Theon Design Porsche 911 Restomod is not a backup singer

We’ll have to wait for the day when auto artisans reimagine third-generation Camaros or Fox-bodied Mustangs into perfect six-figure carbon fiber body restorations. Until then, we will have to continue to ponder the 964 generation of the Porsche 911.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why the penultimate air-cooled 911 has become a regular muse for high-end outfits. With no shortage of cars to start with, Porsche sold more than 60,000 units of all variants globally between 1989 and 1994. Interest (and value) was also high enough to find a market for transformative cars. expensive.

The most famous reinventor of the 964 is undoubtedly Singer in California, which has been producing versions that have crossed the line from automotive to automotive art for over a decade. But more and more stores are joining the same space. Last year we told you about an EV . version made by Everrati in the UK, although we struggled to see what the electric powertrain added to the experience.

Now this is another British company, but this one uses an internal combustion engine. Small shop called Theon Designand it gave CD chance to experience a 964 with a partial carbon fiber body just before it reaches the buyer in Chile, hence the name CHI001. Oh, and that customer is a successful blueberry farmer, if you’re wondering why its deep purple color.

Like many similar businesses, Theon Design was born out of a personal passion, in this case the quest of a man named Adam Hawley to create his own perfect 964 while working from 9 to 5 as an automotive designer for major auto companies including Jaguar Landrover. The car was eventually finished to standard, and friends and acquaintances asked him to create something similar for them, leading to the founding of Theon Design with business partner Lucinda Argy, also his wife. he.

Although the Theon CHI001 shares its basic form with the 964, its details are clearly inspired by earlier 911s. It has lost the full-width rear light bar it’s built for and has both a 930 Turbo-style bumper and headlamp surround. The original car converted was a Carrera 4 sold in Japan, but it was stripped of parts and completely rebuilt. Structural changes include a carbon fiber roof, trunk lid, engine cover and spoiler. The fenders and bumpers are made from a stronger carbon-kevlar composite.

According to Hawley, the weight savings over a regular 964 is about 220 pounds, with the partial composite bodywork also making the car more powerful. Up close, the attention to detail is almost haunting, including touches like the symmetrical mounting of the dual ignition coils on the engine firewall and the invisible integration of the central, top-mounted brake lights. high to the rear window rim.

Theon customers have a wide choice of powertrains, including the intriguing option of converting the supercharger the company has developed for the air-cooled flat-six engine. CHI001 is running a naturally aspirated 4.0 liter engine; The individual throttle bodies and careful internal balancing help bring peak power to 400 hp at 7100 rpm. It’s also lost its original all-wheel drive, and power is now sent exclusively to the rear axle via a 993-generation six-speed transmission and limited-slip differential.

Not every part of the experience has been updated. Stepping inside, we notice a familiar, slightly off-road driving position, and although it’s been beautifully redecorated with vibrant colors to match the exterior paintwork, the basic architecture of the cabin has not changed. change. But starting the engine reveals an immediately different feature to a conventional Carrera of this generation: first, the exhaust sound, which has sound caps that can be switched from loud to very loud; second is the engine’s immediate responsiveness even with light pressure on the accelerator, thanks to an ultra-light flywheel.

Comparing Theon’s car to a regular 964 is complicated by increasingly distant memories of the original car when it was new, but this car drives with a level of poise and precision that, it seems hard to imagine that any 964 car owned even when new from the factory. (except for the famous RS variant). The CHI001’s steering feels direct and free of slack for an air-cooled 911. The system still maintains hydraulic support, but the system is now powered by an electric pump. The revised suspension geometry, stiffer bushings and active dampers help increase front-end positioning accuracy, though they also mean there’s less of a sense of basic weight distribution towards the rear. rear of the 964 in the corners.

Loosening the accelerator when the chassis is loaded will tighten the road gradually but not rapidly. The biggest difference in dynamics is probably due to the fact that modern PS2 Michelin Pilot Sport cars are mounted on period Fuchs-style rims, which provide a high level of traction. The ride is firm even with the adaptive dampers in their softest setting, but it’s not obtrusive.

However, the engine is the CHI001’s standout feature — impressive muscle at low levels but providing an endless appetite for revs that the scalpel-sharp accelerator encourages riders to tap. The tachometer only hits 8000 rpm, but the limiter actually exceeds 500 rpm. Operating at just 2570 pounds, it also feels fast for the 21st century. The gearshift is perfectly weighted, and despite the switch to carbon-ceramic brakes, the middle pedal feels the same natural response. on one’s own.

This love story might make you question our ability to critique, but the car has some downsides. The first is the price. While that’s significantly short of the seven-figure cost required for one of Singer’s pixel-perfect offerings, buyers will still have to pay Theon around $500,000 (at current exchange rates) for it. get something like this car—plus a 911 sponsor cost Second is the wait: The company already has a substantial bank of orders to fulfill and can produce no more than 5 car a year.

Also, while “perfect” is a strong adjective to apply to any car, Theon comes dangerously close to getting there.