911 Carrera Coupe : In the rarefied field of automotive handiwork, few names shall be spoken of with the same reverence as Singer Vehicle Design.
HVDA Motor Sports, a California company formed in 2000, has made a name for itself by steadfastly pushing the boundaries in revisualizing the iconic Porsche 911, turning what some see as an already perfect car into something more than mere conveyance.
Their most recent inspiration, an immaculately restored and upgraded 911 Carrera Coupe, is a synthesis of a life-long obsession with Stuttgart’s finest, engineering prowess and a near feverish level of attention to detail.
Singer’s philosophy here springs from an insight that some designs are perfect in a timeless sense.
One of the most legendary automotive designs of all time, the air-cooled Porsche 911, and especially those that hail from the Carrera family of models.
Singer doesn’t try to transform these classics out of all recognition but take its cue from history, respecting the original DNA but improving every contact point and mechanical element with contemporary materials and precision engineering and featuring exquisite craftsmanship.
This comes through in every aspect of the restoration work. When Singer buys a donor car, usually a 964-series 911 (1989-94), it doesn’t see a whole car at all, but a blank page on which to paint their masterpiece.
Each part is carefully tested and often remanufactured to levels that meet or exceed its original factory specifications.
Factory Up Spec Into Engineering Excellence.
The engine is the heart of any 911, and Singer’s work on this powertrain shows they’re pursuing automotive perfection.
Developed in partnership with legendary engine builders Cosworth, the naturally-aspirated air-cooled engine now makes around 400 horsepower – a far cry from the 250-300 horsepower produced by old 911s, and the addition doesn’t come from turbocharging, but through ’round-the-clock engineering that also continues to encompass the character of an air-cooled engine.
The engine itself goes through a total disassembly and reassembly with updated internals. Most parts including the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons are changed out with other newly manufactured parts that have been cut to more exact standards than the original parts could have been.
The heads feature porting work to maximize the flow, and a custom engine package (using a AEM ECU) that makes this engine happy from the streets to the race track.
This takes the resulting engine to produce more power, but does so without sacrificing the sound and feel that makes air-cooled 911s so appreciated.
The attention to detail on the chassis is just as much. Our engineers carefully study the original suspension geometry and, using the latest computer simulation and testing methods, ensure to develop never before thought-of concepts.
The end result is an upgraded suspension system that delivers improved handling characteristics while preserving the 911’s communicative feel. Carbon-fiber parts replace steel components, trimming weight and adding structural stiffness.
The brake set-up also sees a complete overhaul as well, with new disc configurations and multi-piston calipers that bring the stopping power on par with the newfound power under the hood.
The Art of the Aesthetic Makeover
Visual makeover The visual makeover is one of the most immediately striking elements of Singer’s work, even though the mechanical upgrades are arguably the foundation for what the “special operations” team does.
Here, each body panel is hand-formed from carbon fiber, but not just to reduce weight; to line up panel gaps and surface finishes that surpass what any modern automotive factory is capable of.
Instead, craftsmen manually form every panel, measuring and remeasuring dimensions to tolerances in the fractions of a millimeter.
The design idiom is respectful of the Porsche’s original design preferences but includes minimal improvements to enhance the aesthetics of and aerodynamics of the car.
And of course, the wider bodywork – which houses an increased track front and rear to improve high-g cornering ability – although sculpted wheel-arches make the 911 look musclier without upsetting the basic 911 lines.
Custom light clusters replace both the front and rear end and are in harmony with the classical original desig.
Apply paint is another way that Singer shows really how thorough they are. The paint process is multi-layered with each color painted by hand.
The surface of the finish is typically superior to most new paint jobs, some specialty colors can have dozens of coat applications. This attention to detail means that our paint not only looks good but will last for many years.
Heart of the Interior: Handcrafting at its Purest
Once restored by Singer, the cabin of a 911 goes from being an essentially usable space to a fully unique environment, designed according to the owner’s exact specification and executed with outstanding attention to detail.
Every surface is carefully considered from the hand-stitched leather seats to the precisely milled aluminum switchgear.
Working with artisan craftspeople who use traditional techniques, Bas Shu creates products like leather hand-stitched in patterns and colors selected by their owner.
The best classic design is combined with all of the modern conveninces. A bespoke navigation system created by Singer for Singer vehicles offers modern features without sacrificing the classic look.
Air conditioning provide updated temperature controls that still feel of-the-period. The result is an interior that pays homage to the straightforwardness of the original 911 cockpit and combines it with a level of refinement and customisability that is usually reserved for luxury vehicles tailor-made to customer specifications.
The level of attention to detail even carries through to what other manufacturers might dismiss as insignificant parts. Door pulls, window cranks and even screw heads are tailored with their own styling flourishes.
Interior metal parts are machined from billet aluminum and manually polished to a mirror finish. Carpeting is woven to a specific pattern and of a higher quality material that combine to help minimize road noise and acoustic absorbent material in the listening area minimizes unwanted sound.
