Learn to write, or at least proofread. Companies like Singer Vehicle Designs are as much about their amazing founders as they are about the spectacular cars so we want to tell you about Rob Dickinson, the founder and CEO of Singer Vehicle Designs. The shift linkage is also rebuilt to remove sloppiness and give you ‘rifle bolt’ tactility. California loves entrepreneurs trying to change the world and it is the heart of the classic Porsche tuner market. Some of them are brand new, others have been online for a while. Here’s a handful of the photos, articles, videos or social media posts that most caught our eye last week. A strange thing happened last week. Each Singer Porsche is unique and no detail is unattended (“everything is important”) in a Singer build, the attention to detail is amazing. Singer Vehicle Design is driven by the singular vision of Rob Dickinson, an ex-car designer and rock musician who came to be one of the world’s foremost distillers of the essence of air-cooled Porsche. From a small beaten up workshop in Los Angeles in 2009 to two sites in California, teams in the UK and Switzerland and representatives around the world. Sure, each Singer Porsche starts with the owner putting down a big deposit and then working on their dream spec list but they also need to find a 964 donor car (so we are talking 1989 to 1994 Porsche 911 for non-nerds). Performance is heroic, too, with the Singer claiming 0-100km/h in around 3.5 seconds from its naturally-aspirated flat-six. The engine breathes through two ram-air intakes integrated into the rear quarter windows, while a vent in the spoiler helps expel air. Too bad because we would totally buy a Singer car if it came up for sale (we wish). Rob Dickinson is an overachiever. For that price it would want to come with a German barmaid waiting in the footwell 27/7, Steering wheels were so much better before airbags, Its called an entertainment screen and its about same size as the windscreen, Singer 911 review: The Porsche money can't buy in a hurry. Like all the interior and exterior brightwork on this car, they're nickel-plated which gives them a subtle golden glow under lights, especially. And if you’re familiar with the Le Mans winning Porsche 917 (possibly the best looking Porsche race car ever), you’ll most likely recognise the iconic MOMO Prototipo steering wheel (350mm) complete with drilled spokes and nickel-plated horn surround and black leather push pad. Rob Dickinson first became known worldwide as singer and guitarist in the band Catherine Wheel. Before Singer existed, I would have said the original 930 Turbo epitomised pure Porsche perfection from a visual standpoint. On the one hand, it’s a celebration of everything we love about an air-cooled 911. It's now available for a cool $925,000. The monocoque receives additional welding strengthening and fabrication in preparation for its new bodywork. It is made of a lightweight stainless steel and Singer says the it improves throttle response, torque distribution, and top-end power. The Singer Vehicle Design DLS won our best restored and custom Porsche 911 list but many would argue that Singer and Williams succeeded in actually creating the most advanced air-cooled Porsche 911 in the world, period. Singer takes these tired 964s and restores them from the ground up while simultaneously optimizing every facet of the car and evoking the classic lines of the original 911. It became a new outlet for his creativity and lifelong love of the Porsche 911. If all of this sounds absurdly expensive, think about the work that goes into these builds and the custom high end materials. Known as the Mountain View Car, it was commissioned by a California-based Porsche collector and completed by Singer Vehicle Design in 2016. New Audi E-Tron model teased ahead of next week's Shanghai unveiling. Heel-and-toe downshifts with manual throttle blips are akin to a hit of heroin for car enthusiasts – it’s that kind of addiction when you’re behind the wheel of this masterpiece. All engines keep the case of the 964 and employ a bespoke crankshaft, oil pump, pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, cams, cylinder heads, throttle bodies and intake system. A representative from Porsche said that, while Singer invariably spurs passion for the brand, and ensures that older products remain loved and on the road, it must protect its marque for the sake of its customers. View detailed pictures that accompany our 2010 Singer Porsche 911 article with close-up photos of exterior and interior features. Video: Local company develops all-electric off-road buggy for Australian Defence Force, Around the tracks: Blind racer to attempt a new world record in a 600kW Corvette, 2021 Hyundai i30 Sedan N Line manual review, 2021 Tesla Model 3 price and specs: Prices cut by $4000. The leather is hand-woven on the seat and seat back, while the side bolsters are smooth but also perfectly bolstered to handle track work. Engine Option – 4.0-liter, 390 horsepower. Wheels? Florence, Alabama is probably the last place on Earth I expected to see, let alone drive, a bespoke Porsche 911 built by Singer Vehicle Design out of Sun Valley in Southern California. Prices for a Singer vary depending on options, but if you said around US$650,000 plus the 911 (964 Series) donor car, you wouldn’t be far off the mark. Rennlist brings you the North American debut of the Singer