Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I personally regard the 991 generation Porsche 911 Turbo as the “cheat code” of the automotive world. Especially the Turbo S. It’s one thing to have a car do 0-60 runs in 2.6 seconds. It’s a whole other thing to have a car do 0-60 runs in 2.6 seconds and be totally comfortable doing so while being able to drive it 365 days a year. Not to mention it be reasonably reliable and won’t kill you in service costs. Where do I sign?
I had a dream that one day I’ll own a Porsche. Well, to be fair, I have dreams that I’ll own a lot of cars. But a Porsche is definitely on the short list of “top 1,000 potential cars”, anyway. It probably won’t come as any surprise that I’d like to own something not quite like what everyone else owns. And that brings me to today’s car.
The 997 Turbo was introduced in 2006 and, once again, redefined and raised the benchmark for performance in its category. With the best part of 475 horsepower on tap, it produced nearly 10% more power out of the box than the X50 package had only the prior generation. Porsche being Porsche, that was not enough; in 2009, the car was redesigned and the lighter engine was now up to 493 horsepower. And in 2010, Porsche kicked it up another notch with the introduction of the Turbo S.
The Turbo S had all of Porsche’s cutting-edge technology. Carbon-ceramic brakes, the PDK transmission, torque vectoring; if you could name it, it was on the Turbo S. These cars had 520 plus horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque; pound for pound, these cars were quicker than the supercar Carrera GT had been just a few years earlier. Today, pricing has come down as they’re not the biggest and brightest star anymore, but they still seem pretty special – and this one is just plain gorgeous to me:
I feel like living a little lavishly today. Here we have a GT Silver Metallic 2019 Porsche 911 Turbo S. It’s brand new and waiting to be purchased. The Turbo S itself combines the best of luxury and performance that Porsche can offer. It’s supercar performance that ensconces you in leather and comfort. There’s 580 hp directed to all four wheels. The dual-clutch 7-speed PDK transmission either can shift smooth and comfortably or put it in Sport Plus mode and it’ll bang home shifts as quickly and ferociously as possible. Rear-axle steering, center-lock wheels, and massive 410 mm six-piston ceramic brakes keep everything under control. The Turbo S isn’t quite the top of the luxury performance food chain since Porsche also offers the Turbo S Exclusive, but this will have to do for now.
This particular example has decided to turn the dial up just a little bit and that’s the reason I’m interested in it. For starters, it has carbon fiber wheels. They’ll set you back a mere $14,980. Please do not bump them into a curb. It’s fitted with the Turbo Aerokit, which adds a little dynamism to the exterior because you wouldn’t want passersby confusing this with a regular 911. The interior too receives a few carbon fiber accents helping to tie interior and exterior together. Also in that interior is the optional Burmester sound system. Frankly, if you’re willing to spring for the carbon wheels, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t also add the better sound.
All together I really like this Turbo S. I wish it wasn’t Silver, but it does seem to be making the most of what these cars have to offer and in that regard it’s a phenomenal example. And while not quite the Turbo S Exclusive it does come in around $50K less than one of those very limited models (and that’s without factoring in ADM).
I imagine at some point people will wake up to the enormous performance value of the 996TT, but it seems we are not there yet. From its inception, the 911 Turbo always has been a diabolical car, difficult in its dynamics and threatening to send inattentive drivers into snap oversteer. As time wore on and the power produced from the 911’s turbocharged flat-six increased Porsche introduced twin-turbochargers, which helped reduce lag, and fitted the Turbo with an all-wheel drive system to help deliver power in a more controlled manner. Still, there remained sufficient power to overwhelm some and excite many. With more than 400 hp the 996 Turbo continued along the trajectory established by its predecessors, but now, because of its water-cooled engine and redesigned body, the love from many enthusiasts has been held at bay, leaving us with a performance bargain. The example seen here is a Black 2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, located in Georgia, with only 15,345 miles on it. The Turbo S was available only in 2005 as basically a 996 Turbo fitted with the X50 Power Package and ceramic brakes. For a performance value these are near impossible to beat.
Upon initial release of the 964 Turbo, Porsche had yet to fully develop a turbocharged version of the 964’s standard 3.6 liter flat-six and thus chose to retain the 3.3 liter turbocharged flat-six from the 930. By 1993, however, a turbocharged 3.6 liter flat-six was ready. With 360 hp being delivered to the rear wheels, these cars provided effortless acceleration and spine-tingling excitement packaged in a neat and beautiful design. But what if some buyers might want a little bit more? Enter the 3.6 Turbo S: a 385 hp rear-wheel-drive monster and one of the most sought after 911s in Porsche’s storied history. Less than 100 examples of the 3.6 Turbo S were produced through the Porsche Exclusive program and buyers had the choice of the standard wide-body Turbo design or they could choose a 968-derived Flatnose. The Slantnose was a popular option on the 930 throughout much of the ’80s and we come across them fairly frequently. The 3.6 Turbo S is another beast entirely. Few exist and they rarely come up for sale, but here we have one. A stunning Guards Red 1994 Porsche 911 3.6 Turbo S Flatnose with Champagne leather interior, located in Cleveland, that has seen a very reasonable 36,300 miles.
