Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years – The retro Turbo S

What would a Porsche anniversary be without a limited edition special model? That’s apparently what the management team in Zuffenhausen thought. At the 2024 edition of Monterey Car Week, the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years, or Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years, as it is officially known, was presented to the public. Porsche itself promises outstanding performance, complemented by timelessly elegant and contemporary styling elements. The 650 hp 992 Turbo 50 Jahre is probably the last model to be built on the outgoing pre-facelift 992 platform. The special Turbo 50 Jahre model is limited to 1,974 units and costs from 274,000 euros.

Premiere of the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years at the Monterey Car Week

To mark the milestone birthday of the legendary Porsche 911 Turbo, the Zuffenhausen-based company did not miss the opportunity to hold all kinds of anniversary events and exhibitions. The special model in honor of the Turbo based on the discontinued Porsche 992 closes the circle, so to speak. While the Porsche 930 celebrated its first appearance as a finished production car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1974, the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years entered the public stage for the first time at Monterey Car Week.

The California-based Car Week is a fixed date in the American car scene. In addition to numerous auctions, the Pebble Beach Concours takes place there every year. For Porsche fans, however, the Porsche Works Reunion is probably the highlight of the event week in Monterey. This year – the tenth anniversary, by the way – Porsche is taking the opportunity to present the 992 Turbo 50 Years.

The Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years is technically based on the 992 Turbo S

However, Porsche’s latest special edition model is not based on the regular Turbo, but on the 992 Turbo S. This means that the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years is powered by a 650 hp 3.7 liter six-cylinder boxer engine with Porsche’s well-known variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers. Thanks to this, they respond particularly quickly and almost eliminate any turbo-lag. Its 800 Nm of torque is available from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm and is transmitted to all four wheels via an 8-speed Porsche dual-clutch gearbox (PDK). Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) are standard to improve drivability and cornering performance.

Despite its weight of 1,640 kilograms, the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years has an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 2.52 kg/hp. It accelerates from a standstill to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds and from zero to 124 mph in 8.9 seconds.

All these values correspond to those of the standard Porsche 992 Turbo S. The Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years is therefore denied any technical innovations in the drivetrain. Although it has every conceivable little helper and package on board, such as Porsche’s active suspension (PASM), Matrix LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) and a lift system, the last first-gen 992 has to make do without any technical innovations.

Many visual details make the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 years unique

While the technology offers no surprises, Porsche put a lot of work into the 992 Turbo 50 Years’ design. The anniversary Turbo is adorned with many exclusive design elements to distinguish it from its “normal” 992 Turbo S siblings. This starts with the exterior. The most striking styling feature is a homage to the Porsche 930 prototype, which was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1973. This is because the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Jahre has special graphics on the shoulder line. It quotes the Turbo lettering used at the time – although in a slightly different font – which ultimately never found its way into series production.

Unlike the 930 prototype, however, the film is not white, but in the Turbonit. This color is reserved exclusively for Turbo models and is now being used for the first time on a 911. Other Turbonit elements include the inlay in the rear lid, the fuel filler cap and the Porsche crest as well as the exclusive “turbo 50” lettering.

Further distinguishing features of the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years can be found on the rear wing, the rear lower section, the mirror base and the air intake trims. They are painted in anthracite gray and provide a nice contrast to the otherwise understated appearance of the anniversary model. There is also a “turbo 50” badge on the boot lid, showing a turbocharger and displaying the 911 Turbo’s production run from 1974-2024.

Inside, the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years pays homage to the 70s

While the exterior changes were kept relatively discreet, the interior features eye-catching insignia in the spirit of the 70s. First of all, there are the seat inserts and door panels in McKenzie tartan – just like the first 930 Turbos. Other exclusive Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years design elements include the contrasts in Turbonit: seat belts, stitching, the Porsche crest on the GT sports steering wheel and other details are finished in the exclusive Turbo color.

In addition, various “turbo 50” lettering reminds you, that you’re not in a regular 992 Turbo S. They are embroidered in the headrests, on the back of the left-hand rear seat, on the anniversary badge above the glove compartment and even illuminated in the door sills of the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years. The headliner covered in perforated Race-Tex, as well as the sun visors and A-pillar, are further reminiscences of the interiors of past decades.

If you want even more exclusivity, order the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years with the Heritage Design Package

As an optional package, Porsche offers the Heritage Design Package “50 Years of Turbo”. With special decorative graphics, wheels and color accents, the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years can be made even more exclusive. The starting number plate for numbers from 0 to 99 in White with satin finish – Porsche calls it “Lollipop” – is just as much a part of the package as the “50 Years of Turbo” logo and “Porsche” lettering. In favor of a more minimalist look, the parts can also be partially or completely deselected.

The Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years Heritage Design package also includes Porsche Sport Classic wheels painted in satin finished White. Porsche’s historic 1964 crest is used on these timeless rims, as well as on the hood. The lettering at the rear, normally in Turbonit, is gold in the Heritage package. Aventurine green metallic is available as a standard exterior color, but all other standard and PTS colors are also possible.

Inside, the Heritage Design package in the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years also goes one step further. It is not just the seat inserts and door panels that are trimmed in tartan. The dashboard and rear seats also feature accents in the beautiful McKenzie pattern. There are also extended leather trims, the classic Porsche crest on the steering wheel and the embossed “Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur” lettering on the center console storage compartment. The dials on the dashboard and the Sport Chrono clock feature the traditional green color.

Don’t think of the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years as an independent model, but rather a refreshed 992 Turbo S

Critics will probably say that the anniversary model is not a new car at all. But it doesn’t have to be. After all, the Turbo S already represents the pinnacle of what was possible on the basis of the discontinued 992 platform. And yet it has become a 911 in its own right thanks to the many beautiful details. The borrowings from the 930 prototype in particular give it a cool mix of tradition and modernity.

Of course, there is also an optional chronograph to match the 911 Turbo 50 Years. The wristwatch with a black dial and turbonite elements is limited to 1,974 pieces, just like the car itself. The limited edition number of the watch corresponds to that of the car. At 274,000 euros, the Porsche 992 Turbo 50 Years costs around 26,000 euros more than the regular Turbo S. Deliveries will begin in fall 2024.

© Copyright images: Porsche AG