The Porsche 930 Turbo prototype has re-emerged!

In 2024, Porsche celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 911 Turbo. The unique triumphal march of Zuffenhausen’s top of the line 911 began in 1974 in the form of the 930 Turbo. Since then, it has been the epitome of the everyday super cars. However, a prototype had already appeared at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt a year earlier. The car was long considered lost, but has now resurfaced in Austria. Andreas Jung from Oldtimer Jung in Friesach restored the car and told us about the Porsche 930 Turbo prototype’s unusual journey.

Porsche initially showed its Porsche 911 Turbo concept without an actual turbocharger

At the aforementioned IAA 1973, this Porsche 930 Turbo prototype stood on a turntable. Its license plate simply read “911 TURBO”. The prototype’s silver-colored body was significantly wider than the outgoing 911 F-model. It also had the first large rear spoiler with a rubber lip, which is often referred to today as the “whale tail”. The white trim strip on the side of the car became wider and wider towards the rear and ended in turbo lettering.

“Originally, the prototype was a Porsche 911 S oil flap, built in 1972, or in other words: a 911 F-model”, explains Andreas Jung. That’s why many details are still completely different from the later G-model. For example, there are still no impact bumpers. “The chassis was much closer to the 911 RSR of the early 70s than to the later 930 Turbo. Connoisseurs can clearly see this from the weld seams in the trunk”, adds the classic car expert.

However, the biggest difference to the later production model of the Porsche 911 Turbo was its engine. There was no turbocharger to be found in the prototype’s engine compartment! Instead, it was the original engine of the 911 S, supplemented by wooden dummies that were painted to look like metal. Porsche did this, because they simply had not finished developing the engine in time for the IAA. The turbo engine was not completed until spring 1974.

The Porsche 930 Turbo prototype was also visually far removed from the later production Turbo

Anyone who took a closer look at the stand would have noticed that the car was asymmetrical. This is because the Porsche 930 Turbo prototype was built with completely different radii and dimensions on both sides. The 911 RSR front apron was also adapted to this. Porsche’s designers often experimented with this trick at the time. You only had to go from one side to the other to get a picture of the two designs on one car instead of building two cars.

Turbo Sweater

Details

The Porsche 911 Turbo prototype combined several prototypes in one. Both sides were shaped differently for example.

Incidentally, its interior was also a first. The Porsche 930 prototype was the first car to be fitted with the blue/green tartan upholstery fabric, making it a trendsetter to a certain extent. Another first were the seats, as the 911 Turbo prototype was the first Porsche model with the charismatic lollipop seats.

The Porsche 930 Turbo prototype once drove rallies Down Under

For around a year and a half, Porsche used the 930 prototype for trade fairs and promotional activities all over the world. The car was then returned to Zuffenhausen, where the Australian rally driver Alan Hamilton became aware of the car. He had the car converted into a race-ready Porsche 911 RSR and then shipped to his home country Down Under. There he used the car in numerous racing and rally events.

Between 2010 and 2023, there were many myths surrounding the whereabouts of the Porsche 911 Turbo prototype.

However, after Hamilton switched to the Porsche 934, he sold the 930 Turbo prototype. The car then changed hands several times before being sold to the USA in 2007. It was last seen in public there at a concours in the Greenwich district of New York in 2010. In 2013, its current owner bought it and brought it back to Europe. It has been part of a private collection there ever since. This collection is not a secret anymore and opens itself. It’s called ConfidentialCarsCollection. Over the next few years, the owner came up with the idea of restoring the Porsche 930 prototype to its IAA 1973 condition. In 2021, he finally commissioned Andreas Jung with the restoration.

The precise restoration was based on the original equipment card from the Porsche studio

Restoring such a unique car to its original condition is an immense challenge, even for experienced restorers. Good documentation of the vehicle’s history is essential. “Fortunately, we had the original equipment card from the Porsche studio,” explains Jung. The Porsche 930 prototype was simply given the name “IAA car” on the handwritten card.

Its type designation was more exciting, though. “911 RSR TURBO” was noted there. Even the color options are not commonplace. Crystal effect paint in silver, blue-black artificial leather with the note “G-series” as well as seat seat inserts and door cards in “Black Watch” tartan from Lawson and Sons in Edinburgh. The interior was rounded off with “Russian green” carpeting.

Thanks to these precise specifications, it was possible to restore the 930 prototype to its original condition with great attention to detail. Jung also received support from members of the design team at the time. This made it possible to reconstruct the fine details on the bumpers in particular. Another detail that adorns the car again today is the Carrera lettering on the green wedge of the windshield. Incidentally, this lettering had never been applied to a vehicle from Zuffenhausen before or since.

The Porsche 911 Turbo prototype is still at the Hans-Peter Porsche Traumwerk

After the restoration was completed in summer 2023, the owner made the vehicle available to the Hans-Peter Porsche Traumwerk. A stone’s throw from Salzburg, it is the focus of a special exhibition on the Porsche 911 Turbo. It’s great to see that a car that was almost thought lost for so long is now on public display again.

Even though the later production cars were completely different, the Porsche 930 Turbo prototype is an important piece of history and therefore priceless.

Andreas Jung, Oldtimer Jung

At the end of August, the car will be presented at the Concours of Elegance in London’s Hampton Court. Afterwards, the Porsche 930 Turbo prototype will travel across the pond to the USA. So if you still want to take a look at the unique prototype in Germany, you should hurry!