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Less weight, more power, sharper handling; the recipe may be familiar, but in the case of the 911 Carrera “S” model, it’s been reworked with spectacular results.
Analog reaction makes 0-60 acceleration in just 3.8 seconds, and the naturally aspirated engine offers linear power output that some enthusiasts prefer over turbocharged power.
The improvements in chassis dynamics enable more sharp cornering performance while preserving the rear low mount, V6 powered rear-drive original CRX signature.
The steering system is a particular focus area, with bespoke rack geometry and finely tuned assistance levels offering a level of feedback many would say surpasses modern electric power steering systems.
The pedal feel of the brakes has also received some love, with precise pedal travel and pressure mapping that provide confidence-provoking whoa with easy modulation.
These enhancements complement each other to develop a vehicle that is a delight to drive for the skilled user, as well as accessible to hobbyists lusting after the full-scale but, through budget and diligence, have what it takes to execute on the thumbs.
Working together with acoustic experts has turned the exhaust system into a sound box in which sounds resonate not unlike a musical instrument and bring forth what is one the most harmonious sounds in motorcycling: that of the STUTTGART SOUND itself.
The note is much louder and more aggressive than stock, but never obtrusive in day-to-day driving.
This equilibirum is Singer’s way of acknowledging that they know their customers love spirited driving, but don’t want to forgo things on a daily basis due to their love of driving.
The Commissioning Process Making Visions Become Reality
Buying a Singer-restored 911 is a bespoke process that stretches across years. The process starts with selecting a donor car, with Singer’s specialists helping to find and appraise the perfect example.
Upon receipt of the car, it is completely dis-assembled and every part is checked and recorded.
It’s at this first stage that the full extent of work required soon becomes apparent, as even the best-held classic 911s seem to throw up one or two examples of the dreaded rust and use-related wear we’ve come to expect.
The bespoke phase enables customers to have a hand in virtually the entirety of the car. From paint colours to wheel finishes, interior leather choices to stitch patterns, to the look of your dials on the dashboard, the colour can inform everything.
Singer consults widely to ensure these decisions form a whole rather than a scramble of parts. This process often includes several visits to Singer’s workshop, during which clients can witness their vision coming to life and make tweaks as needed.
During the restoration, Singer keeps meticulous records of the engine’s restoration process, complete with photos and records of its build throughout.
This documentation is not only a record of work, but also a reflection of the amount of care that went into each car.
When it comes to the final build, all of the parts are meticulously adjusted, and the tolerances that they have on the assembly line would almost be considered obsessive in a traditional automotive plant.
How you restore your 911 defines your place in the world of cars.’ The approach to #911Restoration developed by Singer is a unique one, placing him in a rather interesting ecosystem.
Priced at well over $500,000, these cars don’t compete against other restored classics but rather against superrich boy’s toys like supercars and hypercars. But the value proposition is not just about transportation or even performance.
The Singer vehicle is a bespoke work of art. It’s a special car for a special client that desires a custom icon and the chance to delight in that custom car reality they have created and experienced.
The exclusivity aspect is important in the value equation. Production is low, only due in part to the excruciating nature of the restoration, so even in the collector-car world, Singer machines are scarce.
Since the cars are also so rare and beautifully made, it is probable that their prices will rise with U.S.-market collector cars of comparable scarcity and quality.
Future of the Automobile’s Artistry
With the rest of the automotive world rushing toward electrification, the preservation and elevation of air-cooled engineering by Singer becomes that much more important.
These are the vehicles that don’t just mean transport, they mean a connection to an age of mechanical simplicity that is vanishing from showroom floors.
The company’s success proves that there is still a market for a craft over a commodity, for an emotional connection instead of pure usefulness.
Singer’s impact goes beyond Society production. Their method has prompted other specialists and even some original manufacturers to re-examine the merits of classic craftmanship in an overwhelmingly automated industry.
The obsessive attention to detail, and the pursuit of perfection reflected in every Singer vehicle establishes a new standard within the industry.
Technical Specification and Performance Data
The Singer-restored 911 Carrera Coupe has a myriad of upgrades over its original specification.
Bore and stroke, as well as engine displacement is then brought up to 4.0L when bored and stroked correctly, and the increase in torque is completely evident throughout the entire RPM range despire natural aspiration.
Power peaks are usually in the range of 400-450 HP depending on the customers end use and desired level of engine preparation.
The transmission is treated every bit to an equal amount of painstaking attention, including your choice of a period-correct five-speed manual transmission that is upgraded along with the car or an optional new six-speed manual transmission designed to be a ‘bolt-in’ package.
Ideal gear ratios have been selected for the enhanced engine performance and the model’s new weight distribution.
It also features a unique clutch system that uses more than modern tech and materials for better feel and longevity, despite looking and feeling like a driver centric machine.
