Retro cars from Bulgaria

Here are some retro cars from Bulgaria

 

Porsche 959

Porsche 959 is said to be the first serial car with top speed more than 300 km/h.There had never been anything like the 959 – an everyday sports car with a top speed of 315 km/h, costing 420,000 DM, and packed with technology. The roof, the wings and the back of the bodywork were made of Kevlar. The front skirt was polyurethane and the bonnet and doors were made of aluminium.
Under its outer skin the 959 throbbed with the finest technology. The all-wheel drive was on all the time but depending on the preloaded driving program, different amounts of torque were applied to the front and rear axles. The driver could choose any one of four programs depending on the road quality: dry, wet, ice and traction, the latter of which settings would enable the Porsche to extricate itself from off-road difficulties.

The technical highlights also included three possible settings for shock absorber recognition along with automatic speed-dependant shock absorption correction. A ride-height controller enabled the driver to raise the 959 body for driving over uneven terrain and lower it for motorway driving. To enable drivers to brake the 959 safely at any speed, a special anti-lock system was fitted which controlled each wheel individually.
Depressing the accelerator was guaranteed to put a smile on the face of the 959 driver. The rear-mounted six-cylinder, 2848 ccm engine with water-cooled cylinder heads produced 450 HP thanks to two turbochargers and intercoolers. These combined to catapult the car forward with a barely credible vehemence. ”It reached 100 km/h after just 3.7 seconds” according to the calculations of auto motor und sport and that put the 959 into a class of its own.
Only a very few came to enjoy its qualities, however: 113 exemplars were delivered in 1987 and another 179 in 1988. The sports package offered was very rarely requested. Nearly all buyers preferred to enjoy their 959 on the roads.
Technical Specifications
Engine: six cylinder Boxer, water-cooled cylinder heads, two upper camshafts on each side, four valves per cylinder, two turbochargers with intercoolers
Power: 450 HP (330 kW) at 6500/min
Displacement: 2884 ccm
Fuel system: Bosch Motronic with pressure gauge, tank capacity 85 litres
Transmission: six speed gearbox
Chassis: self supporting plastic and alloy bodywork, independent suspension front and rear on double transverse links, coil springs, variable telescopic shock absorbers and stabilisers
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,272 mm
length: 4,260 mm
width: 1,840 mm
height: 1,280 mm

weight: 1,450 kg
Performance: 315 km/h

1960`s 911

The 911 was premiered at the IAA in Frankfurt in 1963 as the Porsche 901. But a French car company claimed copyright over the use of all model numbers with zero in the middle. Porsche therefore renamed the 901 the 911 – that three figure number which still raises the heartbeat of every sports car fan.

Porsche had been working on the shape of the bodywork for the 911 as early as the fifties, in the days when the 356 was still the marque’s crowd puller. The prototype mutated over time to a four-seater but was not approved by Ferry Porsche. The final shape was the work of Porsche’s son Ferdinand Alexander.

It was decided from the start that the successor to the 356 should also have a rear engine. The choice fell to the six-cylinder Boxer engine with axial fan and – due to the greater speed reserves – an upper camshaft on each side. The camshaft was driven via chains after vertical shafts and toothed belts were disregarded. The 356 frame and chassis were replaced by new designs. The result was a car about which Ferry Porsche later said: ”The 911 stamped the unmistakable character of the Porsche sports car”.
Technical Specifications
Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side
Power: 130 HP (96 kW) at 6,100/min
Displacement: 1991 ccm
Fuel system: two Solex downdraft carburettors,
tank capacity 62 litres
Transmission: five speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links and damper struts, longitudinal torsion bars, rear independent suspension on lateral links and transverse torsion bars
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,211 mm
length: 4,163 mm
width: 1,610 mm
height: 1,320 mm

weight: 1,080 kg
Performance: 210 km/h

1972 Carrera RS

1972 Porsche Carrera RS


The Porsche Carrera RS 2.7 celebrated its premier at the Paris Salon in October 1972. It was developed to meet Porsche’s need for a competitive motor sport vehicle. For inclusion into group 4, the vehicle had to be one of a run of 500 and, of course, sold, which appeared to be a problem to the Porsche sales experts of the period. Who wanted to buy a car like the Carrera RS which had been rigorously designed to an optimal performance weight?

