It’s been half a century since Porsche launched the first 911 Turbo.
Porsche’s been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately, with modern interpretations of 911s long past making their way into the rotation. We saw the 911 Sport Classic and the 911 Dakar, and now there’s this: the 911 Turbo 50 Years. Just like it’s name suggests, the German automaker is launching this limited-run version of its flagship sports car to celebrate its long and illustrious history of turbocharged rear-engined greatness.
The Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years is based on the (pre-facelift) Turbo S, but adds some special styling touches in the same spirit as other special-run versions like the Sport Classic. You get special badging on the rear decklid with a turbocharger icon and “1974-2024” commemorating the full Turbo history, as well as vinyl decals and Anthracite Gray exterior trim elements on the rear wing, lower rear fascia, mirror bases and air intake grilles. If you’re curious about the color, Porsche is introducing a new “Turbonite” color that’s only available on 911 Turbo models. The center-locking Exclusive Design wheels also come in Turbonite.
Inside, the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years gets more throwback touches, including “MacKenzie” tartan sport seats with “turbo 50” embroidered into the headrests, and the same tartan pattern on the door panels. There’s another special edition badge on the IP, while the dashboard gets a specific sub-second clock design. You even get LED puddle lights that show the image of a turbocharger on the ground when you open the doors, rather than a simple logo.
Power-wise, the Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years is the same as the standard Turbo S. You get a twin-turbocharged, 3.7-liter flat-six engine putting out 640 horsepwoer and 590 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission. Porsche says this model will make the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in just 2.7 seconds, while it’ll achieve double that speed in about 8.9 seconds. Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM) comes standard, as does a sports exhaust system, carbon ceramic brakes and a front axle lift system.
If you’re wanting to get your hands on a 2024 Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years, you probably already know what to expect. Production won’t be super rare, but there will still be just 1,974 units rolling of the production line. If you want to make yours stand out, Porsche offers a Heritage Design Package that adds in more retro touches like Aventurine Green Metallic point (or something from the paint-to-sample catalog), white exterior graphics and original 911-style badging.
Right now, the “normal” Porsche 911 Turbo S will set you back at least $233,395. That’s not what I’d call “cheap”, so add the limited-run tag to it, and it will almost certainly run more than a quarter-million dollars. Not that most folks (even those who can technically afford it) will be able to get their hands on one, as this will likely sell out in short order. Oh, and Porsche is rolling out a limited-production 911 Turbo 50 Years-styled watch for the occasion, too.
