Why The Porsche 930 Is Known As The Widowmaker

In some regards, it can be quite easy to pick out models which will become classics later down the line. Mainstream stuff is hard to guess, but chances are, something with a prestigious badge on the front — like a Porsche or Ferrari — is always going to go that way. Becoming a legend is more difficult to predict, but that's exactly what the Porsche 930 managed. 

This was the first-ever production turbocharged Porsche 911, so it was an important model at the time. It sported a boosted 3.0-liter engine which sent 256 horsepower exclusively to the rear wheels, enabling it to reach the dizzying heights of 155 mph. Pretty mild by today's standards, but this was as good as it got at the time. Later versions matured nicely; capacity grew to 3.3 liters, which introduced an extra 40 horsepower and a higher top speed of 161 mph, resulting in a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds.

Sure, this is a quick car, but it'll still be shown a clean pair of heels by a hot Golf. So why on earth was it nicknamed the Widowmaker? For starters, this was a different time, and these figures were seriously impressive. Plus, the nickname is less about the 930's stats and more about how that power is delivered. The 911 was a known entity for many by this point in time, but the new Turbo model behaved differently, and many unsuspecting drivers who were maybe expecting more of the same were taken by surprise. Subsequent crashes and fatalities soon saw the 930 earn its infamous title, and throughout the years, "Widowmaker" is a name that's stuck by its side.

To first understand why specifically the 930 humbles inexperienced drivers so easily, it's important to first look at the 911 as a whole. It's rear-engined and rear-wheel drive, which means that there's a lot of weight over the back. In fact, the 930 and other models of this era had a 40/60 front/rear weight distribution. Naturally, it would prove quite easy to swing the back out of a car with that sort of ratio.

That's all well and good when you're expecting it, and the linear power delivery of a naturally aspirated car is far easier to second-guess than that of a boosted car of the late '70s and '80s. The 930, on the other hand, would come onto boost suddenly, and that extra bulk of power would swing the back out when lesser drivers were not quite expecting it. Such an event would occasionally result in an ungraceful meeting with the gravel trap, barrier, or worse.

Add in the fact that the 930 sported a relatively short wheelbase and a low curb weight, and throw in some adverse weather or unstable roads. This gives you a recipe for disaster with an inexperienced driver behind the wheel. 50 years later, Porsche has perfected the Turbo formula with its 911, and the prospect of a boosted sports car is now far less daunting, so the Widowmaker nickname at least doesn't transcend to later generations.

Should you wish to add the infamous Widowmaker into your collection, you'll have to dig pretty deeply into your pockets, just as you would have to for a brand-new model. The 930 is one of those '80s cars with skyrocketing value in recent years. According to recent auction results logged by Classic, the average price paid for an early 930 is just north of $220,000, whereas a brand-new model kicks off at $270,300 in Turbo S guise (prior to dealer and destination costs).

There is another option, too, in which you can acquire the style and character of Porsche's original Turbo but with the more approachable performance of a newer model. That would be Singer's tribute to the 930 Turbo. Known as the Turbo Study, it's a 964-based car powered by a 3.8-liter Mezger flat-six. That engine is coupled to 992-era Borg-Warner turbochargers and has the ability to crank out north of 500 horsepower. It's also rear-wheel drive, which comes courtesy of a six-speed manual transmission. The cost? Around a million bucks. It's a fair chunk of change, but if budget isn't an issue and you're after what's arguably the ultimate iteration of the iconic 930 — without the widow-making tendencies — Singer will make you exactly what you're asking for.