In fact things turned out very differently. The demand was so great that the planned 500 exemplars had been sold by November 1972 and Porsche had to produce a second run. In the end they made 1580 exemplars, which actually allowed homologation into group 3. Nevertheless, not all models left the factory in the lightweight version, most customers chose the touring package which was fitted out like the 911 S.

The signature of the Carrera was its rear spoiler, popularly renamed Enten-Bürzel (duck’s tail), and which, in combination with the front spoiler, significantly improved the handling. The Carrera set the trend for aerodynamic driving aids.
Technical Specifications
Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side
Power: 210 HP (154 kW) at 6300/min
Displacement: 2687 ccm
Fuel system: mechanic injectors, tank capacity 85 litres
Transmission: five speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links and damper struts, longitudinal torsion bars, stabilisers, rear independent suspension on lateral links and transverse torsion bars
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,271 mm
length: 4,102 mm
width: 1,652 mm
height: 1,320 mm

weight: 960 kg
Performance: 245 km/h

1978 Porsche turbo 3.3 (930)

1978 Porsche Turbo 3.3


The model year 1978 brought a technical refit for the turbo. Extensive modifications were carried out to the engine, whose capacity was bumped up to 3.3 litres and the installation of an intercooler pushed the previous 260 HP up to the magic figure of 300.

Changes were also made to the clutch and the gearbox whose fourth gear ratio was now lengthened since the new turbo reached a maximum speed of 260 km/h.

To better control its temperament a new brake system with four-piston brake callipers from the Porsche 917 was introduced. The brake discs were internally air cooled and perforated.
The turbo 3.3, with a much larger rear spoiler, was therefore optimally equipped and the Porsche boss Prof. Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann described it as ”a technical miracle, which on the one hand is able to glide unhurriedly through the busiest city traffic, and on the other is designed to power along at racing tempo”.
Technical Specifications
Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side, turbocharger with intercooler
Power: 300 HP (221 kW) at 5500/min
Displacement: 3299 ccm
Fuel system: K-Jetronic, tank capacity 80 litres
Transmission: four speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links, damper struts, stabilisers, longitudinal torsion bars, rear independent suspension on lateral links and transverse torsion bars, stabilisers.
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,272 mm
length: 4,291 mm
width: 1,775 mm
height: 1,310 mm

weight: 1,300 kg
Performance: 260 km/h

1974 porsche 911 (930) turbo

1974 Porsche 911 Turbo is the first Porsche turbo car.

The story of how the car came about is similar to that of the Carerra RS. ”We wanted to have a good basic car for motor racing”, recalls the then Project Manager at Porsche, Wolfgang Berger. First we looked at producing a car that was as lightweight as possible and which had a turbo charger boosted engine. Porsche had actually already gained experience with turbochargers in motor racing. The engineers began experimenting with the 2.7 litre engine but a three-litre variant proved to be the more harmonious solution.
The first fruit of their efforts was the Porsche Carrera turbo, which was presented at the IAA in Frankfurt in 1973. Then the motor sport regulations changed and it was no longer necessary to homologise a lightweight version because the planned sports car would shift into the group with a minimum weight of 1120 kilograms. A thoroughly luxuriously fitted Porsche turbo therefore celebrated its premier at the Paris Salon in 1974 – with the number 930 as its own type code and signifying internally a separate identity to the 911.
Technical Specifications
Engine: six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side, turbocharger
Power: 260 HP (191 kW) at 5500/min
Displacement: 2993 ccm
Fuel system: K-Jetronic, tank capacity 80 litres
Transmission: four speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links, damper struts, stabilisers, longitudinal torsion bars, rear independent suspension on lateral links and transverse torsion bars, stabilisers
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,272 mm
length: 4,291 mm
width: 1,775 mm
height: 1,320 mm

weight: 1,195 kg
Performance: 250 km/h

Porsche 914

1971 VW-Porsche 914 and 914/6
Media Gallery

With relatively few changes the VW-Porsche rolled into its second model year in the singularly loud colours of the period including, for instance, lemon yellow and signal orange. The beloved 914/4 S-package now cost 745 DM and came with chrome bumpers, a black imitation leather Targa bar, chrome door sills and wheel arches, a headlight flasher combined with halogen headlights and two-tone horn. A new addition was the leather steering wheel. Optional accessories included 5.5 inch wheels with 165 tyres, safety belts and, as previously, the original extra cushions to turn the car into a three seater.

