At the Hampton Court Palace Concours of Elegance, one of Europe's leading beauty contests, the original Porsche Turbo prototype from 1973 will be on display. The history of the Porsche Turbo, which celebrates its 50th birthday in 2024, began with this car.
The car that will be on display at Hampton Court Palace from August 30 to September 1, 2024 - chassis number 9113300157 - was the very car that caused a sensation on the Porsche stand at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show and established the concept of a turbocharged 911.
Presentation in Frankfurt
In a striking, unique paint finish in silver metallic with hand-painted "Turbo" lettering, the prototype was a preview of the series-produced turbo that was introduced two years later.
Based on a 911 S, the concept car was built under the supervision of Porsche chief engineer Helmuth Bott. Ironically, the 2.7-liter turbo engine was not ready in time for the Porsche stand in Frankfurt. Instead, Porsche modified a conventional naturally aspirated engine, with additional components - including the turbo itself - replicated in wood and painted to look real.
Despite its featureless mechanics, the concept was more than enough to convince and captivate the audience.
Harbinger of three different cars
The Turbo prototype actually combined three concepts in one: in addition to introducing the Turbo name, it incorporated styling elements that went into the "concertina" 911 from 1974 onwards, while also anticipating the RSR race car and the extremely rare Carrera 3.0 RS. The concept car featured a much more aggressive 911 design language with larger wing wheels and widened bodywork, dramatically swollen wheel arches and an eye-catching rear spoiler that significantly improved not only aerodynamics but also engine cooling.
After its first appearance in Frankfurt, the Turbo prototype toured the world and appeared at motor shows in Paris, Tokyo and Melbourne before returning to Stuttgart.
The prototype has survived
In 1975, during a visit to the Porsche factory, Alan Hamilton - a racing driver and Porsche importer for Australia - discovered the prototype vegetating in a corner. After its showroom appearances, the car had been used as an RSR test vehicle and fitted with numerous pre-production parts. For Hamilton, who was eager to get his hands on the first example of the racing version, the turbo prototype was the quickest way to own an RSR, so he bought it and the car was exported to Australia.
The silver piece of Porsche history then completed a few competitive outings in the hands of Hamilton before being sold on among Australian Porsche connoisseurs over the following decades. In 2010, the car was exported to the United States, where it made one of its rare public appearances at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance later that year.
After a six-year stay in the States, the turbo prototype was bought by the current owner, who brought it back to Europe. Now it is back in the same condition in which it caused a sensation in the spotlight at the IAA in Frankfurt in 1973 - only now with a real turbo engine.
One of 60 Concours cars
The Porsche Turbo prototype will be on display at the Hampton Court Palace Concours of Elegance alongside 60 other cars brought to England from private collections around the world. Away from the main competition, there will be a number of special exhibitions: including the 'Levitt Concours', dedicated to female classic car owners; the '30UNDER30', aimed at under-30 owners; and the 'Club Trophy', which brings together the most beautiful member cars from all of England's car clubs.
For more information and to order tickets, please visit the event website.
