The power of the Porsche 911 Turbo

I’ve just been doing some research on the Porsche 911 Turbo and came up with some interesting power figures. Just look how the output has increased from the original 3.0-litre car of 1975 to the latest 997 Turbo S. The power has more than doubled!

1975 – 260bhp
1978 – 300bhp
1990 – 320bhp
1992 – 360bhp
1996 – 408bhp
2000 – 420bhp
2005 – 480bhp
2009 – 500bhp
2010 – 530bhp

What’s more impressive is when you put this figures in perceptive against standard 911s. By 1994, the 993 Carrera had beaten the original Turbo, with an output of 272bhp. And today’s 991 Carrera S pumps out 400bhp, almost as much as the 1996 993 Turbo!

Of course, cars have got larger and lardier over the years. The 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo was 4491mm long, 1775mm wide and weighed 1195kg. By 2012, those figures had increased to 4450mm, 1852mm and 1570kg.

A hefty gain in bulk but not enough to offset the extra power, as the performance figures prove. The first 911 Turbo hit 62mph in 5.3 seconds and had a top speed of 168mph (astonishing figures in those days). The 2012 997 Turbo S, in comparison had a 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds and topped out at 195mph.

 

The first Porsche 911 Turbo had an output of 260bhp
The first Porsche 911 Turbo had an output of 260bhp

 

Today's Porsche 997 Turbo S produces 530bhp
Today’s Porsche 997 Turbo S produces 530bhp

 

This Post Has 15 Comments

    1. Phil

      Good point. I’ll add that.

  1. Ryan

    This was a great little comparison. Being a HUGE fan of the Porsche 911 Turbo (all years really), I find stuff like this fascinating.

    Thanks Phil!

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