Ateliers Diva 911 announced with 400hp

This French restomod drapes classic lines over a 964 shell and modern hardware - sound familiar?

By Sam Sheehan / Friday, 26 July 2019 / Loading comments

If you're of the world where custom-built, restomoddedd 911s are on the shopping list, this new Ateliers Diva-created Porsche is one that really ought to have your attention. The French firm has taken a 964 and reskinned it in a full, classic 911 carbon body, before giving it a motorsport-derived motor and 21st century trimmings to make something that fuses retro and modern. After all, the idea has proved pretty popular already...

Offered in Coupe, Targa and Safari forms, the Ateliers Diva 911 wears prepreg-formed carbon panels that extend on the 964's width by 30 millimetres, something engineers had to do to fit all the new hardware within a classic 911 shape. The biggest of those new bits is a 4.2-litre flat-six, based on a racing motor but retuned for road use to offer 400hp. The car weighs just 1,100kg, so that gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 364hp per tonne, 19hp better than a 991 Turbo S.

There's also a custom exhaust, so expect some lovely boxer six noises from the rear, while the car sits squat on new suspension offered in a variety of settings to suit a buyer's requests. Ateliers Diva has also developed new shock-absorbing bumpers, front indicator units with integrated intake grilles that feature no visible screws, and an equally seamless rear bumper and light combo. The coupe also has no gutters and the Safari comes with a leather belt on its exterior, presumably on the bonnet.

Inside, the retrim can be tailored to each customer's tastes, but the general layout and design is that of a classic 911 rather than the 964. The demonstration car gets a lovely mix of mahogany and tan leather, as well as a birchwood gearknob as a nod to the iconic 917's shifter. There are also electrically adjustable seats and modern audio hardware integrated into the classic's cabin, injecting modernity to an otherwise traditional environment.

It's all rather lovely, as the best restomod 911s so often are. There's no word on pricing but with only 75 cars being made, 25 for each body style, don't expect to haggle a bargain. The build process takes 12 months, so if you order now, you could have yours for summer 2020.