Description
By: Peter Vann .
The long career of the Porsche Turbo started during the first oil crisis, at a time when public opinion was almost ready to accept that fast, powerful cars would have no further place on the motoring scene.
Yet the Turbo has remained immune from such criticism ever since its debut at the Paris Motor Show in 1974.
The evidence: more than a quarter of a century of unbroken success. In 1975, when the Turbo went into series production, 260 horsepower were sufficient to put across its power philosophy. The peak of the output curve was reached by the fourth generation of Porsche's top model in 1996, when the special Turbo S edition was rated at 450 horsepower (331 kW).
The most recent, fifth Porsche Turbo development stage has now been reached, and endeavors to offer the fast driver an even higher standard of perfection.
The source of this abundant power has for many years been motor racing, in which Porsche's turbocharged engines have long since made history, with numerous world championship titles and a dozen Le Mans victories.
