1986 Porsche 911 Turbo (930)
Build Sheet
| Year | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Body | 2-door coupe (930-series 911 Turbo) |
| Engine | 3.3 L air-cooled turbocharged flat-six (intercooled) |
| Horsepower | 282 hp (286 PS) @ 5,500 rpm (US/emissions spec) |
| 0–60 mph | approx. 5.0 seconds |
| Production | 15,836 Turbo 3.3 coupes (all years, 1978-1989) |
| Original MSRP | $48,000 (US, 1986) |
| Current value | approx. $200,000-227,000 market average (2026) |
The Story
The 930 was Porsche's first turbocharged production 911, and by 1986 it had become an icon and a legend in equal measure. After a six-year absence from the United States over emissions rules, the 911 Turbo returned to American showrooms that year, and enthusiasts who had spent the early 1980s reading about it in magazines could finally buy one again.
Its signature was the enormous whale-tail rear spoiler and the flared rear arches that swallowed fat tires. Beneath that tail sat a 3.3-litre air-cooled flat-six with a turbocharger and intercooler, sending 282 horsepower to the rear wheels through a deliberately stout four-speed gearbox. The power arrived all at once in a violent rush of boost, a trait that earned the 930 its enduring nickname: the widowmaker.
Driving one demanded respect. Lift off the throttle mid-corner and the rearward weight bias could snap the tail loose, so the 930 rewarded smooth, committed hands and punished casual ones. Get it right and few cars of the era felt as thrilling, with a 0-60 sprint around five seconds and a top speed near 157 mph that put it among the fastest cars money could buy.
That blend of danger, exclusivity, and 1980s excess has made the air-cooled 930 one of the most coveted classic Porsches. Values that once dipped now sit comfortably into six figures, and a clean 1986 US-market coupe is a blue-chip collectible. It remains the definitive poster Porsche of its decade.
