo of this vintage in this condition should return somewhere in the high $40,000 to low $60,000 range. Last year, Bill Gates’ own 1979 911 Turbo sold at auction for $80,000, which more than likely represented a bit of a premium due to the celebrity ownership. Sure, some will argue the engine layout is all wrong, that the turbo is just a bit too lairy for everyday driving, but I just love these early Turbos. They represent everything good that I remember about the era of my childhood: bull markets, energetic music and general sense of optimism that seems to have drifted away.

-Paul