Brutally fast, powerful, and extremely rare, this 911 Turbo S is among the last of the air-cooled Turbos. Based on the all-wheel-drive Turbo, the uprated “S” appeared in the penultimate year of Type 993 production and was the creation of Porsche’s Exclusive Department. The Turbo S was intended by Porsche to be a performance car that made even the normal Turbo appear and feel slow. In the words of a reviewer at jalopnik.com, “More boost, more power, more wing, more carbon fiber, more expensive. It was an extreme model of an already extreme car.”

The heart of the Turbo S was a Type M64/60 twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine pushed to 424 horsepower (25 over the standard Turbo) for the US market. A prodigious amount of twist—423 foot-pounds at 4,500 rpm—was fed through a Type G64/51 six-speed manual transaxle to all four wheels via the system developed by Porsche for its earlier Carrera 4 (Type 964) series. Ultimately, about 375 examples were produced, just 183 for the North American market in 1997.

There were numerous mechanical and cosmetic changes to ensure that the Turbo S would not be mistaken for a mere Turbo. Beneath the engine cover lurked a pair of larger K-24 turbochargers, while the Bosch Motronic engine-management system was altered to produce more power, as well as an additional oil cooler to handle the increased heat load. The exhaust system was further modified, and the S was fitted with quadruple, round outlets (the standard Turbo had but single exhaust tips, oval in form). The Turbo S, already wearing Porsche’s aggressive “wide-body” look, had air inlets in the tops of the rear fenders, yellow-painted brake calipers, an impressive biplane rear-deck spoiler called the “Aerokit II,” a Euro-market front spoiler with special brake cooling inlets, and matte-finish alloy wheels.

Inside was a feast of fine leather, as well as an abundance of carbon-fiber trim traversing the lower portion of the dashboard, along the doorsills, and on the console, door panels, and door pulls. Two sets of color-coordinated front seatbelts added to the interior’s appeal. Special Turbo S trim scripts appeared on the engine cover, wheel center caps, interior carpeting, scuff plates, and steering-wheel hub cover. Beneath the front trunk lid rested a carbon-fiber strut tower support bar. Despite weighing slightly more than the normal Turbo, the Turbo S offered otherworldly acceleration for a fully street-legal automobile: 0–60 in less than four seconds, a standing quarter-mile in under 12 seconds, and a top speed of 184 mph. Large, 12.68-inch power-assisted ventilated and cross-drilled multi-piston disc brakes at all four corners delivered impressive stopping power from any speed. The Turbo S was part of a very exclusive fraternity.

This very elegant US-specification Turbo S was delivered to its first owner in California on May 30, 1997, by Carlsen Porsche-Audi in Palo Alto, California. It was subsequently acquired by David Sawyer of Farmington Hills, Michigan. The consignor, a well-known Porsche specialist, acquired the car approximately two years ago. With its odometer reading just 13,379 miles at the time of cataloguing, this wonderful Turbo S appears to be in as-new condition throughout. It is equipped with a large number of desirable options, including an electric sunroof, power windows, limited-slip differential, a Litronic high-intensity headlamp system, headlamp washers, cruise control, white-faced instruments, eight-way electrically-adjustable seats, self-dimming mirrors, rain sensor, full supple leather, an infrared remote entry and alarm and immobilizer system, a premium 10-speaker stereo with in-dash CD player, and a rear wiper. Delivered in the stunning color of Forest Green Metallic with Cashmere Beige leather and matching floor mats, the original sticker price was in excess of $156,000. It is supplied with a factory tool kit, jack, spare tire, and air compressor, which remain in their original packaging.

It is difficult to imagine any street-legal Porsche from the 1990s that is capable of delivering such blistering performance or the outstanding road-holding that an all-wheel-drive system provides while cosseting its occupants in such near-silent luxury. The Porsche 911 Turbo S was, and remains, in a class by itself.