Autoblog

Singer 911 gorgeousness explored and experienced by Chris Harris

Chris Paukert — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Specialty, Design/Style

Few things get us as cranked up as a Porsche 911. Generation after generation, this rear-engined oddity has exhilarated our senses, and the new 991 is the most capable iteration yet. Even so, there's a lot to be said for the older models, from their lighter weights and more modest dimensions to their air-cooled thrums.

That elemental vintage Porsche appeal hasn't been lost on Los Angeles-based Singer Vehicle Design, which has endeavored to take the best bits from every generation of 911 and combine them into one impossibly sexy rear-engined machine. Based on a 964 donor car, we knew that a lot of work would need to go into everything from the structure to the bodywork to realize the Singer's cohesive aesthetic and dynamic vision, but we didn't know just how much until we watched this Drive video featuring Chris Harris. The auto journo gets time with the 350-horsepower, Cosworth-motivated coupe on both mountain passes and at the track, but what could be the most interesting thing about the 27-minute-long video is his in-depth plant tour.

Check it out by scrolling below, but not before paging through our new Singer 911 gallery.

Continue reading Singer 911 gorgeousness explored and experienced by Chris Harris

Singer 911 gorgeousness explored and experienced by Chris Harris originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Porsche 911 restored by Singer [w/video]

Michael Harley — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Porsche, Specialty, Design/Style

Reimagining An Iconic Sports Car With Some Modern Parts

We first placed our hands on Singer's "reimagined Porsche 911" nearly three years ago when it made its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Shortly thereafter, we caught up with the company's orange prototype for a photo shoot in the Los Angeles basin. While we were both intrigued and impressed with the sports car at the time, full disclosure admits that we were very skeptical about the start-up back in September 2009. Sadly, we've watched this industry shatter far too many dreams.

But Singer has prospered. Very well, it appears.

Rob Dickinson, the creative genius behind the vision, recently invited Autoblog to Singer's headquarters in Southern California's San Fernando Valley for an extended ride in the company's latest offering. After a detailed tour of the facility where we saw other vehicles in production, we dropped into the passenger seat to see what the "Porsche 911 restored by Singer" was all about - only bummed as it was a customer car, meaning we still weren't allowed behind the wheel.

Continue reading Porsche 911 restored by Singer [w/video]

Porsche 911 restored by Singer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Singer teams up with Cosworth as it delivers its third custom 911

Noah Joseph — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche

Singer 911 No. 3 in white - Click above for high-res image gallery

To the untrained eye, a new Porsche 911 might look pretty much the same as an old one. But to the enthusiast, there's a world of difference. Namely that, while the latest Neun-Elfer has the benefit of decades of engineering development, the original still has the classic look. Solution: Singer.

As we've shown you previously, the Singer Design 911 combines the best of both worlds with a modern chassis and drivetrain cloaked in the classic lines of the original, painstakingly recreated in immaculate detail. And two new technical partnerships promise to make 'em even better.

Renowned British engineering firm Cosworth - the same that has powered Formula One cars since 1963 and currently motivates the likes of Williams and Virgin Racing - will now be preparing the air-cooled flat-six engines for Singer. Meanwhile, the carbon-fiber bodies will be made by the Aria Group, a company best known for crafting concept cars and prototypes for a wide array of automakers.

Starting at $190,000 and extending beyond the $300k mark, the Singer 911 ain't cheap, and sure ain't as common as a factory 911. In fact, Singer has only made a few of them, delivering its third example painted in white (following the previous units in green and orange) to one assuredly very happy customer. We've got a fresh batch of breathtaking photographs of the latest Singer in the included gallery, so check it out and follow the jump for the full press blast.

Continue reading Singer teams up with Cosworth as it delivers its third custom 911

Singer teams up with Cosworth as it delivers its third custom 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pics Aplenty: First production Singer Design 911

Zach Bowman — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:55:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

First production Singer 911 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Singer has been so kind as to serve up a load of heart-stopping photos of its very first production 911. You may want to set aside a little personal time for this one. If the perfect lines of this particular machine aren't enough to get you licking your chops, allow us to remind you that you're currently eyeballing a host of custom-tailored carbon-fiber body work wrapped around a fully modern Porsche drivetrain. That's right, kids and kiddies, tucked under that classic skirt is a walloping 410-horsepower 3.82-liter flat six engine.

We're fairly certain that we'd be happy to perform any number of nefarious acts to call this creation our very own.

