Singer Vehicle Design is a pretty famous company at this point. While they also make watches, their main claim to fame is redesigning Porsches, specifically the Porsche 911, which they consider “re-imagined.” Singer drives up the value of these classic cars by making unique, professional variations. They focus on the small details, like the finishing coat, or some of the technology under the hood. They can make some of the technology and parts under the hood much more modern, practical, and functional. Singer will also repaint Porsches in a unique, custom-designed, specialized color. They've undertaken such projects as restoring a '90s rally car or rebuilding a tribute replica racecar. The company's motto is "everything is important", and it shows. The motto is a reference to their design philosophy, where no aspect of the car is neglected or overlooked, and even the smallest details are enhanced.
Singer Vehicle Design got famous redesigning Porsches by re-imagining unique variations, giving them new color schemes, emphasizing the finish, and retrofitting modern parts under the hood.
It's A Unique Variation
Singer Vehicle Design is famous for recreating Porsche 911s into unique variations. Demand for those stretches back months and it keeps growing. Customers are apparently undeterred by the unbelievably high cost. The unique variations on already beloved Porsches catch customers' eyes, and they decide they must have it. These recreated Porsches that Singer produces are part state-of-the-art materials and part staggering levels of craftsmanship.
The result is simultaneously old school and modern, like no other vehicle on the road today. The base of these projects is usually an older 911 chassis from 1989 to 1994, as Singer founder Rob Dickinson prefers this rendition of the Porsche 911 to modify. Almost every component is completely reimagined in a highly extensive restoration process. Nearly all the body panels are removed and replaced with the highest quality carbon-fiber parts fabricated to the correct specifications for maximum strength and lightness after undergoing extra welding and strengthening. Of the original Porsche body, only the steel doors are intact for crash safety protection for the passenger cell.
There's An Emphasis On Finish
Singer also places an emphasis on the finishing process. The process for each car takes nearly 4,000 hours from start to finish. Each of these specialized creations receives a personalized, individualized finishing touch. This attention to detail about a Singer-restored Porsche 911 overwhelms anyone with even a passing automotive interest. When Rob Dickinson founded Singer Vehicle Design in Southern California, he was a British product designer, as well as a former rock vocalist/guitarist who had an obsession with Porsches.
As mentioned before, Singer starts his renovation with the body of an early '90s Porsche 911. They're the right mix of vintage and modern enough to provide a suitable foundation for the next step. After that, the chassis is stripped bare and seam-welded for strength. Meanwhile, the engine is completely rebuilt, the cabin is completely re-trimmed and the chassis is clothed in carbon-fiber panels that Dickinson designed.
Further, metal highlights in the interior are nickel-plated for a warmer, more lustrous finish that draws customers' attention. When these cars are finished with their extensive renovation, they feature an attention to detail and level of finish that rivals the watch industry. Coincidentally, Singer Vehicle Design also builds watches.
Colors Are Customized And Specialized
The colors of each Singer-revitalized Porsche 911 are customized and specialized, with each color being as unique a creation as the car it's applied to. These unique colors help to make the cars even more collectible and even drive up the price. The price range for a Singer-inspired Porsche average around $650,000. Jay Leno even featured these cars on his series Jay Leno’s Garage, even driving and autographing one.
Owners select the paint color before the car is rebuilt and finished. In addition to paint color, owners also have the option of picking out upholstery color and seat style. Many of the base colors for these creations are derived from the popular colors of current vehicles. In one instance, the base color of a Singer-inspired Porsche was taken from Lexus' ‘Atomic Silver’ and then customized over a six-week period. The result has a specific blend with its own depth and luster.
Engine Physiology Is Reconstructed
When these cars are remade, even the engine physiology is completely reconstructed. These Porsche 911s get full carbon-fiber bodywork and reevaluated external aerodynamics. More tweaks are made all around the car. Front-axle lift is no more, thanks to a new front splitter and a redesign of the front oil-cooler intake and venting. A new diffuser generates extra downforce in the rear, and the roof-channel and rear window spoiler work with the reshaped ‘ducktail’ spoiler.
Further, side-window ram-air intakes and rear deck-lid venting have been known to boost engine intake and cooling performance. Rims are specially developed and made from 18″ forged magnesium. All in all, the way the car performs and appears on the exterior is hardly what people would expect when they hear the name “Porsche.” But the transformation doesn't stop there. The interior is also custom-designed, starting with the sports seats and steering wheel, all composed of lightweight carbon-fiber. There's also a raised, manual gear-shift, complete with exposed titanium and magnesium linkage, and a carbon-fiber instrument panel.
Sources: qpmagazine.com, caradvice.com, autoconception.com