Porsche 911 Turbo SE ‘flat nose’: Classic Drive

We drive one of the rarest turbocharged 911 models – a right-hand-drive 930-series Porsche 911 Turbo SE in Flachbau (“flat nose”) configuration – in the Mother City.

IMAGES: Danie Nel

One would have thought there would have been an outcry when Porsche introduced the Flachbau (Slantnose, but many enthusiasts call it “flat nose”) configuration as an option for the 911 Turbo in 1986. After all, the protruding headlights were – and still are – key to one of the most iconic designs in the industry. How could Porsche change a design that had become so synonymous with the 911?

Background

There is another side to the story though. For 10 years Porsche had raced with 911s with flattened front ends (for aerodynamic and racing purposes). To complain about the “flat nose” version of the 930 Turbo makes about as much sense as dissing the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 for using the crankshaft of the RSR race car.

Although, the 930-series Flachbau didn’t gain any race-derived mechanical bits like the GT3 did (which would’ve made it even more special), this Turbo variant still tied in neatly with Porsche’s racing heritage.

When it was launched in the mid-Seventies, the original 911 Turbo grabbed the attention of all Porsche and performance aficionados. Its performance was at the top of the game. Adding to this achievement was the fact that the 911-derived Turbo race cars started to gain serious recognition.

This included a 2.9-litre Porsche 935 entry at Le Mans in 1976, followed by another five 935s, four of which were private entries by the Loos and well-known Kremer teams. The best result at the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans came in 1979 when the 935 K3 took all 3 podium places.

In the ’80s, several customers asked Porsche to build 930 Turbos with a similar design to those iconic race cars. You can imagine why some enthusiasts were upset at the time… The original upright lights flowing to the A-pillars and the sloping bonnet in between formed part of the signature Porsche design.

But, outside companies such as Rinspeed and Koenig already offered such “flat nose” conversions for the model and the pressure on Porsche was rising.

After all, not only was Porsche’s very own 924 and 944 designed with pop-up lights, but several manufacturers (Ferrari and Lamborghini, to name a couple of examples) had cars with pop-up lights. You could say that, in the ’70s and ’80s, it simply wasn’t a real supercar if it didn’t have pop-up lights!

Finally, in 1986 Porsche started to – officially – offer its Flachbau design as an option. It was an expensive exercise though. The standard 911 Turbo retailed for £63 300 in the UK, but its Turbo SE (Sport Equipment) “flat nose” sibling would set you back £109 100!  

During my research on this car, I couldn’t help but think back to a few years ago when Porsche launched the 911 Carrera Sport Classic. For mostly cosmetic changes – and a slight increase in power – Porsche charged the consumer double the price of a 911 Carrera S (of which the 992.2 was recently revealed).

In Porsche’s defence, not only were there several cosmetic changes (which we will get to in a moment), but the SE’s peak power jumped from 224 kW to 242 kW, while the torque output remained unchanged.

The increase in output was due to the fitment of a larger turbo and intercooler, modified camshafts and exhaust system. The latter can be recognised by the 4 exhaust ends protruding from the rear bumper.

A final performance touch was the fitment of a limited-slip differential (40 per cent slip factor).  Also, at the beginning of SE production, the cars were not fully incorporated into the standard production line, but as demand increased this changed in 1988. 

Background to this 911 Turbo ‘flat nose’

This Porsche 911 Turbo SE Flachbau (“flat nose”) had only done around 23 350 km when I drove it. My first assumption was that it was a 1st- or 2nd-owner car, but its owner at the time was, in fact, the 5th! All its previous custodians had kept the mileage low and looked after this truly historic roadgoing 911.

You know when you are in the company of a genuine, iconic 911. Walking around the Flachbau (or slant nose as some prefer calling it), as well as doing all the bits and bobs that are needed to complete the photoshoot, I notice how the car demands attention, much more so than a standard 930 Turbo.

Because of all its addenda, the SE doesn’t feature the classic “Coke bottle” design of the original Turbo. It is replaced with something more intriguing, something that links with the Turbo’s racing pedigree. 

Let’s start at the rear of the car for a change. The 4 exhaust ends are the most obvious clue to the updated engine, while the air ducts on the rear wheel arches give the wide 911 Turbo body a more determined stance. Sill extensions make the car appear both lower to the ground and wider.

The multi-spoke, split-rim wheels also significantly contribute to the menacing stance of the car, giving it a serious racer’s posture. These multi-spoke BBS items were optional items (compared to the more traditional Fuchs) on the 911 Turbo SE Flachbau (“flat nose”) back in the day.

