Porsche marked the end of its air-cooled era in 1997 with the Turbo S, a rare and highly tuned evolution of the 993 Turbo. Produced in very limited numbers, it took the already formidable Turbo and pushed it further with unique bodywork and a bump in boost pressure, resulting in 424 horsepower from its 3.6-liter flat-six. The engine used an alloy crankcase and heads, upgraded twin KKK K24 turbos for sharper response, and a revised Bosch Motronic system calibrated for the added output.
Much of the engineering drew inspiration from the 959, most notably the electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system—the first time such technology appeared on a Turbo. Braking was handled by larger, cross-drilled multi-piston discs, with extra cooling from subtle air ducts integrated into the front valance and rear quarters to combat fade under heavy use.
Just 183 examples were built for the U.S. market, making any surviving car highly collectible. One such car, now offered on Bring a Trailer, comes finished in Ocean Blue Metallic over a richly appointed Cashmere Beige supple leather interior. Its specification includes heated power-adjustable front seats, a carbon-fiber steering wheel, and a Nokia Digital Sound Processing audio system—luxury touches that complement its extreme performance character.
Yellow calipers, new Aerokit Turbo II front bodywork, and a taller twin-blade rear wing with intercooler feeds visually set the Turbo S apart. The wider stance made room for 18-inch wheels, four exhaust outlets, and a six-speed manual transaxle that helped it sprint to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reach 184 mph.
Source: Bring a Trailer
