Would You Take Singer's One-Off Porsche 911 Safari Off-Road Rallying?
The 1990 Porsche 911 964 is given a new life that’s inspired by the past.
California’s Singer Vehicle Design is known for fettling with Porsche‘s air-cooled cars of the past, most notably the 911, and now the custom building company has turned its hand to rallying in the form of a 1990 911 964 Safari.
Built for one long-standing customer, the Singer Safari 911 has been built as an All-Terrain Competition Study (ACS), and as TopGear reports, was designed to “compete in off-road racing and demonstrate all-terrain exploration capabilities.” It was built in Oxfordshire, England with help from 911 rally expert Richard Tuthill, who combined with Singer produced a 911 that’s as close to a contemporary homage to Porsche’s rally cars of the ’60s.
While at first it may seem unusual to put a 1990s 911 on stilts, the pedigree is in fact as sure as day. Back in 1965, Porsche raced a 911 at the Monte Carlo Rally, and in the mid-’80s the marque won the Dakar Rally with its 953 and 959 Safaris. These cars inspired the design of the Singer 911 Safari — most prominently taking influence from the 959’s wrap-around rear wing — while rally elements drawn from the past continue to feature throughout this one-off commission.
It has been fitted with a twin-turbo air-cooled 3.6-liter flat-six engine that produces near-as-makes-no-difference 450 BHP, however, that figure can be increased depending on the event’s requirements. Furthermore, all-wheel-drive is permanently switched on, while elements such as a five-speed sequential gearbox, an FIA-spec roll cage, rugged tires (with two spares), and long-range fuel tanks further aid the car’s rallying credentials.
To reduce weight, the model has been made entirely from carbon fiber, which sits atop of a long-travel suspension system and 16-inch forged aluminum wheels wrapped in chunky tires. Lastly, the interior is as stripped out as can be with just its FIA bucket seats, navigation system, and hydraulic handbrake rod standing out.
As mentioned, this model is a complete one-off. As a result (and because it’s a Singer), the price of this Singer Safari 911 is expected to be in the seven-figure mark. Take a closer look at it above, and see TopGear‘s exclusive walk-around above too.
Elsewhere in the automotive world, Bentley has introduced plug-in hybrid tech to its Bentayga.
