Singer launches Porsche 911 Turbo restomod with 444bhp
Singer has managed to extract that performance while maintaining the Porsche 911 engine’s original air-cooled layout
California-based Porsche 911 specialist Singer has revealed a new ‘restomod’ version of the Porsche Type 964 Turbo which, just in case you’re not a complete Porsche anorak, is the internal codename for 911 Turbo models built between 1989 and 1993.
Singer’s version of the 964-generation Porsche 911 Turbo is the product of an extensive prototyping and market research project the brand calls the “Turbo Study” – and it’s the first time Singer has ever built a road-going turbocharged 911.
Like the original car, it’s powered by an air-cooled flat-six petrol engine, although Singer has increased its displacement from 3.6-litres to 3.8-litres. The engine receives a new pair of turbochargers, modern electric wastegates and a new water-to-air intercooler system – all of which means the engine can now reliably produce 444bhp.
For comparison, the 3.6-litre 964 911 Turbo produced 355bhp when it left the factory, and it’s worth noting that Singer has nailed down all of that extra horsepower while maintaining the engine’s traditional air-cooled design. Another point worth considering is that the 444bhp engine is the entry-point to the range. If a buyer wants even more power, Singer will oblige.
The engine in this particular Singer 911 Turbo - this blue car the first customer order - sends its power to the rear wheels via a new six-speed manual gearbox. The chassis has also been modernised with the addition of carbon ceramic brakes and a new suspension system, tuned for long distance cruising as per customer demand.
And, while that body shell looks like it belongs to an original 964, (albeit with some extra vents, a slightly different rear wing and a new front valance), it doesn’t. It’s a completely new carbon fibre reproduction which not only shaves down the car’s kerb weight, but it also improves its torsional rigidity.
The cabin gets the same lavish treatment, featuring cream leather upholstery, wooden dashboard trim and Singer’s trademark five-clock instrument cluster. There are also a few modern creature comforts, such as a smartphone mount in the centre console, electrically adjustable and heated sports seats and a new air conditioning system.
All of this equipment can be changed according to the buyer’s taste, though. Some of the more common options outlined by the company include a noisier sports exhaust system, stiffer suspension, traction control, ABS and cruise control. Singer will even go as far to fit the car with four-wheel-drive, despite the fact that the 964-generation 911 was never offered with this from the factory.
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