The gold-painted centres are not standard though, but upon closer inspection, I decided they suit the car perfectly because the colour complements the gold, black and red centre Porsche emblem.

The front is the business end of this specific car, however. The pop-up headlamps, the altered bumper and the (zinc-coated steel) wing louvres make for a busy design – a design that quickly grows on you.

Specifications:

• Model: Porsche 911 Turbo SE Flachbau (“flat nose”)
• Engine: 3.3-litre, flat-6, turbopetrol
• Power: 242 kW at 5 750 rpm 
• Torque: 467 Nm at 4 500 rpm 
• Transmission: 5-speed manual, RWD
• Weight: 1 335 kg
• 0-100 km/h: 5.2 sec (claimed) 
• Top Speed: 275 kph (claimed)

Behind the ‘wheel of the 911 Turbo ‘flat nose’

As you open the door, you immediately notice the wider sills and realise it is not a standard 930. This feeling is repeated when you sit behind the wheel and stare through the windscreen.

My eyes instinctively search for the round headlights at the front corners. But, it’s flat… no lights to show where the car’s frontal extremities are. I pull the main light switch to the right of the steering wheel and the headlights pop up instantaneously; dare I say it, in a very un-911-like fashion.

Believe it or not, the seat design is not too dissimilar to what you’d find in modern Porsches. It is comfortable (heated with electrical adjustment) and offers the necessary support. The champagne leather seats feature blue beading while the dark blue carpets offer matching champagne beading.

Above the leather-trimmed gear lever, buttons can be found for the, among other things, central locking and alarm system. This area is also covered with champagne-coloured leather. It is only the modern radio that isn’t original. Overall, the interior hues complement the official Baltic blue metallic exterior colour.

I grip the leather-trimmed 3-spoke steering wheel (unique to the flat nose and Turbo LE models) and glance one more time at the luxurious cabin. This 911 Turbo SE perfectly sums up the excess of the ’80s.

Cape Town’s Chapman’s Peak Drive is unquestionably one of the most scenic routes in Mzansi. The twisty road follows the cliffs and ocean contour around the Peninsula – a perfect setting for this drive.

The driving experience, as you would expect, resembles the image that the car portrays. I’m surprised at how easy it is to drive the 911 Turbo SE Flachbau (“flat nose”) sedately. You can keep the revs below 2 000 rpm and potter around without any complaints from the drivetrain.

But what a revelation the 5-speed G50 gearbox must have been in 1986! Compared with the older 4-speed unit, which was fitted to 930-series 911 Turbos until 1988, the shift action is slicker and more precise. It allows for much quicker and more controlled shifts.

If you’ve driven old Porsches, you may be accustomed to the 911 Turbo SE’s steering feel, but I revelled in the ‘wheel’s ample feedback – the moment you steer from the dead-centre position, it gets heavier.

The sense of connection to the front wheels is unlike any other Porsche of today. But that is so inviting, and so is the tramlining from the front wheels through the steering wheel. Make no mistake, if you are used to power steering, parking the 911 Turbo “flat nose” will pose a real challenge to your upper body.

With no power steering or electronic aids to help you out, you need to be focused. The car feels planted, but you sense that wrestling with it will extract more out of the car and demand more from you, its pilot. If you start to push on, the car will respond and challenge you to the next level.

You can decide how you want to use the turbocharged 3.3-litre flat-6 engine. Select 3rd or 4th gear through a corner at half the available rev range, and the 911 Turbo SR does it perfectly – almost calmly.

But drop to 2nd gear, bury your right foot into the – offset – accelerator pedal, and the needle swings around the dial with gusto! Just after 6 500 rpm, I change gears and brake for the next corner.

I didn’t explore the car’s limits as I would have liked to, but I didn’t have the safety net of run-off areas (as I would on a racetrack) and preferred to avoid the consequences of damaging the car. I tackle a few more corners and rewind my mind to the late ’80s; spirited driving must have been a real challenge back then. 

Summary

Today’s Porsche 911s are extremely advanced and deliver thrills in their way, but they can’t match the fun factor and drama of a 911 Turbo SE “flat nose” – a prime example of a 911 that truly reflects its era. It has more arrows in its quiver (design, performance and luxury) than most of its 911 contemporaries.

It is unlikely that Porsche will ever again manufacture a 911 with such a drastic optional design. But, we are glad they did it, and that we can celebrate it today. As a package that combines history, performance and limited availability, it is – for some of us – simply the most appealing Porsche 911 (930) Turbo ever.

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