One to Buy: Non-sunroof Apple Green 1976 Porsche 911 3.0 Turbo (930)
Although Porsche’s RS-badged 911s of the early 1970s had, in performance terms, been a match for anything the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini had to offer, the typically pared back nature of these lightweight homologation specials meant they were not seen as direct rivals.
However, when Porsche subsequently released the luxuriously equipped forced induction 930 to pave the way for a turbocharged model to go racing in the second half of the decade, the German firm suddenly had a genuine rival to Ferrari’s 365 GT4 BB and the Lamborghini Countach.
The opportunity to spec. the 930 with a better equipped cockpit came about as a consequence of changes to the Group 4 regulations which saw a higher minimum weight limit brought in. The combination of genuine supercar-rivalling performance with all the comforts most buyers expected at this end of the market catapulted the 911 into elite territory.
Although Group 4 only required a production run of 400 units within a 24 month timeframe, the 930 (better known as the 911 Turbo) actually proved so popular that it remained in production until 1989 when the G body 911 was replaced by the heavily revised 964.
A 3.3-litre engine was brought in for the 1978 model year, but today it is the original 3-litre variants that have developed arguably the strongest following.
One of these cars in an exceptionally rare colour is set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s auction in Monaco on May 14th. A 1976 model year home market non-sunroof variant originally delivered that February through Porsche Dusseldorf, chassis 9306700325 is reputedly one of just four completed in Apple Green. Inside, ‘0325’ was configured in Black half leather with matching Berber fabric seat centres.
Today, this matching numbers machine has covered a little under 80,000km.
Reprinted nelow is RM Sotheby’s description:
Chassis No.: 9306700325
Engine No.: 6760479
Registration: Spanish Permiso de Circulacion
Rare Apple Green exterior finish complemented by black Fuchs alloy wheels
Accompanied by build certificate obtained from Porsche in 2007
Matching-numbers chassis and engine
An iconic Porsche model that would add to any collection
Porsche’s introduction of its next-generation 911 model at the Paris Motor Show in 1974—known internally as the “930”—was a seminal moment in the marque’s illustrious history. Under the supervision of Ernst Fuhrmann, Porsche utilised technology developed primarily to allow its 917/30 Can-Am racing cars to compete with the large-displacement Chevrolet engines powering many of the grid in the U.S.A.
Channelling this into the new 911, the German manufacturer elevated its iconic sports car to a performance height that had hitherto been the preserve of Italian supercars—and in doing so, created a dynasty that has been a performance benchmark ever since.
The car itself featured the 3.0-litre flat-six engine from the Carrera RS, paired with a single-KKK turbocharger blowing at 0.8 bar. Power was rated at 260 brake horsepower at 5,500 rpm, which enabled a sprint to 60 mph in a little over five seconds, further to a top speed the interesting side of 150 mph; respectable numbers even for a modern sportscar.
Other changes included upgraded suspension, larger brakes, and a redeveloped four-speed gearbox to cope with the power increase.
An instant hit in its day and now rightly considered as a landmark car, this vintage of 911 can be demanding but rewarding to drive in equal measure and more than able to match any supercar of the day in a straight line or around a track.
This particular example is one of just four of the “930” generation that left the factory in 1976 painted in Apple Green (260) and was delivered to its first owner in February of the same year, via Porsche of Düsseldorf.
With its matching-numbers chassis and engine, the car is accompanied by a history file that details diligent cosmetic and mechanical maintenance over time, including over €3,000 spent on engine maintenance in 2018, carried out by Rennsport.
On the outside, the wonderful paintwork is offset by black Fuchs alloys with a silver dish, while on the inside it benefits from the optional black headliner and navy Shetland inserts to the original leather seats, which show gentle patina commensurate with the mileage of the car.
A beautiful example of a truly significant car, this 911 Turbo Coupé is equally special as a unique weekend toy or a key component of any serious Porsche collection.
