History of Porsche Engine Development Over the Years
How far away are we from a 1,000hp 911? Not far at all it seems. Let's take a look at how long it's going to take.
More Power Please
Manufacturers are pushing the envelop farther than ever when it comes to factory power levels. What was once reserved for the aftermarket, tuner shops, or race motors, is now coming with a warranty off the dealer floor. We will see a 1000hp 911 at some point in the future, and it's probably a lot closer than you think.
1975-1980 Porsche 930: Genesis
We begin our journey with the 930; the first turbocharged Porsche offered by the factory. Horsepower comes in at 260hp and would move on up to produce 300hp (for North America) in the years to come. For the sake of argument and continuity we will start off with the 260hp version. This car's performance was staggering for the era it was produced in. A true leap forward in the sports car game.
1990-94 Porsche 964 Turbo: Evolution of the brand
Entering a new era, the 964 increased the 911 Turbo's power to 316 hp thanks to a larger displacement engine, now 3.3 liters. Over the course of the model history, the motor would grow to 3.6 liters and eventually be rated at up to 380 hp in the S model. Porsche was starting to push the envelop with how much power comes from the factory, gaining 23% from the previous generation, in what was still a small, lightweight car.
1995-98 Porsche 993 Turbo: A New Challenger
This mostly all new turbo model produced an unbelievable 402hp from the factory, which raised the bar even higher. There were only a few years of development between the 964 and the 993, and Porsche increased power by about 25% over the previous model. We could say there is a trend emerging, but let’s hold off until we have more data.
2017 Porsche GT2 RS
The GT2 RS is quite the talking point, with exactly 700 horsepower. Everyone seems stunned, but if you go by the historic numbers it’s not that surprising. In about two decades Porsche increased horsepower by 74%. We can all thank the Bugatti Veyron, and modern engine control technology for this. We are living in a golden age. The current era of automotive design, tuning, and technology is the best in history. We have the best tires, the best engines, the most advanced turbochargers, and the ability to control everything with computers on a level that was once unimaginable.
The 1,000 horsepower Carrera
At this rate, if their evolution continues on trend, it would seem that within another 10 to 12 years we will see a factory built 1,000hp Porsche 911. Crunching the numbers shows that top 911 horsepower options increase by about 25-37% per decade which would put the 2027 version of the car at just under 4 figures in the power department. It’s only a matter of time…
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