toad test rqr

Th. Tutbo is quite simply the smoothest qubtest dnd nost fleribb Po.sche yet offercd to the cBtomerc'

9TT SPORTOMATIC/TURBO

Tale of two Porschesour luckv readers are leltins iwo road tests forrhe Drice"of one. and P-orschdroad tesrs at thatlOris'inollv, I was scheduhd to tesL a car with thewell-lovril fivespeed Eearbox, but as thaL wasEGt unforiunat elv damaced In anaccident.Iwagoffered Lhe 911 S;orromaiic. (he belt sDortincofPorsches, in its pface. As nearly halfthe Porsc]tessold have this transmission. such a test mu8t beof value to quite a nuEber of prosp€ctiv€ purchasers. However. lo compleEe the picture, JohnAldington offered me a Ehorl te3t of the Tlrrbo in,.lditi6. - lu.kvme!

The Po.sche iar, in aI its forms, is of the 8?eat-esr te(hnical inl.rest. because it breaks everyrule. With a flat-six ensire hansins out the back,itholds the road ard handles far better than mostof rhe new lereration of mid-encined cus. It wash^r alw,vs- rhua. end I ce inember. in thedistant iasr, rryins the orisinal little 1l00ccmodel. wldch Droied to bealarmiDsh twitchy at amere 80mDh.Nowadays, one feels uttetly s6fe hrh. TDtbo;r doubb rhat sDeed. which is a remark.abh exampb of ensin€e-rins prosress. (houghcredir musi also be aiven to the tyre technicianswlat rhe Porsche desiEners have done is to q-ploir rhe maximum pos;ibiliriee of (hese brilisnt

The 911 SportomaticThe model which was submitted fo. test was the9l I LuxTarga. This has a body wil h a detachable!oof. but thasleel rolover hoop remains in posi'(ion. beihg an inrearal parl of rhe pressed_st.el. nrrn'di6n Th. ro.r.onuacrs in size in a mosl

The lever is in ihe centre of rhe cockDir. with Ihe

'ual bslltvoe uticulation. It seemed a litrle odd

have Drobablv never drive a c& wiihrour iears. First is in Lhe middle and

1e younger generatrcD. wnodrive a c& wiih less thann the middle and fo.ward,

with aecond straisht back and top foiward to theri'ht A,,inrt a s.ino. revere ia to the left and

irEenious nsnnsr. b€cominc small enouch fore;v .toraq€ in rhe frcnt booi. The rear seats areof ittracti;e aDpearence but too smaU for adulLs,thoush idell for chil&en. Normally. they fold l.onr^vi.le, nsful h'rtrtebhtform.' rhe encine is t]tiist:al aL{ooled rlar-six, of 2.7Utres in 1is instance and devetropins r65bhp.In a.hal and sliDD€rv bodv she[. that i.s more thansufficient foia'n &sv r50mDh performance. withdrv-smb Iubrbation and fuel iriection, Lhige"Line is just as advanced lechnicsly as rhe2oobhD unit of th€ Carrera.

Actialy, lhe sportomatic transmission is nol.so much;n automatic as a two-pod.l thiee.sp€€dhehual wirh a toloue converter in series.Ab$luidv anv merhodof drivin c can beadoDted.'Ihe car cin stirr from a standst l in top qeai andslav in that sear all day. Ahernaiively, if sperdsbelow 95mph are to be used, it can do the ,amethins in second with mor€ rapid acceleraLion inreserve. Again, ir can be treated as a completelymanual box, wtuh maxims of 58, 9?. and I30 plusmph on the gears ard an extremely rapid change.Bt releasina t he lever hafway throush, rhe puristcan doubb.aechtch, and he can perform the heel-and-to€ routine like a .acing driver.

Foains pase - Top: Lnmistahabb tea. uieu ol:'aTwbo Lef intunoa Twbo, Abote nsht: Ta'I..Bebu nsht: both cah, seuetul detdil bodys'.d

back, with a parkina lock oppGite.It wil be understood ihat there is a servo.of'

peraied clutch in addition to the torque convert&which otrly free8 when the driverarasps the lerEWi(h rhe car in any aeer. therc is norma y sorcreep ar idling speed unlo€s rhe bra-kes a.e aptlied, but most automatic addicts prefe. this c&dition as it rnakes slow.spe€d manoeuvres !b

with second straisht back and top toiward to therisht. Asainst a sp.ing, reverse ia to the left and

road test

road

W res hake th€ car wider behiDd. aDd a [ftle extraspace mu8t be slowod acrordinsb.