Porsche 911 DLS at Monterey Car Week.. That uprated engine in this 100th edition Singer is another tasty option worth crowing about. But here’s the thing, outright performance isn’t what Singer is about. A company like Singer could only happen in sunny California. If you choose this option the units are stripped and rebuilt. [Guide] Singer Porsche – Creators of the Ultimate Porsche 911s. This is the story of Rob Dickinson and Singer Vehicle Designs. Prices for a Singer vary depending on options, but if you said around US$650,000 plus the 911 (964 Series) donor car, you wouldn’t be far off the mark. Aerodynamics on the cars are optimized for high-speed stability via a set of custom designed and tested front and rear spoilers. The timing was perfect, too, as I had already planned a trip to 'bama after the LA motor show in response to an offer from the car’s owner Thomas Trissl and Elton Darby of Trissl Sports Cars who very kindly invited us up to have a close look at the car. What matters most in terms of outright go is that it’s got enough punch to excite, which this thing surely does, especially at its 7200rpm redline. Born 23 July 1965 in the UK (a native of Norfolk, England) he is a singer, songwriter and entrepreneur who has seen tremendous success in his life. A Zonda 760 is more emotive and appealing to me than this. Click on the Photos tab for more images of the stunning Singer 911. So what is the waitlist and process if you are one of the lucky ones who just sold your tech startup or your hedge fund had a great year and you wanted to buy the ultimate, reimagined Porsche by Singer. Engine Option – 3.8-liter, 350 horsepower. Magic stuff. Read Porsche 911 964 car reviews and compare Porsche 911 964 prices and features at carsales.com.au. Like other bespoke carmakers, Singer also offers a vast array of worthwhile options from top to bottom of the build process and the Trissl-owned car I drove clearly had its fair share, as I suspect most would. Singer Porsche restorations start at $395,000 plus the donor car, but most customers usually go well over $600,000. The bigger the better, as the good ol' boys say. Norbert Singer, the legendary Porsche Motorsport engineer who ran the company’s Le Mans program for decades helped with the aero. The motor boasts lightweight throttle bodies with F1-inspired upper and lower injectors, a unique oil lubrication system and it has dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. This is where we need to break the bad news to you. And yes, it does go hard, very hard. It’s brilliant stuff and it’s all over the car. It's the extra wide-body that immediately wins you over. The exhaust is more than just show. There are too many interior options to name here but suffice to say this is where you can really go nuts in making your car your own. This is what all 911s should be like. While prices are rumored to start at around $400,000 for your own custom Singer, we're told enticing options often bring prices up at least another $200,000 or $300,000. There aren't many products that have been on sale since the 1960s that are still popular now. Read Porsche car reviews and compare Porsche prices and features at carsales.com.au. The equivalent of 'automotive crack' is how I want to describe the sheer euphoria that comes over you on first sight of the car. Model 3 Standard Range Plus, Long Range and Performance variants continue to be offered, now priced from $62,900, $77,900 and $89,900 respectively, with all prices excluding on-road costs, order and delivery fees, and (where applicable) Luxury Car Tax. In addition to their headquarters in Los Angeles, Singer had built a base of suppliers and specialists across California who work closely with them and help them think through thorny problems and create. He picked up a guitar and took inspiration from his cousin (Iron Maiden singer Bruce) and off he went. The original owner spent $752,000 on the custom 1989 Porsche 911 that was reimagined by Singer. Singer says this engine option is a nice balance between a high-revving, high horsepower Porsche racing engine and a torque rich, tractable and durable engine for the road. We go into more details below on the whole thing if you want to learn more. As for the Singer company name, it is both in honor of renowned Porsche engineer, Norbert Singer, and Dickinson’s other career as a singer himself. That’s no slight on Alabama, by the way, as there’s plenty of serious car money in the deep south – but trucks (F-150 Raptors and the like) are more sought after in these parts. You'd need an engineer's certificate, but if you started with a non-airbag car I'd expect it would be possible. After a deposit has been placed and the specifications have been determined, the restoration can take from 8-10 months, while a typical waiting period from deposit to delivery is approximately 18 months. There’s a long waiting list for a Porsche 911 ‘Reimagined’ by Singer, and it’s rare for owners to sell them—in fact, this is the first to come up for public auction. Ed Pink Racing Engines has been located in Van Nuys, California since 1965. Turns out, Florence was home to the likes of Helen Keller and Jesse Owens, as well as home to the well-known Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and FAME Studio which previously attracted recording artists like The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Cocker, and