Cosworth explains 'very special' Singer flat-six

There's a limit to what you can do with Porsche's M64 motor; Singer asked Cosworth to help it get there

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 19 May 2026 / Loading comments

When Singer launched the Carrera Coupe and Cabriolet this time last year, its mission statement - celebrating the ‘80s Super Sport models - suggested that the firm would need to take its naturally aspirated engine (based on the M64) to a place it had not previously been. “At the heart of the car, we wanted a remarkable flat-six, with optimized throttle response, the reward of thrilling horsepower at high revs, and prodigious torque throughout the rev range for maximum real-world driver engagement,” said Rob Dickinson.

It told us the engine would receive numerous enhancements in order for it to deliver 420hp at 8,000rpm, and that it had partnered with Cosworth to make it all happen. Well, courtesy of a new video presented by Singer’s Chief Test Driver, Marino Franchitti and Cosworth MD, Bruce Wood, we get some meat on those bones. An improbable amount, in fact, courtesy of the 28-minute runtime - but we’re certainly not complaining, not when it’s a work of art under discussion.

Singer, you’ll hardly need reminding, has been continuously optimising the basic M64 since day one, and (with the introduction of the DLS Turbo) had already introduced a four-valve cylinder head. But its new 4.0-litre Carrera engine adds variable valve timing to help even out the torque curve, and is the first naturally aspirated unit to combine its water-cooled cylinder heads with air-cooled cylinders.

Cosworth, as Wood makes clear, received this ball and ran with it in several directions. This includes incorporating the ultra-low-friction coatings used in motorsport and machining all manner of high-end solutions, not least the combustion chambers - all while adhering to Singer’s aesthetic requirements. It’s quite the trip, one that ends (as you’d hope) on a dyno. Sadly, all the Coupes are now spoken for, though apparently there is still ‘limited availability’ on the Cabrios. When it sounds this good, how could anyone resist?