Tuesday 14th November 2017

Singer and Williams unveil 500hp 964

75 further cars to be 'reimagined' in UK under the partnership

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Last summer we brought you word that Singer had partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering - and Hans Mezger - to produce this, a modern take on the 911's air-cooled flat-six. It used titanium and magnesium for the majority of its components including the four camshafts, four-valve cylinder heads and con-rods, it's also got dual oil circuits and a carbon fibre air box. The original 3.6-litres had been bored out to 4.0, output was up from 247hp to 500hp, and it had a rev limit the right side of nine thousand. Nine thousand!

Spec might be sexier still...

Well, now that engine has a car to go in, and what a car it is. Again the result of the Singer-Williams relationship, the body has been designed in collaboration with Norbert Singer - no relation to the 're-imaginers', but rather the architect of many a Porsche Le Mans victory - using computational fluid dynamics.

The body and chassis also make extensive use of carbon fibre, titanium, magnesium and aluminum, resulting in a dry weight of less than 990kg. With a lightweight suspension system, rear window inlets accommodating the engine's carbon fibre intakes, and a trick roof which channels air onto the ducktail spoiler, the outcome should be one of the greatest 911s ever built. To that end - and in keeping with the assumed price tag - only the finest suppliers have been used for everything else. There are bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, 18-inch BBS forged magnesium centre-locking wheels, lightweight Brembo brake calipers with carbon composite discs, custom dampers by EXE-TC, and a Hewland magnesium six-speed transmission. Oh, and development driving duties are being seen to by Marino Franchitti, and some chap called Chris Harris. We wondered what he'd been up to...

This particular Absinthe and Blood-Orange car is the first of the run, the result of Porsche collector Scott Blattner enquiring as to just how far Singer's imagination could stretch. Pretty far, it seems. There are plans to produce up to 75 more examples, all of which will be built at a dedicated facility known as 'Singer at Grove' on the Williams campus in Oxfordshire. Another British engineering success story, it seems.

[gwc1997]

Those exhaust tips are awful...the rest of it is gorgeous

[Magic919]

Must be the third thread on this.

[hoagypubdog]

Work of Art !!

[numtumfutunch]

This is a sign - I have just bought a Euromillions ticket

[Roundm]

Wibble!

[monzaxjr]

gwc1997 said:

Those exhaust tips are awful...the rest of it is gorgeous

I agree the tips are horrible. Also exposed carbon on a car that's supposed to evoke the spirit of 70's Porsches looks so out of place. Ruins it for me as the rest is stunning.

[Ruskins]

I really hate the interior colour and the design of the seats but the rest is gorgeous!

[j90gta]

I wonder what Porsche actually think of it.

[Leggy]

That is a thing of beauty even in that colour.
Nothing Porsche make now holds a candle to that.

[Uppercut]

Carbon fibre and chrome? Would have to be one or the other for me. I don't think they gel together.

[chazwozza]

Oh man. Love it or hate it, and i'm very much the former, the attention to detail is exquisite.
Does anyone do similar for bikes??

[Richard A]

It's a very impressive achievement. I'm glad the proper 911 (993 basis?) is getting this kind of attention, even if this sort of detailing is a tad fetishistic for me. Probably a car with all the Singer underpinnings but the outward appearance of a workaday late 60s/early 70s car would suit me. There's something mature yet slightly rebellious adult about that era of 911.

[mattwhite709]

My god this is stunning absoloute perfection. All my organs are fully functional and up for sale.

[shirt]

fetishistic is a good description, the detailing and workmanship is simply obscene.

ultra want, ultra cannot afford

[ChawenHalo]

Singer have finally made a caricature of the 911. That's one step too far IMO. Wish they would have saved the engine and all the effort for some LM recreation by Singer, would have been cool!

[loose cannon]

Is there really a need for 2 threads on the same car

[chillin18]

This is right there with a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing & a Ferrari 250 SWB - beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this presses all the right buttons for me.

A car that that looks perfect from every angle and with those performance figure and weights it's going to be one HELLUVA machine

[DPSFleet]

Simply the best car in the world............990kgs how do they do it? Must go and see how I can remove some more weight from mine......

[Gandahar]

Something for the weekend Sir? PH nail it with two highly desirable cars, both are epic for what we love about cars.....



And the Exige is Expensive ( the new Lotus Expensive, they always name their cars starting with E .. sniffpetrol do not pinch this idea!) but the Singer must be 4x as much.

Actually what is the cost? Place your bets....

I'm guessing $420 000.

Note that it is in same colour as one of Chris Harris' old 911's with same exotic suspension. So I think that input there is seen. We need a test drive, no not Harris, he will be biased. Bovingdon and Meaden will be fine ....

[D200]

Wow - Possibly the nicest looking car ever made.

Definitely up there anyway

Dunno how it will drive though? Zero ground clearance and must be stiff as a board

No mention of price so probably will make the ~£700k GT2RS look like the bargain of the century