Porsche 911 Turbo S 3.3

Model year 1989 would be the last year of the legendary 3.3-liter Porsche Turbo based on the original 1975 design. It was also the first and only year the model finally did away with the antiquated four-speed for the incredible “G50”, five-speed gearbox. While the WLS performance package was quietly made available to select clientele. The 1989 Turbo S package consisted of the following components that could be offered in total or on an individual basis:

-Type 930/66S Engine, Flat-6, Turbocharged 3.3-liter, 330BHP with larger Turbo Charger, Intercooler and other special components
-Special Front Mounted Oil-Cooler
-Combination of a 6,800 RPM rev limit on a 7,000RPM Tach with a 300KPH and later 320KPH Speedometer and 1 BAR boost Gauge
-Special Front Air Dam Spoiler with Integral Oil Cooler Inlet and Integral Fog Lights
-Special Rear Lower Valence with Integral Quad-Exhaust Outlet Ports
-Quad Tip, Free-Flowng Exhaust System
-G50/50 2 Five-Speed Gearbox with Limited Slip Differential

Examination of an original WLS 930 Turbo reveals a variety of easily seen unique differences. From the front end the vehicle features a radically different and aggressive front air dam with integral oil-cooler inlet and fog-light assemblies. Behind this is a massive oil-cooler with large supply and return lines that were initially hand-routed directly through the front luggage compartment and right-inner fender-well area and later done in a far less intrusive and tidier manner. The oil lines pass along the right-side body work to a special oil-thermostat and dry-sump oil tank. The rear of the WLS 930 Turbo likewise has a completely unique appearance with a special rear valence assembly with dual large cut-outs on each side prominently showing the unique dual-tip, free-flowing, non-catalyst exhaust system. For 1989, the gearbox and engine combination were the most developed ever seen on a production road Porsche to date. The gearbox was the all new five-speed G50/50-2 with limited slip differential. The engine incorporated a special, massive intercooler rated a 1.5 bar, larger K27 KKK turbocharger and accompanying wastegate system and free-flowing, quad-tip, non-catalyst exhaust system as well as revised engine ignition timing, camshaft profile and subsequent fuel-injection revisions. Visually with close examination, the top of the engine block near the engine number itself, Porsche stamped these special motors with a distinct large “S” after the “930/66″ engine “Typ.” number.

The performance increase from these upgrades was significant, with raw bhp rising from 300 at 5,500rpm to 330 at 5,750rpm. Engine torque also rose dramatically, going from 430nm at 4,000rpm to a “stump-puling“ 467nm at 4,500rpm! With no increase in vehicle weight, both acceleration and top speed were significantly increased. Top speed of the standard 1989 Turbo was 260kph / 162mph. The “WLS” upgrade increased top speed to 270kph / 168mph. How quickly the WLS gathered speed was a completely different story as these upgrades dramatically improving acceleration in all parameters.

Both the visual external differences and mechanical upgrades of the “WLS option was often just a starting point for many special clients. There was no end of what else could be incorporated into an individual vehicle. The interior if so desired could be featured with several unique options as as well. These included a combination of a 6,800 RPM rev limit on a 7,000RPM tachometer with a 300KPH / 320KPH speedometer and 1 BAR boost gauge directly in front of the driver. A completely unique center console and accessory control area was positioned directly in front of the gearshift lever and driver’s and passenger side sports seats completed the interior standard features of the many of the “WLS” Porsches provided to their most favored clients. Essentially, once again if you knew who to ask, how to ask for it and were willing to pay for it, there was simply a near endless way to customized your individual 930 Turbo.

