Singer’s Latest Custom Porsche Is a Droptop 911 That May Rile the Purists

Porsche drivers can be an incorrigible bunch of hardened purists, particularly when it comes to the sacred tenets intrinsic to the brand. Some diehards will tell you a droptop 911 is no 911 at all, others decry the introduction of turbocharging… and others go further by dismissing Singer Vehicle Design as an aftermarket modifier that destroys perfectly good 964-series 911s by altering their Porsche DNA. For many, the first open-air Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer is nothing short of a violation of all that is good and true about the Zuffenhausen brand—and don’t get us started on the folks who think Turbos aren’t “real” 911s.

“The first Porsche, the Sport 356/1 known as ‘Number 1’, was a cabriolet,” defends Singer Group Inc. founder and executive chairman Rob Dickinson. “Our goal with the Turbo Study is to distill the awesome thrill of Porsche’s first ‘supercar’ while reimagining its performance and refinement.”

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Singer Vehicle Design

Sidestepping the conversation about so-called purity, the wide-hipped cabriolet from Singer touches upon a slew of low-key technological advancements including a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine with electric wastegates that can be tuned to produce anywhere between 450 hp and 510 hp, depending on client preferences. Rear drive or all-wheel-drive configurations are also available. The new alfresco iteration of the Turbo Study program is wrapped in a carbon-fiber body for lightweight construction and offers a number of features including ABS, traction control and carbon ceramic brakes.

Singer Vehicle Design appears to be rolling towards a crossroads as production of its Classic Study coupes and Targas is backed up for years and the order book for the Dynamics and Lightweight Study is full. The biggest question among loyalists when production of the ambitious ragtop eventually closes out: How will the next model keep the spirit of Singer alive while creating just enough of a stir among the old school cognoscenti?

Click here to see all of the photos of the Singer Vehicle Designs Turbo Study.

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