A! sstonishiDg featule b ths low r€vs at whichtuI boost tu fslt and €v€D when drivihg ertremelyfa8!, ooe Eeed nsv€r go up to tbe red melk oh tberev-counter. Th6 accelolatbn is tr6mendou6. butit i! eEthely contronable ard with those tyres,plus r€r'w;d w€khr disrributioD, traction @nnev€r be brokeo, Ths actual acceleratioD i! farg!€ater thlr t he fiaures, elcitira rhouah t hey a!e,wouH Eugg€st, b€csuse on6 caDnot sDin thewh€eb lor a racir! o6tew,v-

From rte geudJ feeliri* I erpe.t€d ti, do 0.60mph i! a.ss ard wa! bitt&lv diiaDDoint€d with"onlj, '6.0s. Thersaso! i! thai theeiri'ireoust beuld€r heniy load !o ae!€aats ful booa!, so the carrnlkes a comparatively Fehtl6 cgtawav beforesurging lorwsft nasrd.ffceitlv. lirin. ttri chanceinto seond calls for a mob&tary easirE of !f,€sccelerabr at 60Eph or Eo, wh ich allows tfie boostto droD, and it'd an aDDEciable mobent befor€ iris futly !*tor€d. Ob'riously, an automatic rlus.milsion. giviba pow€r-sustahed cbaDsss, woulds€atly impmve lhe ov€(al acc€l€ralion ficure!.On lhe road how€v€r. the effect, is scamalv notice-abl€ and the inc?edibl€ larc€ on €ach cesi!€ldersfour spo€ds ampls. lEde€4 for t"b€ afov€ staredrsa€on. tho four-sp€oal box probablv pives b€tt€raccsleration than the u8ual fiv&sDo€d unit foundon Porsches. My 0-looEtDh iD 13.0i, was done withlots of wheelspii, probabb du€ to a Darch of oil orthe road. In spite of stdils alllola broadside, irwa8 b6tt€r than lhe 13.2s I r*ordsd on a more

As regards tle roariEum !De€d, the mal€rsclaim 166mpb sral this s*Es v€ry close !o themalk. I u8ually make s€veral tinrcal runs. but onthis occasiotr, u,th th6 .lir6domst€r just passilsthe l@mph mark on€ of th€ r€ar tyre6 deflated.fu ths sp€€dometer is onv slightly optimiltic, Iwould 8ue35 that the crgimed maxiEun of165mph wa6 in !h€ bas, bur rith iust a tslishrlyileg![?] €m€r8€ncy dar€ in th€- boot, tu"rthe;attdDpts weleobviously iEpo6sible.

The cruse of the llat tyle has yst to bs sstab-lish€d, but I'm almo8t alad it happend, lornothins €ls6 could siv€ sr€at€r proof of th€hcr€dible stability of the T\rrbo. The nois€ andvibration w€[€ tr€m€adou8 but the c€I neverC6viat6d aD i!ch, pu[iDA up without the slightest

It s difficult to dolcribe lhe ride, Ior althouah itseeErs bs-rd at filst, it Drov€s out8tandindycomlorlable on a loD!, fa6! nrn. Th6 comolEspow€I i! v€Iy hth ind€ed aDd orc i! Do! realyconscious of 3!€odDg tho car. Som€how on€msreU B€€Es to thinI, snd the thourhr ig

, 3l€lorDg t!6 car. som€how on€ms to thinI, snd the thourht igoto the r€c€8snrv chrnEe oI dir€ction.Porache is so oitetall{iEr i5 th6 wayrill acc€Dt tull throttl€ cominr out of apo€sibl6 tp a€q ful boost go g before18 up aDo mcn ll3 imm€ms tmction,simDlv rocksts out of the bend and

ruadteSits me3sege is very clear. Whothsr to wh L Mangor to propel a refirlod ard €coromical sports caron the road, iurbocharrinq b the aospsr.

One thina whhh the 9ll Sporlomalic and rh€Turbo hav€ in conmoD is the Porsche guaranto€,which cov€rs the mechanicd psr$ for one ye$,inosp€ctiv€ of milease, AD additbMl SIXYEARS walraDtv aDDli€s to the chassi! md bodvshe[, which is toialli protctsd aEAirs! ruEl aDilcorrosioD. Servic! irteryals, ircludina oil changesare of 20.000k8sr perhapa those -hiah priesropr€€€nt an investrtren i, aftor all I

tr

SPECIFICATION A}IO PERFORMANCE OATA

9ll Spond.ic @up6, Dri6

r Ethg t he

out, 6sp€cially on ahe i! much lo3s *D-I in a com€f than its

of th6sp€€ds,

otcars.llo

e cstdDlv Dot

ha8 ac,D€ into its

msrev B€€EB to think, and the thouAhr igtraDslrt€d ihto th6 r€c€Esnry chrnce oI dir€cdon.Where tlis Porschs is so oritslall(tr,la i5 th6 wayir whi.h it willdeDt fitll thmttl. mniinr

^nt ^f r

winds tha!

ksts out of the bend andEviddtlv. sEe of theare due t"o the $,irc at th6r car is trss€ etf€cted by side

i hdizontilly{pposd, 90 r 7o.4hh15 to I l55bho DIN .t saoorlo

susp.nsnby M..ph€6onsturs andlow6.w6hbono\ {'rh ro6'onb6rs Rack and oinion lteennr S.mr lra i..