plenty more. The RM Sotheby’s Private Sales division is now accepting offers for the “Malibu” Singer Porsche 911, but the starting price is currently set at US$875,000. You supply your own fully road legal 1989-1994 Porsche 911 Coupe or Targa so that it retains its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), odometer reading and is legally registered, operated and licensed in the same manner. Frank Honsowetz is the General Manager of Ed Pink Racing Engines and he isn’t a Porsche guy. This may seem like an obvious question, but the answer is nuanced. In his own words he started to ask, “Why can’t we take an old 911 and present it as the definitive air-cooled 911? (16 photos) Singer owners tend to go a bit overboard in the cockpit with loud colours and in some ways this example follows suit. 4,000+ hours go into into restoring, tuning, and customizing a Singer Porsche. There’s more bespoke metalwork in the footwell, too, in fact, it all looks like anodised metal, even the drilled floor that hides the linkage mechanism. Find a new or used PORSCHE 911 for sale. The Stuttgart firm has apparently been displeased with Singer’s use of the Porsche name on the ACS, which features on printed graphics and is even moulded into the car’s side sills. Throttle response is off the charts. The process for getting your own Singer car is more than just rocking up and dropping money. Same goes for the centre-fill petrol cap that pops its polished metal head through the specially designed carbon-fibre bonnet. Singer Porsche restorations start at $395,000 plus the donor car, but most customers usually go well over $600,000. It also came with a not-too-shabby starting price of $185,000, but collectors are going to collect. The Porsche 911 by Singer is one British man’s take on automotive perfection. They are Porsche 911 sports cars that have been restored, reimagined, and reborn by Singer Vehicle Design. It pushes the boundaries of design close to being ludicrously wide at the rear but holding back just enough to be totally intoxicating instead. The latest supercar news, rumors, reviews and more delivered to you each week. He thought he may be onto something special. Unless otherwise stated, all prices are shown as Manufacturer's That sells for $1.8 millions, with 75 examples of this restoration being made available to customers (as always every single one is personalized for every individual buyer). The colour palette in itself is extraordinary. But equally, when you come off the throttle, the revs die immediately. Whichever way you spec it, Singers don’t come cheap. The 2.1 Turbo RSR being the exception with its fuel tank being roughly in the location where the rear seats of a 911 normally would be (for predictable weight balance). The singular vision of an obsessed an ex car designer who then became a rock musician who now stands as one of the world’s foremost distillers of the essence of air cooled Porsche. The ABS, traction, and stability control brains come from Bosch and it has switchable driving modes. Now the ultimate 911 has an asking price of $1.3 million on the used market. Rob’s infatuation with cars began in 1970 on a family vacation in France. They worked with Williams in the UK and Singer Reimagined in Geneva has helped them grow that network in those countries too. Engine assembly is handled by Ed Pink Racing Engines and paint is outsourced, for now, but the suspension, trim, interior, assembly, and final fit and finish are all done inside a surprisingly small shop in Sun Valley, California. Rob’s lifelong obsession with the most important sports car on the planet began on an autoroute in France in the ’70s and now finds a home on the concours lawns and racetracks of the world’s most prestigious automotive events. By Máté Petrány Aug 4, 2017 Despite the stratospheric price tag, demand for Singer’s unique 911 recreations far outstrips supply with more than 130 cars currently in the order bank – and that was several months ago. And, if you’re a fan of the award-winning web TV series Jay Leno’s Garage, you’ll likely be familiar with this car, as it’s the same one driven by Jay on his series, who also happened to have autographed it under the bonnet. There’s no power assistance whatsoever with the steering, but you’d never say it's heavy in any way – perfectly weighted but also quick and very accurate at the same time. On the other, it’s a masterful automotive expression that blends state-of-the-art materials with staggering levels of craftsmanship to create a veritable work-of-art on wheels that somehow feels refreshingly old school. UPDATE: Price, power figures, and engine heritage have finally been revealed for Lanzante’s F1-powered Porsche 930 Turbo. Seriously though this is on the lottery car purchase list for sure. At the top of the range is the Singer and Williams collaboration in the form of the wildly reimagined 500 horsepower Singer Vehicle Design DLS. That’s because the Singer is like no other Porsche 911 on the planet. