Rare 1985 911 Turbo SE Inspires Iconic Heavy Metal Album

By Joel Patel - April 3, 2020

1985 Porsche 911 Turbo SE

**Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton’s Porsche led legendary British band to pen classic 1986 album Turbo.**

Motor vehicles, especially good ones, inspire musicians to make some incredible music, such as this car-obsessed classic, and this one, and this one, too. Back in the mid-1980s, legendary British heavy metal band Judas Priest was working on its 10th studio album and struggling to find inspiration, which is where Porsche came in.

After a trip to Porsche’s factory in Stuttgart, Germany, the band’s lead guitarist, Glenn Tipton, decided to get a 911 of his own and, after speaking with his local dealer in Britain, he decided on a 1985 911 Turbo SE. Tipton even checked the box to take factory delivery of the sports car while the band was touring in Germany.

Tipton and his fellow band members were so impressed with the Porsche that they came out with a new album in 1986 called Turbo. The song “Turbo Lover,” which was one of the band’s greatest hits, was on the album and was in the majority of enthusiasts’ head as it was in Gran Turismo 3.

While Tipton clearly loved the 911 Turbo SE, he didn’t get to drive the vehicle a lot, as the sports car only has 14,100 miles on it.

“I live out in the sticks, and it has to be nice weather to take the Porsche out, so I hardly ever use it,” Tipton tells Motor1. “It’s time for it to go to someone who will get some use of it, but it’s going to be very hard to let it go.”

When it came to letting the sports car go to a good home, Tipton gave the 911 to Silverstone Auctions, which put the vehicle on the block in 2017 for roughly $290,000.

Needless to say, Tipton is a hardcore Porsche enthusiast who took incredible care of the vehicle. The 911 Turbo SE is also a rare beast thanks to its turbocharged 3.3-liter air-cooled that generates 300 horsepower. Opting for the SE model brought sill extensions, special leather interior trim, vented rear-wheel arches, and polished wheel rims to the sports car.

It may be roughly 30 years old, but the 911 Turbo SE is still a head-turner. And for those craving some “Turbo Lover,” crank up the video below!