End of the Porsche Turbo?:
The last 1989 Porsche 930 Turbos were completed in July of 1989. For almost a full year before production had come to an end, Porsche marketing and dealer’s alike world-wide, indicated openly that there would be no follow-on model to replace the 1989 930 Turbo. Most speculated that Porsche still believed the 911 and 930 had been developed to a point of obsolescence and would soon be discontinued in favor of the their water-cooled, front-engined, V-8 928. As such many believed the 1989 930 Turbos to be the last of a very special breed of brutally fast and aggressive looking Porsches with no-follow on model to replace them. Dealers as such were in many cases charging extreme premiums on the last of the Turbos and prices on the secondary market were likewise far above the original window stickers. The 911’s replacement 964 became available in the Fall of 1989 with mixed reviews. Porsche claimed the new model was 85% different than the previous 911 but at least initially as foretold by Porsche, no turbocharged version was offered. Those who has missed on the last of Porsche’s 930 Turbos demanded their need for a turbocharged version be addressed. Porsche’s engineering department was completely un-prepared to deal provide a blown version of the 964 and it was not until March of 1991 that a 964 Turbo was offered to eager clients. More than a few were disappointed to learn that rather than developing a turbocharged version of the all-new 3.6-liter, M64 engine, the 964 turbo was forced to rely on the previous year’s 3.3-liter 930 engine which now featured several improvements and revisions. Not until 1993 did Porsche finally provide a worthy replacement of the legendary 930 Turbo. By then, those who had been fortunate enough to purchase the last of the original 930s realized they had acquired something very special indeed!

WLS to Turbo S:
If much of the above was not confusing enough, the WLS option package was further transformed into a very unique and extremely limited production of just ten true “Turbo S” models. The designation Turbo S has been often mistaken to include all of the WLS but that is most certainly not the case.

The 1989 Turbo S package consisted of the following components that were fitted to just these ten vehicles:

-Type 930/66S Engine, Flat-6, Turbocharged 3.3-liter, 330BHP
-Special Front Mounted Oil-Cooler
-Combination of a 6,800 RPM rev limit on a 7,000RPM Tach with a 300KPH and later 320KPH Speedometer and 1 BAR boost Gauge
-Special Front Air Dam Spoiler with Integral Oil Cooler Inlet and Integral Fog Lights
-Special Rear Lower Valence with Integral Quad-Exhaust Outlet Ports
-Quad Tip, Free-Flowng Exhaust System
-Sport Suspension Package
-Sport Seats Left and Right (Type 959) in tri-color pattern
-Unique Front Console and Control Arrangement
-G50/50 2 Five-Speed Gearbox with Limited Slip Differential
-Fuch Light-Alloy Rims
-Bridgestone Z-Rated Speed Tires
-Individual interior dash plate denoting the model and sequence within the ten examples built.
-Front chassis plate with the designation “TYPE 930 3.3S”
-Special additional leather in the passenger compartment‘
-Special console and auxiliary gauge and controls
-Color to sample exterior paint

Turbo S:
In the Spring of 1989, Porsche’s French Distributor and Paris Agency, Sonauto was keen to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the pending end of the Porsche 930 Turbo and knowing exactly what was available by special order through the “PORSCHE EXCLUSIV” department, the order for ten “TURBO S” models was initiated. This order for ten Turbo S models should not be confused with a later order, also from Sonauto for an additional 20 Turbo S models. While these carried a supplemental “Turbo S” badging dash plate, these were ordered too late in the year and were “Cosmetically” only similar to the original ten Turbo S models. They had none of the special performance and handling upgrades of the original ten vehicles as Porsche was winding down final delivery of the last of the 930 models.

In February of 1989, Sonauto released the following statement:

“Dear dealer,

In order to ceremonially mark the end of this legendary model and at the initiative of Sonauto, the Porsche Factory has proposed that we produce a special final series of ten 911 turbo Coupes. Ten – and no more!“

The specification for these ten Turbo S models included the following statement on their options and features:

-Special Black Paint
-Full Leather Interior
-Sunroof
-Removal of the logo from the rear engine compartment lid
-Performance boost to 330bhp
-Front spoiler with oil cooling opening
-Sports Suspension / Bilstein shock absorbers, lowered by 33mm at the front and 27mm at the rear
-Rear track widening by 35mm
-Sports Seats from the Porsche 959 with the color elements black/grey/light grey
-Central console with built-in radio and two additional instruments (interior temperature and volt meter)
-Hi-fi system with built-in Pioneer CD player

All ten of these original Turbo S models used a series of “exception” codes to indicate the special equipment and assembly of the vehicles. The starting point was option code “09981” and “09991” which diverted the cars from the production line directly to the “PORSCHE EXCLUSIV” department for hand assembly and painting. There are a lot of misconceptions related to these special option codes. In order to clarify, the following was taken directly from a Porsche Telex in 1989:

-09981: „Fahrzeugüberstellung zu VRS zum Einbau von „Exclusive” Teilen“ or Vehicle transfered to VRS for the installation of „Exclusive” parts
-09991: „Hergestellt für das Exclusivprogramm“ or Manufactured for the Exclusive program

Each of these ten vehicles also received a special placard for the interior that stated:

“911 Turbo S No X of 10 1989 Porsche” (This particular example was number 7 of the 10 completed.)

