Singer Vehicle Design (SVD) is a relative newcomer to the coachbuilding business. The southern Californian company is determined to become the "torch bearer of the great coachbuilding traditions of the 1920s and '30s, brought up to-date for the 21st century utilizing new technologies and fresh perspective". SVD delivered its first restored car, a mid-1960s Porsche 911, this past autumn and since then has restored three more Porsche 911s.
The latest 'Reimagined by Singer' model is based on the 964 model on the 911 chassis from 1990-1994. Boasting a more sophisticated platform than past restorations, the displayed vehicle, painted Singer Racing Silver with a Ruby Red interior, is the fourth machine to be restored and handcrafted for an owner by Singer. Rob Dickinson, Singer's founder and creative director, says that this particular machine is an attempt to create the perfect gentleman's sports car for the road. "With each restoration we strive to find the right blend of classic 911 character and technical sophistication".
The 1964-era reimagined car keeps its original VIN number as well as its original odometer. During the restoration the car was stripped down and then rebuilt after its chassis was strengthened and its steel body work was replaced by carbon-fiber parts in order to lighten the weight. The steel doors, however, were kept. Although SVD hasn't published the engine's details, it might be one of three versions of the flat-six engine built by Cosworth, its engine supplier. The three engine tiers are Touring - 3.6-liter with 300hp, Sport - 3.9-liter with 360hp and Cup - 3.9 to 4.0-liter with more than 400hp.
These engines presents state-of-the-art thinking and development in all areas of the Singer restored Porsche air-cooled unit with optimization in-cylinder head design, fuel injection, intake and exhaust and other engine parameters. SVD is located in Southern California, the birthplace and still the epicenter of the American car tuning and restoration movement. There one can find specialists shops that make everything from customized engines to customized floor mats. SVD hopes to emphasize the collaborative nature of its work.
"Our grand ideas would be impossible to implement without the incredible network of skilled specialists that exist here in Southern California - from world-class upholstering to cutting-edge composite technology, from unique nickel plating and polishing developments to state-of-the-art rapid prototyping and manufacturing. Our amazing group of partners allows us to exceed customer expectations while realizing our creative urges with execution standards that are both first-class and reliably repeatable on each customer's restored vehicle." SVD's work involves taking a customer's existing vehicle and performing both restorative work and cutting-edge modifications.
They update the performance, aesthetics and modern day usability in an attempt to optimize its strengths, while preserving the essence and magic of the original. SVD sees these restorative and modification procedures as a modest contribution to the recycling culture and a method, where by older vehicles are reclaimed and perhaps saved from an uncertain future. Prices reflect this no-expense-spared approach with owners choosing from a comprehensive range of restorative and modification services ranging from $190,000 to more than $300,000.
SVD invests heavily in its customers by collaborating with them in personalizing the machine to their own specific tastes. Customers can choose between an opulent grand touring car and a hardcore road and track performance version. "With each restoration we strive to find the right blend of classic 911 character and technical sophistication, and thanks to our partners at Cosworth and Aria Group, and a small village of gifted artisans and craftsmen here in Southern California, we're celebrating the most important sports car in the world," says Dickinson.
