The Turbo principle has marked the frontier of what is feasible at Porsche for half a century. Turbo is far more than just a model designation. A Turbo from Zuffenhausen combines experience and success, sportiness and day-to-day usability. Every Turbo carries within it all the victories that Porsche has celebrated on the race tracks of the world.
A Turbo from Zuffenhausen. The mere thought of it is enthralling for many. A captivating vision of the ultimate connection between the driver and the road. The very embodiment of a sports car. Turbo stands for an intense driving experience, for sportiness paired with day-to-day usability, for experience and success. A Turbo always represents the limit of what is feasible. As the Turbo dynamically connects one with the road, the driver feels connected with it in turn. Turbo means a history that goes back 50 years to its roots – with origins in motorsports more than 50 years. Turbo as a technology platform. A Turbo is a sports car with uncompromising capability.
Even without mentioning Porsche, the word ‘turbo’ is inextricably associated with the sports car manufacturer for many automotive enthusiasts. It symbolises many things, not just the crowning glory of the eight 911 generations. Turbo is an integral part of the name of all models: 924 Turbo, 944 Turbo, Cayenne Turbo, Panamera Turbo and Macan Turbo. ‘Turbo’ embodies the name of a technology, ‘Turbo-look’ styling, turbocharging as a means of forced induction and, in the case of the Taycan Turbo, even a standalone brand name. In fact, the use of the ‘Turbo’ moniker in the all-electric Taycan shows that these five letters are no longer tied to the use of a physical exhaust turbocharger. On the contrary: almost all Porsche models today have exhaust turbochargers. But only the pioneering technological models are allowed to adorn themselves with the name ‘Turbo’.
It is a tradition at Porsche to crown an existing model range with a Turbo variant. And it’s a tradition at Porsche to be visionary. In the midst of the energy crisis in the early 1970s, Porsche was planning for the future – and was well ahead of its time in terms of technological progress. To this day, the sports car manufacturer has retained the idea of first testing new technology, such as the use of an exhaust turbocharger, on the race tracks of the world before they enter series production. Motorsport has always been firmly anchored in the brand’s DNA. Porsche tests its mettle against the competition on the track, where lap times are measured and where the driver and the machine face the challenges of a race head-on. Porsche then compresses the knowledge from motorsport to its essence and incorporates it into its next sports car.
The difference between a Turbo and a non-Turbo is not just something you can see – more than anything, it’s something you feel. At its market launch, the 911 Turbo was one of the fastest production vehicles of its time and the world’s first with an exhaust-gas-controlled turbocharger. In contrast to its competitors, it was fully suitable for everyday use and offered plenty of comfort. It combined performance and luxury. The Turbo always fulfilled Ferry Porsche’s desire for high engine performance coupled with efficient use of power. Constant technical evolution has always been the most important secret of success for any Turbo model from Zuffenhausen. The one that brings it closer to the ideal of a sports car than any before it.
With the title ‘Beyond performance – 50 years of Porsche Turbo’, Porsche unlocks a cosmos full of inspiring stories of triumph and perseverance in the face of challenge. It’s never just about the pure power of a Turbo, but much more about the ‘feel of Turbo’. The feeling of being able to exceed expectations at any time, but not having to prove yourself to anyone. To the feeling of always going beyond the ordinary. The feeling of ‘more’.