Fitted as standard were a clothes hook on the passenger side and a windscreen washer system whose reservoir, like the VW Beetle, was powered via a hose by the compressed air from the spare wheel. Otherwise the edges of the recess for the number plate in the rear bumper were somewhat more rounded. And a cosmetic mirror was fitted to the sunshield that year to save passengers from constantly having to twist round the interior mirror to refresh their lipstick.

From May onwards the M471 package was available for the 914/6, which transformed the appearance of the car into that of a racing GT. The package included wing extensions, six-inch wheels, fibreglass sills and a front spoiler. As before, the high price was a point of contention because the 914 was competing with vehicles of a higher class, which detracted from its appeal ”despite the flawless road holding, the excellent build quality, the high level of comfort and its uniqueness”, as the British Car magazine noted with regret.
Technical Specifications
Engine: VW-Porsche 914
four-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, central camshaft

VW-Porsche 914/6
six-cylinder Boxer, air-cooled, one upper camshaft each side
Power: VW-Porsche 914, 80 HP (59 kW) at 4900/min

VW-Porsche 914/6, 110 HP (81 kW) at 5800/min
Displacement: VW-Porsche 914, 1679 ccm

VW-Porsche 914/6, 1991 ccm
Fuel system: VW-Porsche 914
electronic petrol injection, tank capacity 62 litres

VW-Porsche 914/6
two Weber downdraft carburettors, tank capacity 62 litres
Transmission: five speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on transverse links and damper struts, longitudinal torsion bars, rear independent suspension on lateral links and coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Dimensions and weight: VW-Porsche 914
wheel base: 2,450 mm
length: 3,985 mm
width: 1,650 mm
height: 1,230 mm

weight: 950 kg

VW-Porsche 914/6
wheel base: 2,450 mm
length: 3,985 mm
width: 1,650 mm
height: 1,240 mm

weight: 980 kg
Performance: VW-Porsche 914
177 km/h

VW-Porsche 914/6
201 km/h

Porsche 928

By the start of the 70s Porsche had begun to develop a completely new model which was to be fundamentally different to the previous Porsche. The engine was moved to the front and was water-cooled. The trans-axle construction with front-mounted engine and gearbox behind provided a better axle load distribution.
The propulsion was provided by an eight-cylinder alloy V engine with 4.5 litres capacity. The drive train also included a two-disc clutch, a fixed tube between engine and the five-speed gearbox and a fast-running shaft connecting the clutch to the gearbox. A fully automatic gearbox was available on request.

The engineers spent much effort on developing the drive gear. One result of their efforts was a special rear axle which went down in history as the Weissach axle and was designed to compensate for toe-in changes occurring on the drive gear.

The 928, whose bodywork was developed with future safety regulations in mind, was seen as an easy-to-master luxurious and supremely good sports tourer and it was a bold decision to plan and realise this sports car in the teeth of the prevailing energy crisis.
Technical Specifications
Engine: V-eight cylinder engine, water cooled, one upper camshaft per cylinder series
Power: 240 HP (177 kW) at 5500/min
Displacement: 4474 ccm
Fuel system: K-Jetronic, tank capacity 86 litres
Transmission: five speed gearbox
Chassis: self-supporting bodywork with front independent suspension on double transverse links, coil springs, hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, stabilisers, rear independent suspension on upper and lower transverse links, control vibration on lower control arms for compensation of track changes, coil springs, hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, stabilisers
Dimensions and weight: wheel base: 2,500 mm
length: 4,447 mm
width: 1,836 mm
height: 1,313 mm

weight: 1,450 kg

Porsche 944 turbo

1988 Porsche 944, 944 S, 944 Turbo and Turbo S
Media Gallery

The 944 range started the 1988 model year with a broader range of equipment fitted as standard. In the standard 944 model, this included power steering, central locking, electric windows, a rear window wiper and a stabiliser on the rear axle. The 2.5-litre engine had an output of 160 bhp both with and without a catalytic converter.

The 944 S also enjoyed this extra standard equipment which made it even more appealing and led Car & Driver to make the following comment: “If you are looking for a rolling definition of a modern sports car, all you have to do is test the 944 S.” The fact that this car was not only sporty, but also robust and practical, had just been demonstrated by Austrian Gerhard Plattner with his Luna 944 Mission which ended in September 1987. He took a 1987 944 S and drove a total of 384 405 kilometres over nine months; equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the moon. According to a request from Porsche Head of Development Helmuth Bott, he then continued to drive and reached a total of half a million kilometres by the end of 1987. Of course, this achievement was a brilliant sales argument in favour of the 1988 model, which also had a special series waiting in the wings which proved to be very much in demand.

