It was 1998. The world was changing. Bill Clinton was in the news, Titanic was sweeping the Oscars, and over in Stuttgart, a bunch of engineers were quietly crying into their beer because the air-cooled era was ending. The 993 generation was the finale. The swan song. And the 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S was the loudest, fastest, and most expensive note in that entire symphony. If you grew up with a poster of a Guards Red Porsche on your wall, this was likely the one, even if you didn't know the "S" was there.
Honestly, it’s hard to overstate how much of a middle finger this car was to the status quo.
Porsche didn’t just add a wing and call it a day. They took the "standard" 993 Turbo—a car already capable of liquefying your internal organs—and handed it over to the Exclusive department. They wanted more. More boost. More cooling. More carbon fiber. What they ended up with was a 450-horsepower monster that could hit 60 mph in under four seconds. In 1998, that wasn't just fast. It was terrifying. You have to remember that a Ferrari F355 from the same era was making about 375 horses. The Porsche was playing a different game entirely.
What makes the 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S different from a "normal" 993?
Look, people get confused here. They see a 993 Turbo and think they've seen the peak. Not quite.
The "S" stands for Sonderwunsch, or special wishes. You can spot a real one by looking at the rear fenders. See those air scoops? Those aren't just for show. They feed the massive intercooler. Then there’s the "Aerokit II" front spoiler and that distinctively stacked rear wing. It looks aggressive because it had to be. Beneath that yellow or red paint, Porsche bumped the power by using larger KKK K24 turbochargers and a modified engine management system. They also added an extra oil cooler. Because when you're pushing that much heat out of a 3.6-liter flat-six that isn't cooled by water, things get hot. Fast.
Driving one is... an experience. It’s heavy. The clutch feels like a leg press at the gym. But when those twin turbos spool up? Man. It’s like being shot out of a cannon made of leather and German engineering.
There is no lag-free magic here. You wait. You wait a little more. And then the horizon hits you in the face. Unlike modern Porsches that use PDK gearboxes to shift faster than a human can blink, the 1998 model forced you to use a six-speed manual. You had to earn that speed.
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The rarity factor that drives collectors insane
Only 183 of these cars were ever made for the US market. Total worldwide production was roughly 345 units. That’s it.
When you compare that to the thousands of 992s rolling off the line today, you start to understand why the prices have gone absolutely nuclear. Ten years ago, you might have found a high-mileage example for a "reasonable" price. Today? Good luck. We’re talking half a million dollars for a clean one. Some have even touched the $700,000 mark at auctions like RM Sotheby’s or Bring a Trailer. It’s basically a rolling blue-chip stock at this point, but one that smells like high-octane fuel and 90s nostalgia.
Yellow brake calipers and carbon fiber overload
Inside, the 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S was a bit of a weird mix. It was 1998, so Porsche went absolutely ham with carbon fiber. It’s everywhere. The dash, the door sills, the shifter. To some, it looks a bit "period correct" (read: dated), but to a Porsche purist, it’s holy ground.
Then there are the "Big Red" brakes, which were actually painted yellow on the Turbo S to distinguish them. Porsche was obsessed with these little visual cues. They wanted the guy in the lane next to you to know exactly how much you spent. The 4-piston calipers were clamped onto cross-drilled rotors that could bring the car to a dead stop so quickly it would make your eyeballs ache.
The technical bits that actually matter
The engine is a 3.6-liter air-cooled flat-six. It uses an M64/60S engine code.
Wait, why does that matter?
Because that "S" at the end signifies the factory power upgrade.
- Horsepower: 450 hp (US spec was slightly lower at 424 hp due to emissions, but let's be real, most have been tuned back up).
- Torque: 423 lb-ft.
- Top Speed: 184 mph.
- Drivetrain: All-wheel drive (AWD).
That AWD system is actually pretty interesting. It wasn't designed for off-roading, obviously. It was designed to keep the car from spinning into a ditch the second the turbos kicked in. The 911 has always been rear-heavy—the "pendulum effect"—and the Turbo S had enough grunt to turn that pendulum into a wrecking ball if you weren't careful. The AWD system sends about 5% to 40% of the torque to the front wheels depending on what's happening. It makes the car feel remarkably planted, even when you're doing something stupid.
