The Real Reason Why The Porsche 930 Turbo Is Called The 'Widowmaker'

Under the hood of the 930

The Porsche 930 Turbo was initially powered by a 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six that was taken straight from the 1974 3.0 Carrera RS and added a KK&K turbocharger. This engine was factory-rated at 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed manual transaxle was fitted in the rear instead of the five-speed Getrag manual unit found on the less-expensive Carrera models. As standard, the 930 Turbo featured a limited-slip differential.

Later, in 1978, Porsche made some significant changes to the 930 Turbo’s powertrain, increasing the bore by 0.08 inches and bringing the displacement to 3.3 liters. Additionally, Porsche fitted an air-to-air intercooler and an even larger turbocharger. Power went up from 256 horsepower to 296, and the maximum torque increased to 304 pound-feet. In 1989, a five-speed manual gearbox replaced the old four-speed unit.

With so much performance on offer, the 930 Turbo had to be faster on the road. Independent tests have witnessed 0-60 mph acceleration as quick as 4.6 seconds and while top speed sat at 173 mph, making it the fastest car in Germany for its time.

How the 930 earned its fearsome reputation

The Porsche 930 Turbo earned its chilling nickname, the "Widowmaker," for a specific reason: its challenging handling and immense power could prove fatal in inexperienced hands. Like all 911s, the 930 Turbo features a rear-engine layout, where the engine sits behind the rear axle. With most of the car’s mass concentrated at the rear, this unique configuration resulted in a weight distribution different to most front-engine cars.

While this improved traction under hard acceleration, since the 930 Turbo is a rear-wheel drive sports car, it also made the car tail-happy. This meant that power delivery was not linear but rather came on in a sudden, explosive burst, often catching inexperienced drivers off guard. This, combined with its short wheelbase and rear weight bias, made it prone to snap oversteer, where the rear end would break loose abruptly, often resulting in a spin.

In contrast to modern cars, the 930 Turbo lacked electronic driver aids like traction control or anti-lock brakes. This meant drivers had to rely solely on their skill and experience to control the car, especially during aggressive acceleration or when the turbo kicked in unexpectedly. The absence of driving aids added to the car’s raw and purely analog driving experience, but it also made it more challenging to handle.

Many drivers, unaccustomed to such a demanding sports car, were overwhelmed by the sudden surge of power and the car’s unforgiving handling characteristics. Tragically, this led to a number of accidents, some of which even resulted in fatalities.

An individual named Donald Fresh was killed in a crash when his 930 Turbo spun out into oncoming traffic. The driver was his wife Cynthia Files. This led to a lawsuit that held Porsche accountable, resulting in a $2.5 million settlement. As the number of accidents involving the 930 Turbo continued to rise, Porsche was forced to confront the reality that selling such a high-performance sports car to the general public without adequate safety measures posed significant risks.

Not all bad: evolution of a legend

Despite its fearsome reputation, the Porsche 930 Turbo was truly an enthusiast’s delight. While the previous Carrera models looked sportier, Porsche gave it all to make the 930 Turbo more visually appealing, thanks to the super-wide rear wheel arches, wide rear tires, a unique front air dam, and the iconic "whale tail" spoiler. These exterior enhancements not only make the 930 Turbo look spectacular but also aid in better aerodynamics and stability on the run.

With the 1978 update, the 930 Turbo not only gained more power but also got a beefed-up chassis with stiffer shock absorbers, new anti-roll bars, and larger rear torsion bars. Porsche also upgraded the brakes of the 930 Turbo with similar units to those of the 917 race car, which led Porsche to win twice in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. So, with time, the Porsche 930 Turbo became more capable and engaging, but the threat to life it brought didn’t decrease.

With time and more modern generations of the 911 came into being, Porsche implemented better electronics and driver aids to make amends for the infamous reputation brought by the 930 Turbo. The recent 911 Turbo and the more bonkers Turbo S models are three times more potent than the original 911 Turbo, but the advent of technological advancements and increased safety measures make them more driveable in all weather and varied road conditions.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that driver skills matter. Even today, if an amateur driver gets behind the wheel of a 992 Turbo S, there’s a chance that he/she won’t be able to handle so much power and will probably crash. Similarly, the 930 Turbo was not meant for amateurs and needed skilled drivers actually to harness its full potential.