Suspension design has been optimised using new analysis methods, and spring rates, damper valving and anti-roll bar rates have been adjusted for the intended application of each vehicle.
Development builds get more extreme settings and those for long distance cruising where comfort is key see road settings that provide a comfortable ride without compromising feel.
The end product is a chassis that behaves consistently to driver inputs and has excellent body control over a multitude of surfaces.
Owned Experience: A-Life After The Sale
When you purchase a Singer vehicle, you are not just buying a car but you are forming a partnership with the company. Singer also offers long-term support for their products by offering repair services, technical fit-outs and connecting each customer with their team of experts anywhere in the world. That support provides peace of mind to owners that they can continue to drive and enjoy their car expert help is always at hand.
The Singer community also offers a priceless asethetic premium- to be among owners that share the same admiration for the art of the automobile.
Singer hosts private events such as driving tours and technical seminars, during which owners can push the limits of their cars.
Such assemblies are an opportunity to socialize among like-minded souls who appreciate the technical excellence and artistic vision that’s imbued into the Singer way of doing things.
Cultural impact and recognition
Singer’s presence has filtered into popular culture, with their cars appearing in automotive publications, documentaries, and on social media platforms dedicated to the appreciation of classic cars.
Such exposure has begun to alter the public view of what an attractive older car is: the emphasis is no longer solely on originality, but now on tasteful performance upgrades that respect tradition but take advantage of contemporary developments.
Singer has been rightly lauded by automotive historians and critics as doing its small part in preserving 911 history, and proving that classic cars can do more than sit in a museum.
Their work is proof that subtle modification carried out with skill and a respect for the original design can mean an enhanced – rather than a diluted – appeal and value for a classic car.
Ecology in an Electrified World
As only electric powertrains seem to be discussed as a future of the automobile, Singer’s efforts reflect a different view on sustainability.
By prolonging the lifespan of your car, through complete refurbishment and in depth improvement, the organization lessens the adverse effects related to new car creation.
Every Singer restoration is one less new car that needs to be built, sourcing the raw material, and processing it.
The air cooled engines in Singer cars (although less efficient than the modern powerplants) are also less used than those in daily drivers发圈.
Many owners drive less annually than other modern vehicle owners, leaving a fairly small overall environmental footprint.
When you consider that usage and longevity along with the decades of life remaining in the excellent build quality, the case for the sustainability of renovation versus replacement becomes even stronger.
Impacts, Legacy and Long-term Perspective
With ever-improving artisans at Singer Vehicle Design, each new Singer build benefits from past builds.
It’s this evolutionary path that sees their subsequent creations building upon everything they’ve learned yet never forgetting the philosophy that founded the company in the first place.
This focus on evolution is reflective of the Porsche heritage and their relentless pursuit of the perfect, driving experience.
In addition to the lasting impression of each car’s aesthetic, the legacy that Singer nurtures is one that translates into car culture at large.
Their success is the proof that even in a world of inexorably rising standardization and economizing, people still search for items that are conceived with quality as the first and last thing in mind.
It sounds like a riff on that quote from David Brosnan, and it applies just as much in any number of other walks of craft-based life, from cobbling to milling, when the weakest point of any one part is the best possible point at which to join another.
What Is Excellence in Automotive Restoration?
All this in the Singer Vehicle Design re-imagined 911 Carrera Coupe, the ultimate culmination of what can happen when passion, creativity, and resources find common ground in the name of automotive brilliance.
Passing generational divides that define categories of collectible cars, these rides provide the emotional nostalgia producers first drove as their introduction to the glory of classic car ownership, matched with current class braking and performance.
The strategy of the company, to return to something that has already proven to us to be timeless and ultimately successful and make each one better than the previous model, is basically our faith.
With their thorough restoration process, Singer sees to it that the essence the 911 not only endures but is thriving in a world of electronic nannies and automatic this and that.
What they’ve created is evidence that mechanical engineering and driver involvement is just as important today as it was in the heyday of the analog sports car.
“There’s the march of autonomy taking place right now, of electric propulsion,” said Mr. Verhoosel, expressing the belief that Singer concepts have become more relevant.
Our cars are more than a means of transportation, they are an extension to a time when man and machine were in the most perfect of mechanical relationships.
In its meticulous way, each Singer-reimagined 911 is a tribute to car culture – and to the continuing power of the raw, pure, utterly compelling driving experience.
Singer Vehicle Design is a clear example of the latter: in a world of mass production and planned obsolescence there will always be those customers who appreciate the beautiful details of the world’s best made things.
Their modified 911 Carrera Coupe is not just a car so much as a work of art, and a shining example of the fact that in some cases, a design is so inherently right that it deserves to be protected through improvement rather than replaced by evolution.
It’s in this regard that Singer’s work can be seen to extend beyond automotive restoration, and into the realm of automotive architecture – these are machines that will be admired and remembered for lifetimes, and more, to come.