When Porsche ended its five-year production run of the modernized Type 964 in late 1993, some 90 wide-bodied Turbo coupes were said to remain in inventory. In May of that year, Car & Driver magazine had declared the 1994 911 Turbo 3.6 to be not only much more powerful than the earlier 3.3, but also easier to drive aggressively, with improved predictability over any recent 911 Turbo it had tested. Never a company to rest on its many laurels, Porsche delivered the 93 leftover cars to its Exclusive Department, formerly known as Special Wishes, where they were transformed into the special-edition ‘Turbo S’ models.

These would set yet another benchmark for Porsche high-performance road vehicles thanks to its new Type M64/50 X88 ‘Works Increased Horsepower’ engine option. This highly desirable package gave a whopping 385 bhp thanks to a larger KKK turbocharger, intercooler, larger-capacity injectors, and different camshafts. All Turbo S models were factory-equipped with a stronger flywheel and clutch package capable of handling 384 foot-pounds of torque, plus different heat exchangers, a G50/52 transaxle with modified limited-slip, a lowered suspension with Boge shocks and struts, and a four-tip exhaust system. The Turbo S in all its forms would set a new benchmark for street-legal, high-performance Porsche cars.

There would be several different versions of the Turbo S. Along with the standard model, three special designs emerged from Porsche Exclusive. Depending on where they were to be sold, these were designated Options X83, X84, and X85. They were given variations of the exotic, hand-fabricated, and thus very expensive 935-style ‘Flat-Nose’ (or Flachbau) bodywork. There were only 10 X83s sold to Japan, 27 X84s offered to the Rest of the World, and 39 examples of the X85 were sold to the U.S. While those three models had flat-nose frontends with 968-style (or 930-style for the X83) retractable headlamps, an additional 17 cars were delivered to the U.S. with standard 964 Turbo sheet metal and vertical headlights.

These exceptionally rare U.S.-delivery 911 Turbo S X85 coupes built without the ‘Flat-Nose’ option, also known as the ‘Package’ cars, are identifiable by traditional headlights and small DOT-mandated front rubber bumperettes. Like its flat-nosed brethren, though sans Flachbau, the ‘Package’ cars featured asymmetrical 959-style air intakes on both rear quarter-panels, a special front air splitter, a louvered rear wing that enclosed the intercooler, quadruple exhaust tips, and 18-inch-diameter “Speedline for Porsche” modular light-alloy wheels, 8-in. wide in front and 10-in. in the rear, shod respectively with 225/40 and 265/35 high-performance tires.

All variants, of course, retained the powerful X88 engine, derived from the IMSA 3.6 race motors built by Andial for Florida-based Brumos Racing for the Bridgestone North American Supercar series. These Turbo S cars are brilliant performers, serving up sub-four-second 0–60 acceleration times and covering a standing quarter-mile in about 12 seconds.

This rare and exciting Porsche 911 Turbo S was one of only 17 such examples produced. It completed production in mid-December 1993 and was delivered at the end of January to Don McGill Imports in Houston, Texas. With a base MSRP of $99,000, the car was finished in Black with a Black partial leather interior and optioned with a dark rootwood shift knob and matching parking brake handle, remote six-disc CD changer, and the prerequisite Exclusive front spoiler (X92), Exclusive rear spoiler (X93), Exclusive rear fender vents (X99), and of course the X88 “Increased Horsepower” engine. Final cost came to $126,360, all in. Dutifully maintained by the current owner, this exceptional example has been driven less than 8,700 miles since delivery and remains in excellent condition inside and out. Included is also the original factory tool roll with disposable road-side gloves in their original package.

With just 17 examples produced to this specification, and all of which were delivered to North America, the ‘Package’ 911 Turbo S is among the rarest and most desirable of all production Porsche cars. No serious Porsche collection would be complete without this thrilling and distinctive 964.