Porsche 911 Turbo is a higher-performance version of the Porsche 911. It has been assembled since 1975. Originally, the car came with an air cooled engine and rear-wheel drive, however many things have changed since then.
964 introduced an AWD (initially in Porsche 959) to the model range while the 996-series introduced a water cooled engine. 911 Turbo uses a twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine upgrades, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration but retains boxer-six configuration.
A lesser powerful version as Carrera series is also offered but naturally-aspirated with reduce horsepower and slightly more handling still retains drivetrain.
The Turbo has often been looked down by 911 enthusiasts, due to the fact it's been considered more supercar than sports car which has always been where the 911 is specialised. Richard Hammond has often looked down on the Turbo while it's earned praise from both Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
Appearances[]
- In Clarkson: Unleashed on Cars, the 993 Turbo takes part in a world's fastest production car drag race and ends up winning.
- In Clarkson's Top 100 Cars, Jeremy ranks the 996 Turbo in an impressive second place. He praises the car's speed, handling, ease of use and comfort, stating it to be the best current production car.
- In Series 2, Episode 5, Jeremy reviews the 996 Turbo around the Top Gear Test Track. He once again praises the car as being a brilliant all rounder. At the hands of Black Stig, it sets a wet time of 1:31.8.
- In Series 9, Episode 4, at the insistence of Richard, Jeremy is sent to review the 997 Turbo as a direct compititor to a Ferrari F430. Despite praising the 911's speed, handling, comfort and usability, he still ultimately prefers the Ferrari.
- In Clarkson: Thriller, Jeremy maxes a 997 Turbo at the Autobahn to 200mph giving himself a massive thrill.
- In Top Gear Australia, S01E08, Cox chooses the 997 Turbo for the ultimate drive-in Tasmania against Pizzati in the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and Brown in the Aston Martin DB9.
- In Top Gear: Uncovered, Richard tests the 997 Turbo, at the Top Gear Test Track in a dual comparison test against the Audi R8 V10. He praises the 911 for being a legend and in a drag race, the R8 loses to the 911.
- In Series 15, Episode 4, Jeremy compares the 997 Turbo Cabriolet to the Audi R8 V10 Spyder at the Top Gear Test Track. Despite the praising the 911's speed, noise and improved character, he states, that it's less good than the coupe, arriving at a similar conclusion with the R8. After having several drag races, and a hair test, he concludes that both cars lose as they aren't as good as their coupe equivalents. The Stig then takes the 911 Turbo Cabriolet round the track, where he sets a time of 1:22.2.
- In Series 16, Episode 1, in an attempt to prove 911s are more than glorified Beetles, Richard uses a 997 Turbo S Cabriolet despite criticizing it for being too cold. Despite beating the Beetle in a regular drag race, it ends up losing when the 911 is placed on dust and the Beetle is dropped from a helicopter using gravity as it's propulsion system.
- In Top Gear Australia S04E01, Pizatti races in a 997 Turbo S, against Page in a Volvo S60R.
- In Top Gear America "Supercars", Foust selects the 997 Turbo S Cabriolet as the supercar for a wealthy client against Ferrara in a Bentley Continental GTC and Wood in a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640-4 Roadster.
- James reviewed the original 911 Turbo, in Series 1, Episode 3 of James May's Cars of the People. Despite being one of his dream cars he criticises it for being too scary and unusable. Ultimately it loses in a race to a Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9L.
- Before his departure James was tipped to review the 991 Turbo around the Top Gear Test Track in Series 22.
- For Clarkson, Hammond and May's Live Show film, Clarkson selects a 991 Turbo in a odd comparison with May in a Mercedes-AMG GT S and Hammond in a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The 911 ends up winning the drag race, lap times, and even the drift off.
- In Top Gear America "Winter Drive", Foust selects the 991 Turbo S Cabriolet as the ultimate AWD convertible against Ferrara in a Jaguar F Type R Convertible and Wood in a BMW 650i xDrive Cabriolet.
- In Series 24, Episode 2, Harris championed the 991 Turbo S Cabriolet as the all weather supercar against LeBlanc in the Lamborghini Huracán Spyder. In the end, LeBlanc preferred the 911.
- In An Itchy Urus, Clarkson attemps to see if the Lamborghini Urus can keep up with Eaton in a 991 Turbo S round a snow track in Sweden. Though the Urus was able to keep up with the 911 Turbo, Clarkson couldn't overtake Eaton and gave up after multiple attempts.
- In 2021, Harris named the 992 Turbo S as his Car of the Year.