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Why the 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S is the end of the line
Purists will argue about this until they're blue in the face, but 1998 was the end of the "real" 911 for many. After this, Porsche switched to the 996 generation. They went to water-cooled engines. They changed the headlights to those "fried egg" shapes that everyone hated for a decade. The 993 was the last car that felt mechanical.
When you shut the door on a 1998 Turbo S, it sounds like a vault closing. It’s solid. It’s small, too. If you park a 1998 model next to a 2024 Turbo, the old car looks like a toy. But it’s a toy that will bite you. It doesn’t have traction control in the way we think of it now. It doesn't have stability management. It just has you, a steering wheel that vibrates with every pebble on the road, and a very expensive engine screaming behind your head.
The maintenance nightmare (and how to avoid it)
Look, owning a car like this isn't all sunshine and cars-and-coffee meetups. It’s an air-cooled Porsche. It leaks oil. It’s a fact of life. If yours isn't leaking a little bit, it might be empty.
The biggest issue with the 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S is the "secondary air injection" (SAI) ports. They get clogged with carbon. When that happens, your check engine light comes on, and in many states, you won't pass emissions. Fixing it properly involves dropping the engine. That is a $10,000 conversation. Minimum.
You also have to worry about the wiring harnesses. Porsches from this era used some biodegradable materials that, frankly, biodegraded a bit too fast. If you're buying one, you need a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) from a guy who has gray hair and smells like gear oil. Do not take this car to a standard dealership. They won't know what to do with it.
Acknowledging the "Widowmaker" reputation
Is it actually dangerous?
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Sorta. The 930 (the 1970s/80s Turbo) was the true "Widowmaker." By 1998, the 993 was much more civilized. The AWD and the better suspension geometry meant it didn't just snap-oversteer the moment you lifted off the throttle in a corner. But it’s still a short-wheelbase car with a massive amount of power over the rear axle. Physics doesn't care how much you paid for the car. If you treat it with disrespect, it will put you in a hedge.
Real-world value and what to look for
If you're actually in the market for one, God bless you. You're looking at a car that has outperformed the S&P 500 over the last decade. But you have to be careful. Because the Turbo S looks so much like a standard Turbo with an Aerokit, there are "clones" out there.
Check the VIN. Always.
Check the option codes under the hood.
You are looking for code XLC (the power kit) and other S-specific trim codes.
Most of these cars have been tucked away in climate-controlled garages. That’s actually a problem. Cars like to be driven. Seals dry out. Fuel goes bad. A Turbo S with 5,000 miles might actually be in worse mechanical shape than one with 30,000 miles that has been serviced regularly.
Actionable steps for the aspiring owner or enthusiast
If you want to get close to this legend without spending $600k, here’s what you do:
- Join the PCA (Porsche Club of America): Even if you don't own one yet. The forums and local meets are where the "off-market" deals happen. Most Turbo S sales happen privately, not on public sites.
- Study the 993 Turbo first: Understand the base car. The Turbo S is just a 993 Turbo turned up to 11. If you can't live with the quirks of a standard 993, you'll hate the S.
- Visit the Porsche Museum: If you’re ever in Zuffenhausen, they usually have a 993 Turbo S on display. Seeing it in person allows you to appreciate the fender flares and the "Fjord Blue" or "Arena Red" paint in a way photos can't capture.
- Rent one (if you can): There are specialty rental agencies in places like Los Angeles or Miami that occasionally have 993s. It won't be an "S," but a standard Turbo will give you 90% of the feeling.
The 1998 Porsche 911 Turbo S isn't just a car. It’s a timestamp. It represents the exact moment when Porsche stopped being a small, struggling boutique manufacturer and started its journey toward becoming the powerhouse it is today. It was the best they could do with the technology of the time. And honestly? They did a pretty incredible job.
If you ever get the chance to drive one, do it. Just remember to downshift before you hit the apex, and for the love of everything holy, don't lift your foot off the gas in the middle of a turn.
Next steps for you? Start tracking auction results on sites like PCARMARKET or Bring a Trailer to understand the "price spread" between paint colors. Rare colors like Ocean Blue Metallic or Wimbledon Green can add six figures to the price tag instantly. Understanding the paint-to-sample (PTS) history of these cars is the real "pro level" of Porsche collecting. Once you know the colors, you'll know the market.