Tuthill Porsche 911K
Oxfordshire-based marque specialist Tuthill
Porsche has an enviable reputation for preparing and campaigning reliable and successful race and rally 911s, which stretches back to the 1990s. But its CV also includes London to Sydney rally success during the 1970s in a Volkswagen Beetle, and a partnership with Prodrive preparing bodyshells for the famous Rothmans 911 SC/RS rally cars.
The team won the inaugural 2015 FIA WRC R-GT championship in a 997 GT3 R-GT rally car that was built and prepared in-house.
The company could also be considered restomod pioneers, having worked with motoring journalist-turned-top presenter Chris Harris on a backdated ST style G-body 911 project that focused on NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), refinement and suspension sophistication, as well as engine performance and style.
Its latest project combines all this experience with the support of an enthusiastic friend and client, and turns it up to 11. The Tuthill 911K takes the familiar long-bonnet ST look and focuses on the pursuit of lightweight and engineering excellence. The idea, as Richard Tuthill explains, was “to build a simple, light car, beautifully presented but with the mechanical capability to take on anything that’s currently out there – old or new.”
Fifteen-inch Fuchs-style wheels produced in carbon fibre, sitting in front of carbon brake discs, support a body and rear bulkhead also formed of carbon fibre. The use of carbon continues with the bonnet, roof, doors, front wings, bumpers front and rear, seats, steering wheel, dash panel and door cards. Extensive use of titanium comes in the shape of the rear roll cage, torsion bars, anti-roll bars, gearknob and engine lid badge. A magnesium six-speed 915K gearbox contributes to this quest for lightness, resulting in a final wet weight of just 850kg. The motor is equally enticing: a 3.1-litre short stroke, four-valve engine, with the rev limit set at a stratospheric 11,000rpm.
“Weight is always king,” Richard says. “The fun of driving a lightweight car when combined with the most exciting engine I’ve ever experienced and a chassis that gives one unrivalled compliance on wonderfully diverse back-roads has redefined what I thought was possible.”
Photos of the car’s interior show the rally car-style carbon hydraulic ‘wand’ handbrake, which when viewed in the context of Richard’s comments conjures thoughts of classic 911 looks, sophisticated modern suspension and an intoxicating drivetrain combining to create a British 911 restomod that we can’t wait to sample.