1985 | Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 Flachbau

• Delivered new to 4-time Indy 500 champion Rick Mears
• One of only 5 cars commissioned through Bruce Canepa
• Factory-built Porsche-Sonderwunsch example

In the mid 1980s, Porsche Sonderwunsch represented the brand at its most exclusive and uncompromising. This factory programme was reserved for clients whose expectations extended far beyond the standard catalogue. Cars built through Sonderwunsch were not styling exercises or dealer conversions, but fully engineered, factory-approved creations, produced in extremely small numbers and never promoted to the public. Each car was individually specified, executed and warranted by Porsche itself. The Flachbau Slantnose, inspired directly by the legendary 935 race cars, was one of the most complex and coveted Sonderwunsch conversions and could only be ordered through this programme. When combined with the Turbo S Leistungssteigerung, based on the 930/66 S engine family delivering approximately 330 hp, the result was a specification of exceptional rarity. This configuration demanded extensive re-engineering, including bespoke bodywork, additional oil-cooling systems and the distinctive quad-exhaust layout. Only a very small number of 930s left Zuffenhausen with both full Flachbau bodywork and Turbo S power, executed together under a single Sonderwunsch build order. These cars represent Porsche at its most ambitious and today stand among the rarest and most desirable air-cooled Turbos ever produced.

Our 1985 Porsche 911 Turbo S Slantnose is a genuine factory-built Flachbau, completed through the Porsche Sonderwunsch programme and specified from new with the full Turbo S Leistungssteigerung. It is one of the most comprehensively optioned 930s of its era, combining the complete Flachbau conversion with the 330 hp Turbo S power kit. Factory documentation confirms delivery in Guards Red (G1) as a RoW-market Turbo, later legally federalised for the United States. Power is provided by the 3.3-litre turbocharged flat-six of the Turbo S engine family, designated engine type 930/66 S, rated at 330 hp. The engine features the correct Turbo S hardware, including the four-pipe exhaust system, uprated turbocharger and enhanced oil-cooling architecture. A clearly visible “66 S” marking on the engine crankcase further confirms its Turbo S classification.

The Sonderwunsch body specification is extensive and fully consistent with period Porsche Exclusive data. The car is equipped with SOW 010, the factory Flachbau conversion with pop-up headlights and a GFK front spoiler incorporating a central oil-cooler opening; SOW 011, the extended Turbo side sills; SOW 012, the rear wheel-arch cooling ducts integrated into the steel rear quarters; and SOW 013, the Radhausentlüftung ventilation outlets ahead of the front wheels. The Turbo S Leistungssteigerung is supported by the required additional oil-cooling systems as defined under SOW 021 and SOW 022, along with the modified rear lower valance necessary for the quad-exhaust configuration. Inside, the car retains its original Porsche Sonderwunsch interior specification, finished in full leather across the dashboard, centre tunnel, centre console, door cards and rear quarters. Period details are beautifully preserved, including the Italvolanti three-spoke steering wheel with horn buttons on each spoke and a thick, double-stitched leather horn pad, the drop-down cassette storage trays beneath the dashboard, bespoke walnut veneer fascia panels, additional boost and auxiliary gauges integrated into the centre console, and a neatly trimmed leather headlining. The car was delivered new to the United States and registered in Florida, where it was owned by Rick Mears, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, through Rick Mears Inc. in Jupiter, Florida, as confirmed by period US title and registration documents. It was later shown at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion before returning to Europe around 2014.

Since its return, the car has been carefully maintained and documented in Belgium, with servicing carried out by well-regarded Porsche specialists. The accompanying documentation is comprehensive and includes Porsche factory records, Sonderwunsch and Exclusive literature matching the car’s specification, US import and homologation files, Florida title history, European service invoices, BBS wheel documentation and exhibition material.

Today, this Porsche presents as a perfectly specified, factory-built 930 Turbo S Slantnose, combining one of the most desirable Sonderwunsch configurations with the full 330 hp Turbo S power package, exceptional provenance and a strong documentation file. It stands as a reference example for collectors seeking an authentic, high-specification Sonderwunsch 930 with confirmed history.