Image Credit: Audrain Museum Network / YouTube.A Porsche 930 Turbo already has enough character to keep most enthusiasts entertained for life, but Lanzante decided there was room for something far stranger. The British engineering firm created a tiny run of road cars powered by genuine TAG-Porsche Formula 1 engines, and Jay Leno recently got behind the wheel of one through the Audrain Museum Network.The car is known as the 930 TAG Turbo, and its centerpiece is a 1.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 originally developed for McLaren's Formula 1 program during the 1980s. In race trim, versions of the engine could produce extraordinary power, but Lanzante detuned the unit in this road-going Porsche to roughly 500 horsepower.That still makes for an enormous output considering the engine's displacement, especially inside a lightweight 930 chassis. The result is a classic Porsche shape carrying genuine Formula 1 hardware and enough performance to reportedly reach around 200 mph.AdvertisementAdvertisementLeno approached the car with understandable curiosity because removing the traditional flat-six from a 911 normally borders on sacrilege. Once the history behind this unusual combination becomes clear, however, the swap starts making considerably more sense.The Porsche Connection Goes Back To Formula 1Image Credit: Audrain Museum Network / YouTube.The TAG-branded Formula 1 engine was developed by Porsche for McLaren and powered the team during one of its most successful periods. Before the engine was ready for competition, McLaren needed a practical way to test it outside the race car.A Porsche 930 Turbo became part of that development story, with the compact TAG engine installed into the road car for testing. Lanzante later decided to recreate that unusual chapter using surviving period engines that had actually been used in competition.The company acquired a limited batch and had Cosworth inspect and prepare the engines for road duty. Rather than leaving them at their extreme Formula 1 output, the engines were tuned to approximately 500 horsepower to improve reliability and drivability.AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the Audrain Museum Network, Lanzante planned 11 road-going versions along with three more track-focused cars. That scarcity means the 930 TAG Turbo remains a seriously unusual machine even within the already expensive world of heavily reworked classic Porsches.A Formula 1 Engine Changes EverythingImage Credit: Audrain Museum Network / YouTube.Despite producing substantially more power than the original 930, the Formula 1-derived engine is also significantly lighter than Porsche's production flat-six. The conversion required extensive engineering, including a front-mounted radiator because the TAG V6 is water-cooled.That alone makes the setup historically fascinating. Porsche would not switch the production 911 to water cooling until years later, yet this machine effectively combines that concept with an engine designed for Grand Prix racing.The car also retains surprising levels of usability. Air conditioning, electric windows and other creature comforts remain, while the cabin still looks recognizably like a period Porsche rather than a stripped competition special.AdvertisementAdvertisementDrivers can even adjust boost, although the engine demands a little patience before being pushed hard. The car limits revs while warming up, allowing its fluids to reach operating temperature before giving the driver access to its full 8,500-rpm range.Jay Leno Finds A Very Different Kind Of 930Image Credit: Audrain Museum Network / YouTube.On the road, Leno noted that the steering is heavy at lower speeds but becomes lighter and more responsive as the pace increases. He also praised the chassis for feeling stiff without becoming unpleasant or rattly, giving the Porsche the kind of mechanical character expected from a serious performance machine.The engine naturally dominates the experience. Turbo whistle, exhaust noise and the familiar surge of old-school forced induction make the TAG-powered 930 feel dramatically different from a modern turbocharged performance car.Leno ultimately viewed the car as something far more significant than another modified 911. With genuine Formula 1 technology, a direct connection to Porsche and McLaren racing history, and only a handful of examples in existence, the Lanzante 930 TAG Turbo turns one of Porsche's most recognizable shapes into something genuinely extraordinary.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