The Turbo S was added to the 944 range from November 1987, based on the versions used in the Porsche Turbo Cup. With a sports chassis, the big brakes with four-piston aluminium callipers taken from the 928 S4 on the front axles, a reinforced transmission with an external oil cooler and an engine tweaked to give 250 bhp, coupled with an enormous 350 Nm of torque, this was an uncompromising car which did not skimp on its luxury appointments. “Astonishing temperament and superb response, plenty of torque on tap and a spontaneity amazing for a turbo engine”, stated auto motor und sport appreciatively of the driving performance. Car & Driver even applauded: “If you can afford one of these without having to cut back on what you spend on food, clothes or your home, call your bank right now.”
Technical Specifications
Engine: Porsche 944:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, water-cooled, one overhead camshaft

Porsche 944 S:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, water-cooled, two overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder

Porsche 944 Turbo and Turbo S:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, water-cooled, one overhead camshaft, turbocharged
Power: Porsche 944: 160 bhp (118 kW) at 5800 rpm

Porsche 944 S: 190 bhp (140 kW) at 6000 rpm

Porsche 944 Turbo: 220 bhp (162 kW) at 5800 rpm

Porsche 944 Turbo S: 250 bhp (184 kW) at 6000 rpm
Displacement: Porsche 944, 944 S, 944 Turbo, 944 Turbo S: 2479 ccm
Fuel system: Porsche 944, 944 S, 944 Turbo, 944 Turbo S:
DME with idle compensation device, tank capacity 80 litres
Transmission:

Porsche 944, 944 S, 944 Turbo, 944 Turbo S
Five-speed gearbox
Chassis: Porsche 944, 944 S, 944 Turbo, 944 Turbo S:
Integral body frame with independent front wheel suspension with wishbones and suspension struts, stabilisers and longitudinal torsion spring bars, and independent rear wheel suspension with diagonal control arms and transverse torsion bar springs, stabilisers if so required, telescopic shock absorbers
Dimensions and weight: Porsche 944:
Wheelbase: 2400 mm
Length: 4200 mm
Width: 1735 mm
Height: 1275 mm

Weight: 1260 kg

Porsche 944 S:
Wheelbase: 2400 mm
Length: 4200 mm
Width: 1735 mm
Height: 1275 mm

Weight: 1280 kg

Porsche 944 Turbo:
Wheelbase: 2400 mm
Length: 4230 mm
Width: 1735 mm
Height: 1275 mm

Weight: 1280 kg

Porsche 944 Turbo S:
Wheelbase: 2400 mm
Length: 4230 mm
Width: 1735 mm
Height: 1275 mm

Weight: 1400 kg

Porsche 944 `82

The 944, available from the spring of 1982, quickly captured the hearts of a large community of enthusiasts. “At the heart of the 944 is a sensationally smooth-running, civilised engine whose economy will bring tears to the eyes of oil moguls,” emphasised Motor magazine in a test report. The alloy four-cylinder engine with DME (Digital Motor Electronics), electronic injection and an overrun fuel cut-off device were some of the modifications made for the model year. “No less impressive than the running smoothness of this big 944, however, is its power,” emphasised magazine auto motor und sport, referring in particular to the car’s torque. Others thought the same. “The engine is one of those ones that forgives you when you forget to gear down before overtaking,” praised British magazine Autocar with regard to the generous torque: 205 Nm at 3000 rpm.

The 2+2-seater body, which was very polished in aerodynamic terms, was just as perfect as the engine. To complement its rounded wings, 205/55 VR 16 tyres and alloy Fuchs rims were available as optional extras. A removable roof section was also available as an option.

Engine: Four-cylinder in-line engine, water-cooled, one overhead camshaf
Power: 163 bhp (120 kW) at 5800 rpm
Displacement: 2479 ccm
Fuel system: DME with Bosch L Jetronic and TSZ ignition system, tank capacity 66 litres
Transmission: Five-speed gearbox
Chassis: Integral body frame with independent front wheel suspension with wishbones and suspension struts, stabilisers and longitudinal torsion spring bars, and independent rear wheel suspension with diagonal control arms and transverse torsion bar springs, stabilisers if so required, telescopic shock absorbers
Dimensions and weight: Wheelbase: 2400 mm
Length: 4200 mm
Width: 1735 mm
Height: 1275 mm

Weight: 1180 kg
Performance: 220 km/h