Singer has stitched in Brembo stoppers on all four corners along with Bilstein coilovers to put all that power to the pavement, and the interior is laced with the kind of kit that you'd expect from a vehicle with a price tag that knocks on the door of $200,000. Look around the cabin and you'll see a Heuer chronograph, leather weave seats and an RSR steering wheel, among other goodies.

Trust us. You owe it to yourself to scroll through all 71 photos in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: First Production Singer 911

[Source and Images: Singer]

Pics Aplenty: First production Singer Design 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Do Want: Singer Vehicle Design delivers its first production 911

Drew Phillips — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Porsche

Singer 911 production car debut - Click above for high-res image gallery

We first spotted Singer's 911 Concept in Monterey last year at the historic races at Laguna Seca. From afar, it just looked like another classic Porsche 911, but a closer look revealed much, much more. We met up with Singer and the car back in Los Angeles for a photoshoot and were astounded at the creativeness, attention to detail and absolute beauty of the car. Singer told us that they were hoping to build a production version, but with a targeted selling price of a little under $200,000, we feared that the concept might be the only one ever built.

Thankfully, as it turns out, there are at least a few wealthy car enthusiasts with a taste for a hand-built, vintage 911 with carbon fiber bodywork, custom interior and a modern Porsche flat-six power. Singer completed its first production 911 late last week and delivered to its lucky new owner at their facility in Sunland, CA with a small gathering of those who helped make the car happen.

The car is finished in Singer Racing Green with a Grow Green and Terra Cotta striping package and is heavily optioned with a 410 horsepower 3.82-liter flat-six, Brembo brake package, Bilstein coilover suspension, RSR steering wheel, Heuer chronograph clock, leatherweave seats and more. Building of the second production car will start later this month with a third beginning in October. Check both the mean green machine and the stunning orange Laguna Seca model in our high-res galleries below.

Gallery: Singer 911 Production Car Debut

Gallery: 2010 Singer Porsche 911

Do Want: Singer Vehicle Design delivers its first production 911 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Singer 911 offers vintage looks, modern appointments, exotic performance

Michael Harley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Porsche

Singer 911 -- Click above for high-res photo gallery

Singer Vehicle Design rolled out its first prototype, plainly named the "Singer 911," at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance last month. Based on an '80s-era long-wheelbase 911 donor vehicle, the company strips each chassis to its bare shell for "reinvention" into what Singer calls a "celebration of the golden air-cooled era of the world's most important sports car."

Incontestable is its vintage Porsche 911 look. However, the Singer 911 is far from antiquated. The complete reincarnation includes chassis stiffening, new active aerodynamics, and a lightweight integral backbone structure and roll cage to improve torsional rigidity. Most interestingly, nearly all of the steel body panels are replaced by full carbon fiber composite bodywork candy-coated in Singer's exclusive "Racing Orange" paint.

Under the rear decklid is an air-cooled 3.82-liter flat-six sporting six individual throttle bodies. With a GT3 crankshaft and titanium connecting rods, the powerplant spins eagerly to 8,000 RPM. The engine sends 425 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque to a proper Getrag G50 six-speed manual transmission. According to the engineering team, the 2,400-pound Singer 911 will sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is in excess of 170 MPH.

Make the jump for more.

Gallery: 2010 Singer Porsche 911

Continue reading Singer 911 offers vintage looks, modern appointments, exotic performance

Singer 911 offers vintage looks, modern appointments, exotic performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed: Motorbikes

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Although we are primarily a blog about cars, we frequently stray a bit from the all-car formula to cover vehicles that might be interesting to ourselves and hopefully the rest of you. Sometimes we are at events that focus on cars, but other vehicles are invited to play as well, and we tend to like those other vehicles as much as we love our cars. At Goodwood, you can find some of the most amazing cars from throughout history on display and racing up the hill. You can also find helicopters, boats, Quads, jets, and a bunch of other non-car vehicles.

Those, however, are not running up the hill alongside the Goodwood House. But Motorcycles are. Quite a few as a matter of fact, from ancient to sci-fi. From leather belt driven Singers to swing-arm, no-fork Vyrus like the one Tom Cruise allegedly bought recently. The damp track kept most of the cycles from posting any serious times, but that didn't stop the riders from putting on a great show. Burnouts, donuts, whole-straight wheelies, and one rider even used his time on the hill to perform a personal stunt show. Chris Pfeiffer amazed everyone with his bike and body control all weekend. Particularly impressive were his dismounts. Whether off to the side or over the bars, he'd flip off the bike and just manage to get the stand out so the bike stayed standing. And he even landed upright most of the time.

Gallery: 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed: Motorbikes

2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed: Motorbikes originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments