2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911; the most iconic of iconic sports cars ever to fleshed out of sheet metal, aluminum or carbon fiber. So it only seemed fitting that Porsche-fanatic extraordinaire and self crowned King of the Hoons, Sir Christopher Harris, would seek out the ultimate Porsche 911 to kick off 365 days of celebration.
This ultimate Porsche 911 is built by a couple of Porsche geeks in California working under the name Singer. In 2009 they set out to create the perfect Porsche 911, and pretty much everyone in the auto industry is in agreement that they nailed it. So what makes their 911s so special? Try this for an analogy: Singer is to 911s as a master saucier in a three star Michelin restaurant is to the head chef. The small Los Angeles based team have taken the Porsche 911 philosoph- slow and continuous evolution over 50 years- and reduced it to motoring perfection.
Yes this 911, and not the Carrera RS 2.7, or the 997 GT3 930 Turbo, 993 Turbo S or 911 ST come close to what the Singer 911 is. Why? because it combines every cool 911 styling cue,with the great driving characteristics of epic early cars, together with all the modern comforts that spoiled and modern drivers have come to expect from their pampered driving experiences. It’s luxurious but raw. Unapologetic yet incredibly accommodating to the owner’s bespoke tastes. It is a hairy chested beast of a machine that retains the feminine curves of the 911 adorning them with jewels sourced from motorsports.
Singer, over the course of what sounds like hundreds of thousands of man hours, has researched and developed the perfect 911.The end result: the best looks, the best wheels, the best brakes, the best suspension, the best crankshaft, the best seats, the best transmission, the best HVAC unit and of course best sound. Oh, that magnificent sound!
The typical finished Singer product weighs in at around 2,400 lbs, depending on the spec, with its 3.8 liter flat-six hanging off the rear axle. That 3.8 liter is still aircooled, but has been massaged by master engine builders at Cosworth. Thanks to a 997 GT3 crankshaft, new pistons and rods, the unit produces a healthy 380 horsepower (that’s a magical 100 horsepower per liter) and revs like mad to about 8,000 RPM. That combined with lightweight gives the Singer 911 a power to weight ratio greater than a Lamborghini Gallardo.
Pretty amazing especially when you consider this is a car that drives as viscerally as the classic 911s it draws inspiration from. Granted to be able to own one of Singer’s 911 creations you have to be prepared to spend at least $300,000 (considerably more than a Gallardo). It’s not chump change especially when you consider that the real cost is probably closer to $500,000 once you’re done obsessing over options with the sales team.
Which isn’t bad. Comparable levels of OCD from geniuses like Horacio Pagani cost over $1,000,000. On the other side of the spectrum, the latest and greatest Ferrari 458 Spider or Mclaren MP4-12C are only marginally faster than the Singer 911, but nowhere near as cool or as fascinating. Drive this to a dinner party, school play, or business function and the word douchebag will be the last that comes to anyone’s. Same cannot be said for most other car in this price range.
Just look at this, those are modern Porsche brakes hidden behind powedercoated 17 inch Fuchs wheels. No one had the balls to think up , or the ability to execute, this combination before Singer came along. This is heaven for Porschephiles.
If you haven’t noticed we truly are fans of Singer, and other tuners (big and small) who are applying the resto-mod philosophy to classic sports cars like the Porsche 911. At the heart of that movement is something that resonates deeply with us here at Mannish-Boy.The notion of taking an already great idea, or product like the Porsche 911, stripping it down to its essential elements, strengthening and improving those fundamentals and then dressing it back up with the latest and greatest in design and technology, is minimalism at it’s finest. It’s art, it’s remixing, and it’s ultra-modern.
Enough talk, here’s some porn:
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Photo Credit: Singer Vehicle Design
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