Singer, acclaimed for its Porsche resto-mods, has now unveiled its All-Terrain Competition Study – a Porsche 911 modified for all-terrain use to enable their clients to go off-road racing.
It was a request by a long-term client – to reimagine two of his air-cooled 911s as World Rally Championship-inspired, all-terrain competition machines – that led Singer, in partnership with renowned 911 rally specialist Richard Tuthill, to develop the stunning All-terrain Competition Study (ACS).
The Porsche specialist company took particular inspiration from the iconic Rothmans-sponsored 911 SC/RSs and 959s that conquered events like the Qatar International Rally and Paris-Dakar in the mid-’80s to develop and engineer these all-terrain 911s, utilising fresh perspectives and state of the art know-how.
As with all Singer’s restorations, the Type 964 generation of air-cooled Porsche 911 (endowed with an evolution of its “Mezger” air-cooled flat-six, in this case in 3.6-litre form) was taken as the starting point.
With twin symmetrical turbochargers and fly-by-wire individual throttle bodies added, the engine’s performance characteristics (with at least 335 kW of power and 570 Nm of torque) can be tuned to each owner’s preferences, or to the type of off-road competition envisaged.
Its bespoke carbon fibre body is optimised to enable effective breathing and cooling for the powertrain and for easy access to mechanical components at service stops. The carbon fibre component reduces overall mass and offsets the extra weight of the roll-cage.
The car’s rigid structure and solid components were designed to withstand the forces encountered during high-speed, off-road endurance events. Inside, the All-terrain Competition Study meets all FIA specifications for off-road racing, including harnesses, a full roll cage and a race GPS system.
Off-Road Race Ready
Further modifications include dramatically increased ride height, suspension travel (thanks to twin, five-way adjustable dampers) and braking power, supplied by four-piston, monobloc steel disc brakes with a hydraulic handbrake. A manual and paddle-shift capable five-speed sequential ’box enables flat-shifting, and the drivetrain has front, centre and rear limited-slip differentials.
The ACS runs on 8×16” wheels with BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres; and has a long-range fuel tank and two full-size spare race wheels and tyres in the front trunk area and rear storage area. Two machines were commissioned – a white one focused on high-speed desert rallying, and a Corsica Red version configured for high-speed, high-grip tarmac events.
According to Rob Dickinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Singer Group, his company is confident the ACS will appeal to off-road enthusiasts of all kinds. “This pursuit of focused competition studies is something you will see more of from us in the future,” he added.
Tuthill said that the collaboration combined the best of innovation, cutting-edge technology, and decades of real rallying experience. “I am delighted to have partnered with Rob and the team at Singer to bring this incredible machine to life. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved,” he said.
The All-terrain Competition Study results are available to others who wish to equip their cars with this off-road capability, and the price for such a restoration will depend on the specifications chosen by the owner. Future cars will all be modified at Tuthill’s facilities, and support packages for racing and maintenance will be available.
The Porsche specialist company took particular inspiration from the iconic Rothmans-sponsored 911 SC/RSs and 959s that conquered events like the Qatar International Rally and Paris-Dakar in the mid-’80s to develop and engineer these all-terrain 911s, utilising fresh perspectives and state of the art know-how.
Report by Ferdi de Vos/Singer Group | Images © Singer Group
