Porsche 911 (993) Turbo vs Turbo S: Classic Comparison

How does a Porsche 911 (993) Turbo compare with its much-rarer Turbo S sibling? We drive 2 perfect yellow examples in Gauteng to find out.

Isn’t it remarkable how associations with certain cars and life events become etched in our memories? My first experience of a Porsche 911 (993) Turbo was during the first year after I finished high school. I joined the Porsche Club in the Western Cape (without having owned a car of any kind, whatsoever), and I recall turning up at the national event in my parents’ 1977 VW Kombi…

Fortunately, I shared a passion for air-cooled motors — and at the very least the Kombi’s engine position and layout (flat-4) was the same as that of a 911! 

My highlight of the event was a passenger ride in a 993 Turbo, when its owner achieved an indicated speed of 270 km/h. Up to that point of my life, I hadn’t travelled in an even moderately fast car. Therefore, the performance of the Turbo impressed me beyond my wildest imagination.

Read more: Porsche 911 (930) Turbo vs (996) GT3: Classic Comparison

The memory might be all of 25 years old, but back then the car looked devastatingly fast, it certainly felt that fast and, for its day, it was fast. I was eager to find out how the car would stack up today, especially in comparison with its more powerful and much more sought-after sibling, the 993 Turbo S.

Released in 1995 (although a few were produced in 1994), it was the first 911 Turbo to feature 4-wheel traction. It was well received by the media and buyers, and even when the 996 Turbo arrived, some unofficial in-gear tests showed that the 993 Turbo still reigned supreme. 

Specifications

• Model: 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo
• Engine: 3.6-litre flat-6, turbopetrol
• Power: 300 kW at 5 750 rpm 
• Torque: 540 Nm at 4 500 rpm 
• Transmission: 6-speed manual, AWD
• Weight: 1 500 kg
• 0-100 kph: 4.3 sec (claimed)
• Top speed: 290 kph (claimed)

After all, when the US publication Motortrend tested the 993 Turbo, they achieved a scarcely believable 0-96 kph time of just 3.7 seconds. They summed up the car as follows: “The bottom line of the new 911 Turbo states, unequivocally, that this is the greatest road-going Porsche ever created.” Lofty praise indeed.

Based on the 3.6-litre engine from the Carrera, the new engine (M64/60) featured twin turbos for the first time. The 993 Turbo also introduced several new technologies to the 911 range. These included electronic boost control, an exhaust monitoring system, a hot-film mass air-flow sensor and aluminium hollow-spoke wheels. The latter was a first for a production car and reduced the weight at each corner (by 23% at the front and 20% at the rear).

Read more: Air-cooled Porsche 911 Turbos: Classic Comparison

Shortly before the 993 Turbo’s production ended in 1997, Porsche launched its very first Turbo S derivative, unlike today when both models are usually launched at the same time. Offering the same principle of a near-perfect combination of performance and luxury, the S featured a host of updates that partially justified its near-50% higher price tag. 

The exterior of the S featured a new front bumper that incorporated a revised design with a lower lip spoiler. The rear wheel arches featured those gentle, rounded air intakes, the rear wing was also different with 2 small side air inlets, while the two exhaust pipes boasted a quartet of outlets instead of 2.

The wheels, which covered yellow (instead of red callipers) were shinier, while most notably the car was lowered by 15 mm, resulting in a visibly hunkered stance with the wheels filling the arches even more convincingly than ever before.

As could be expected, there was a power increase to complement the exterior modifications. The Turbo S’s engine was based on that of the Turbo, but was simply coded with an S or RS after the engine code (depending on whether you had the 316 or 331 kW version). The most notable changes were upgraded turbochargers and the addition of an oil cooler. Porsche evidently succeeded in its aim to offer a special run-out model of its last air-cooled 911 Turbo…

Specifications

• Model: 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo S
• Engine: 3.6-litre flat-6, turbocharged
• Power: 331 kW at 5 750 rpm 
• Torque: 585 Nm at 4 500 rpm 
• Transmission: 6-speed manual, AWD
• Weight: 1 500 kg
• 0-100 kph: 4.1 sec (claimed)
• Top speed: 300 kph (claimed)

When opening the doors to both cars, the carpet inserts on the cars’ door cards definitely add to the level of luxury. However, if it is a high equipment level you desire, the S ticks a few more boxes. Carbon fibre is used for the inside door handles, door cards, facia, around the instrumentation cluster and on the steering wheel. On this specific Turbo, the lightweight material (optional at the time) features only on the handbrake lever and gear knob. 

The seats are of the same design on both cars, although for some reason I feel like I sit lower in the S, which could be attributed to the differences in how the cars’ seats have worn over the years. Both cars’ steering wheels are slightly off-centre to the left (the case with most early right-hand-drive 911s), and the pedals even more so, but you soon get used to their positions. 

