Singer Turbo Study Cabriolet
Founded in 2009, Los Angeles-based Singer Vehicle Design is credited with being the catalyst for the current trend for ‘restomodding’ classic cars, not just Porsche 911s, and it’s taken the discipline to a level of detail and execution unmatched by many other firms. Singer could now be about to change perceptions around convertible 911s with the announcement of its latest Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer: the Turbo Study Cabriolet.
An ode to the iconic 930 Turbo, the Turbo Study debuted as a Coupe at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and showcases Singer Vehicle Design’s continued exploration into forced induction. This latest development adds Cabriolet glamour and the thrill of open-air motoring.
As with all Singer studies to date, the base vehicle is a Type 964 Porsche 911, with the focus for reimagination being on grand touring and refinement as well as sports performance, which befits the Cabriolet and increases the pool of 964s in which Singer and its customers can fish for donor vehicles. Singer’s continued use of advanced materials to subtly reimagine the iconic 930 silhouette brings with it not only aesthetic gains but a reduction of mass and, of particular interest to Cabriolet drivers, potential gains in stiffness.
Singer has previously produced all-wheel-drive versions of its Classic Study and the intention is that this will be available for the Turbo Study Cabriolet, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. As with the Coupe, the study features a new evolution of the “Mezger” air-cooled flat six.
Now in 3.8-litre form, the engine features twin turbochargers with electric wastegates, and bespoke air-to-water intercoolers are mounted inside the intake plenums.
The signature Turbo ‘shark fin’ grit guard on the leading surface of the rear wheel arch is reimagined as an intake and supplies cold air to the engine bay to optimise combustion and cooling performance. In response to the collaborative approach taken with owners, power outputs starting at 450hp and rising to 510hp will be on the table. This is reflective of the highly bespoke nature of the journey taken by Singer’s customers and it’s interesting to note the details of the Turbo Study Cabriolet presented at launch. They include Cadiz red paintwork, a 510hp motor, rear-wheel drive and touring-focused suspension, a carbon-ceramic braking system, electrically adjustable sports seats in black with tartan seat centres, interior wood accents in
Black Forest – red, an automatic fabric hood, airconditioning and inductive phone charging.
Singer’s charismatic founder and executive chairman Rob Dickinson says of this latest car: “The first Porsche, the Sport 356/1 known as Number 1, was a Cabriolet, and high-performance, open-roof glamour has been part of the story ever since. I’ve long wanted to celebrate that part of Porsche heritage at Singer and doing so as part of our recently announced Turbo Study seems a perfect place to start. Our goal with the Turbo Study is to distil the awesome thrill of Porsche’s first supercar while reimagining its performance and refinement. We’re excited that owners can now choose to enjoy these traits with the roof down.”