Each of these ten Turbo S models also carried a unique front trunk chassis plate that carried a supplemental official designation that stated”

“TYPE 930 3.3S“

the “PORSCHE EXCLUSIV” department also hand painted these vehicles in the unique color to sample code “99” and recorded them as being “Two-Layer Black.”

Chassis No. WP0ZZZ93ZKS00578:

Year 1989
Make Porsche
Model 930 Turbo S
Type 930/770
Commission No 891255
Production No 1095080
Chassis No WP0ZZZ93ZKS00578
Engine No 67X00743
Engine Typ M930/66S
Gearbox No G5050 2 K01992
Gearbox Typ G50-50 Limited Slip
Invoice Date May 22nd, 1989
Delivered New August 9th, 1989
Country Code C05 (France / Andorra)
Exterior Color „Paint to Sample Two-Layer Black“ (Code 99)
Interior Color Black with Typ. 959 „Tri-Tone“ Black/Grey/Silver Seats
Mileage 67,645 Kilometers / 42,032 Miles

Options:

This particular example had four special “Z-Code” options:

-02651 Seats front and rear in special leather and colors (see attachment)
-02652 Rear seats black leather (Exhibit VD)
-05931 Special Bridgestone high-performance tyres for rims Typ. N N0
-06131 Completion schedule on March 10th, 1989
-09981 Vehicle transfered to VRS for the installation of „Exclusive” parts
-09991 Manufactured for the Exclusive program

This particular example also had four special “X-Code” options:

-XD1 Special Front Spoiler / Sport Suspensions System
-XE6 Upgraded Engine Powerkit 330bhp (engine code 930.66S/SL)
-XJ9 Leather covered shift boot
-XL7 Center console Type B with Special Item / Inserts

Production options for this particular example were:

-C05 Equipment for France (Sonauto, Paris)
-148 Special Turbo Powerkit 330bhp (engine code 930.66S/SL)
-167 Bridgestone high-performance tyres
-220 G50 Five-Speed gearbox with Limited Slip Differential
-243 Shorter shift lever for G50 transmission
-383 Sports seat left electrical height adjustment
-387 Sports seat right electrical height adjustment
-498 Rear 930 Turbo S model designation badge deleted
-567 Green graduated top-tinted windscreen
-650 Electrically operated sliding sun-moon-roof
-975 Luggage compartment with special velour carpeting

This Porsche was removed from the production line and sent to Porsche EXCLUSIV department along with the other nine in February of 1989. The Porsche records and correspondences indicate while identified as the 7th of the ten competed, it was actually the first one to undergo assembly as the pilot line vehicle of the small production run. It was completed on May 22nd, 1989 and sold new to the Japanese collector and well known industrialist, Mr. Katsuaki Watanabe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Toyota Motor Corporation. He owned the car for two years before it was sold to the Japanese collector, Mr. Matsuda.

Mr. Matsuda owned the car and kept it for 25 years until finally selling it in 2016 when it went to the well known German Porsche collector, Armin Schmitt from Oberursel, Germany. He sold it a year later to another Porsche collector, Dr. Christian Schöning from Solingen Germany. The third and final owner in Germany was Mr. Siegfried Lapawa from Langerfeld, Germany. In October of 2022, our company purchased and imported the car to the States.

Upon arrival in the States, the car was given complete and total full services and safety checks, fitted with new tires and prepared for the upcoming Bring-A-Trailer Exclusive Premium Auction.

The Porsche is completely rust and accident free and all matching numbers. It is well documented as the 7th of the original ten, real Turbo S models completed with full records and history going back to new.