Read more: Porsche 911 (993) GT2 Clubsport ‘Evo’: Classic Drive

Further changes to the S include instrument dials in aluminium with inner rings in chrome, standard coloured seat belts, carpet behind the rear seats with neat “Turbo S” logos, a roof liner in leather, a self-dimming rear view mirror and, if something is not covered in carbon-fibre, it is likely to be covered in leather. 

Its current owner bought from this Turbo new in 1995 and it was one of the first models to arrive in South Africa. Since then, he has covered a 85 000 km with the car. By contrast, his Turbo S has 50 000 km on the odo and, of course, makes the perfect addition to his collection. 

None of these cars are trailer queens, however; both have been driven extensively to the tune of return trips of over 750 km apiece.

With most of the photography done and the track surface quite wet, I was eager to find out how the Turbo behaves. It was, after all, labelled Porsche’s first all-weather production supercar, following the limited run of the 959.

The engine catches the moment you turn the key, and sounds only slightly subdued compared with those of the Turbo’s naturally-aspirated contemporaries.

Read more: Porsche 911 (993) GT2: Classic Drive

I pull away, short sift to 2nd gear and lean on the throttle pedal. The turbos take a brief moment to spool up, and then from 3 000 rpm the needle swings zestfully towards 6 000 rpm. Moments later, I shift across the gate into 3rd, and the blowing noise mixed with that characteristic flat-6 note fills the cabin once more.

Red Star Raceway outside Johannesburg is a compact circuit. Even though the track measures 4 km, its corners are notoriously tight. As I approach the first corner, the centre pedal feels firm, and the braking system confidently scrubs off speed. I take it easy through the rain-drenched corners, but I have slightly more trust in the car’s grip than I would have in a rear-wheel-drive 911.

The gearshift action is relatively precise and the steering is notably heavier than today’s cars, but not to such an extent that you couldn’t drive the Turbo every day. After all, the 911 was, and still is, designed to be used daily. A further testament to this is the fact that, compared with its predecessor, the car’s clutch pedal travel was reduced by 15%, while pedal effort decreased by 25% thanks to a hydraulically assisted clutch. 

I park the Turbo next to the S and, shortly thereafter, climb in behind the latter’s partial carbon-fibre steering wheel. It’s immediately apparent that the S has a slightly deeper exhaust note than the Turbo and, as I did with the latter, I plant my right foot in second gear. Suddenly, there is a quicker and more forceful urge from the engine. It feels as if the throttle pedal is more sensitive than the Turbo’s, although that could simply be attributed to the additional power and torque delivered by virtue of the S’s mechanical improvements.

Read more: Porsche 911 (993) Carrera RS vs (991.1) GT3 RS: Classic Comparison

The moment I turn the wheel, the S ducks into the corner with more confidence than its sibling, which has to be as a result of the car’s lowered chassis and the front strut brace. I immediately trust the vehicle and enjoy every corner ever so slightly more than with the standard car and marvel at the additional push from the engine in (what feels like) every part of the rev range.

After I park next to the Turbo, the owner urges me to drive the S some more. However, common sense prevails and I decide to call it a day on a successful track outing with 2 supercar heroes from the Nineties. What a privilege it was to have driven them back-to-back on a track.

Fortunately, there is still some 60 km of driving to be enjoyed on the highway that leads to Johannesburg. Because I drove the Turbo to the track, I opt to return home at the wheel of the S. As the sun sets and the traffic begins to clear, there is, luckily for me, ample space to stretch the S’s legs. 

I select the boost indicator view in the information screen below the S’s rev counter, and watch every time as I put my foot down how it climbs from 0 to 0.8 bar. Even by today’s standards, it feels fast. I survey the wide body of the Turbo through the windscreen and, when I cast my gaze slightly lower, I appreciate the smooth bonnet and front wings associated with any 993. 

The S’s firmer chassis setup feels fairly pliant on the highway (and the track, for that matter), but its stiffness is apparent in the car’s interior — the cabin of the ultimate 993 emits a few more trim creaks than that of the Turbo.

After handing the S’s key back to its kind owner, I reflect on the 2 cars’ qualities. After a few laps on the track and some road driving, the differences are apparent. 

Verdict

In terms of outright collectability, the 911 (993) Turbo S is undoubtedly the one to have. However, considering the market prices of both variants, the Turbo S is certainly not twice the car the Turbo is. As mentioned, the price difference in the 90s was also quite significant, so it remains to this day. 

The fact that this is a right-hand-drive Turbo S makes it even rarer, as only around 25 of them are said to have been made. You also need to keep in mind that Porsche’s Exclusive department offered Turbo S engines with 316 kW, and many customers chose this engine spec for their standard 911 (993) Turbos. 

But, Porsche successfully delivered an overall package that does justice to the S badge on the rear of the 993 Turbo. In terms of performance, design and driving experience, it pips the Turbo for the ultimate air-cooled 911 Turbo experience, but for half the money, the latter seems like a veritable bargain. 

PHOTOS: Rob Till