In late 1988 Porsche discovered quite a few parts in stock from the European 944 Cup Series Race cars, nd created the Turbo S model. Built with the Turbo Cup race program engine, oasting a larger turbo, igher boost and reworked DME, hey also came with an external oil cooler. These engines were hand built in Zuffenhausen, nd bench tested for 30 minutes, efore installation. The suspension, as no less the M-030 Sport suspension, ith adjustable Sport Bilstein's, arger 25.5mm front and 18mm rear sway bars, nd sport suspension bushings. The transaxle, was the race version 5-speed, ith the M-220 40% locking differential, with its own oil cooler. Brakes were right off the 928 S-4, entilated rotors with 4 piston calipers, nd hooked up to the most advanced generation Bosch ABS. They also were built with a larger 63 amp/hr battery, .4 KW starter,7x16 & 9x16 forged alloys, ual airbags, nd a Blaupunkt 100 watt stereo system with 10 speakers, osch fog lights, tinted glass all around, ower drivers seat, eated power mirrors, spoke leather sport wheel, nd a factory installed alarm system.
The first run of 1,000 world wide in 1988 were all built in Silver Rose metallic (can you say fuchsia?), ith a burgundy/pink/silver plaid cloth interior, hat was not too well received here in the USA. We managed to sell about 339 of them...I can remember being at the factory back then, and in speaking with one of the Weissach engineers, commented on the difficulty in selling these rather wild interior cars....His reply..."You silly Americans have so much time to look at your interior at 55 miles per hour".
Well, fter force feeding these Silver-Rose cars to our customers as "Limited Editions," Porsche announced to us that we could now order the turbo S until years end in any color combination we wanted! That took the total to about 715 US cars... And, e were told again, hey would be the last of the 944s period...Well once again, nd for whatever reason, they built them again in 1989! This time, hey were not available as regular turbos, nly as Turbo S's, ut without the "S" badging, nd in any color combination. That run was about 1,200 for the USA.
This one, s one of the last 944 turbo S's ever built! One of about 1,915 total US cars built...They were considered quite the bargain...Car & Driver called it "A Bargain at $48,350." Motor Trend said, The S is for Sizzle!", nd Car & Driver stated, Spielzueg the S if for Super! They ate Ferrari's for breakfast, orvettes for Lunch, nd Porsche's own 930 turbo for Dinner!
With values of other Impact Bumper era Porsches selling for well over their original MSRP today, hese special Turbos should catch up pretty soon!