'nd€e.d.nt aa,

suspenslon.rms, wnh lo6bh ba6,o@lcircuil brak s with intem.rlly.venlilrtedd'scsoh.ll4*h*! Boh.nhhlallo/*h.d!,nn.dEqubDnt r2.vot ishlina .nd sb.l'nr Sp..donEr.r. R€v.@unEr OiDresuE.oillemEBlure,dr.sirmotantlov.l..ndlucls.us.s. Herlins, d.mirlins, rqr wihdow dembtina, ahd.xtlrnalfrnrcr d.mielhs Ele.tsi4lly.op.6lod rindo*r 2 sDe.d wi.d*Een wo€E rnd warhe6. Fl.s\ina d'recnon

'nd.alo6 sdh

l.zrrdw.rn E. H@dli3hl *.$eE Cl@k Ste@ r.d'o R.e.Bl^e

Dln.dbnr whslb.$ 7ft 5rin TE di 4ft 6'n/4lt 7in oreall r.nllhr4ll t'n Wdlh 5lt 5!n. W.irht 247olh! + 33lb3 lor SDorBm.lic

doi,n th6

wind8 tha! oth€r Poruch6s. With rI that acc€lera.tion oD talr, lh6 bral6 are apt to hrvs a hardtim€, but thsy B€€m caDable of raLinE aI tha!th6y ar6 aiv.r. Ths pedal prsssu!€ is no! Iiaht. butmosl fa8t driver3 diatru8t strorc 6€rvoassi€tarce, whicb Eay locl ih6 wh6dls in €nsri€r8Bncy.

Ihe Porscho Turbo is alr ouhtandina csr in someny wayr, ItB gro6t 3pe6d is only on6 of itsvirtue€ and it is @rtainly one of lhe most refibedbigh-p$forearcs c5!B that has y6t b€en built . I !sprice plrrc€ it !o fa! out of most people s reachlhat it carl oDly be bouaht by th€ hrcky few, but

rtbdess, as it is catalosr€d loday thebrka a virturlv id€,I m'd .'r T. hvths whole pobi of ths tulboch,Idr;ir that it is makiDa use of enelay tbdt ii

ly lbrcwn away with the €lhaust aa6e3.u.. duite sihblv- thrt thr P.rmha trM.!rs, quite simply, tlst the Porgche usosD€lrol than ths oth€r exotica. Thsre mav: that approach its D€rformsDce, but to di)m€d so much fuel tlhat sv€n the v€rv rich.ho.L.d

pdge - top: ttmoo?h fQofbft: in@iorTezo- Below

lront profiIe, rurbo. *SN<

ride ia fai v firm. tle bumos areD€ly w€U a;d there is noDe'of thoF€nsi[€d car6 usualy erhjbit. IDI tlrt rGgT€nsi[€d car6 usualy erhjbit. ID

ro€d drlvrDS, ev6n sheh pro83Eg-otrLd. ths handling r€dponse i6 larsslyOE a raciDa cbcuit, oD€ would ev€ntualy

hd of it. For the lo6n who i3 fr€qu€ntly. tb€ ltaliotr or abport by hir wif€ ora.r, or who dos8 Duch of his driviDs inr or Pa s, ther6's a bt of loaic in the

rhe Tulbo must not be confus€d with th€bn cara oi the in qua lh€le's nothinaout it ard it'B simply ths sEooth€st,dd most fl.libl. Porsche vdt offs€d to,rn€fs, It', only aft€t sayidc thi6, which)ris6 oom6 r6ade$. that I will adEit to itsa th6lasts€t ploductioD mod€Last6t Drcduction model

s r lui!8 cd Dd .r@Ln.. withoubmeri[ of tli6 oth6r nod€ls arld

h6r€ i! built-in adodhuic stebilitvhu.is, f,rith ils hur6. bworofile Wrei.d€vslop€d to the point where its haDd-oadholdiDc are far ah€ad of the telriIiclce. The €ocine. in its br€salt S-litmrn, ia conairlera6tv derat'ed by Porsche

- 6lt6r aI, tl€ir 2.I-litre mciEa tulbo460bhp - .o think how itruch morey c.n aive us wh€n th€y r€ckon that' hedk it!

I b th6 Turbo like to drive? It wil whisDBrh Lhe tralfic at walkiDa pace ard Eeieid mbfte. At low revs. before the hodtin, it has the advantage of ths low statbEsion ratb that a bbs.n enaiDe must have.lv thira to rddbd ii that tho* htrh

P.rlod.nc M.imum sp€.d 13lm!h, SDe.& in teaB, 3@ndthph, tnst s&nph. St ndins ou..toroil6 16.4s. A@lo6tion (lItrDh 395, O.5omph 60s,o{oD9h 766,o€ornDh L 9s, O

FEI@runrbc 2t to2rmD&Car t d.d: tbEd. Tlrbo .oupa, pri6 €17,499 indldi.g er t r

All that is uisibL of the Turbo engine.

, ocToBER 14, 1976