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The product of Singer’s painstaking effort is a Porsche 911® restored and reimagined by Singer. British Theon Design offers reimagined Porsche 911s with Singer-ish looks and performance for half the price, as Tiff Needell found out. The results are amazing, the DLS is an absolute masterpiece. A year ago, car dealers were overstocked with new models as demand fell by almost 50 per cent, and had concerns they might close their doors forever as the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold in Australia. The Zonda, or Huayra, have enormous emotional appeal from simply how bespoke they are and a similar level of attention to detail – but I just can’t help but feel a Singer would be so much more ‘accessible’ to actually enjoy driving. Despite how careful I was filling up motorbike tanks, often a few drops on the tank paintwork frustrated me, could only imagine leaning over to fill this tank...but then again spending over $1mill on car, you can employ someone to fill it up for you. Already, I’m thinking this is up there with the top five shift actions of all time, which would include the original Audi R8 manual with the Ferrari-esque gate and that soft clicking sound each time you rowed through another gear. Apart from the case of the 964, everything else is bespoke, from the crankshaft, oil pump, pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, cams, cylinder heads, throttle bodies and intake system. Singer says the most recent restoration commissions have been in the $600,000 to $650,000 range. Is it a customized classic 911? Competition. Singer Porsche Prices, Rumors, Reviews, News & More We're always trying to keep up to date on all important things Singer related. Have a look how the 911 teams in the WEC and similar handle refuelling - not much care for the paintwork there, and not just from the odd fuel droplet! A few years later he decided that car design was not his future mainly because he saw rock ’n’ roll as my way out of Norfolk. The Porsche 911 is available from $236,300 to $494,500 for the 2021 range of models in Coupe and Convertible body types.. Singer's 500 Horsepower Porsche 911 Is a Dream Come True ... Singer doesn't list a price publicly, citing that the cost of restorations is highly dependent on the customer's needs. It’s all aerodynamically optimized, too, with a small air channel at the rear window designed to work with the ducktail spoiler and diffuser, making real downforce. :D, not that you want to die Anthony.. but if you did, that's ok... you made it, No apple car play and a 0 star ANCAP score would mean Caradvice give this one a score of 6 out of 10 :). Lotto car - just extroadinary. The monocoque (unibody) is media-blasted to bare metal and then treated for rust prevention. Watch some of the Singer Porsche reviews…. In fact, that’s the same with the entire car – all the major controls feel so perfectly natural and utterly user friendly even for first-timers like myself. The seat design is proper old-school 911 vintage – much like those from a 1968-69 911 S – low-backed but in this case by specialist German seat maker Recaro. The fuel filler cap location is a throwback to the old Carrera RSR race cars (like the Brumos cars of Hurley Haywood and Peter Gregg). Though some models are highly coveted, and priced accordingly, there are also affordable choices for the collector on a budget. ... Prices (586) Photos (774) Model Group 356 Series (93) … This particular car only has 700-odd miles on the clock, so I’m reluctant to push beyond 4000rpm – but even at those revs the noise from inside the cabin is pure bliss and no less intoxicating than the car itself. I’d go further and say it’s a tonne of go everywhere across the rev range, only the Singer feels different. Search for new & used Porsche cars for sale in Australia. I think you will find Recaro is, and has always been a GERMAN company. Why showrooms are running out of new cars. Remembering the stock motor in the original 964 made 250hp (186kW), but in this case has been completely rebuilt by hand, blueprinted and balanced using Singer’s 3.8-litre Cosworth motor as the basis before going to Ed Pink Racing Engines for the ultimate engine makeover. It’s hard to explain but you can sense the motorsport tolerances. Oh, and that’s another thing to behold. Custom carbon-fiber Momo Prototipo. But that’s only after the monocoque has received extra welding and strengthening, leaving only the steel doors intact for crash safety protection for the passenger cell. Everything else you leave to the fanatical craftspeople at Singer to attend to. The crew at Rennlist is out and about in Monterey, California, for the 2018 edition of Monterey Car Week, bringing you all of the most awesome Porsches, Singers, RUFs, and other assorted rear-engined German goodness to your screen of choice.. Our first stop takes us to The Quail, A … We cannot do justice to the craftsman and the engines themselves in this short post so we encourage you to spend five minutes watching the informative Hagerty video below that shows the Ed Pink team taking you through their Singer engine builds. Called the Singer Vehicle Design DLS (DLS stands for “Dynamics and Lightweighting Study”), the opportunity came up to create this car thanks to a repeat customer who wanted his 1990 Porsche 911 to be taken to the “next level”. There’s something openly erotic about the design of this powerplant even in an inert state. Engine Option – 3.8-liter, 300 horsepower. Porsche 911s all in various stages of being reimagined to death by Singer. We tried to break out the Singer car picture gallery by a few categories. While a member of Catherine Wheel from 1990 to 2000, Dickinson proved himself as a talented songwriter and vocalist, however, after the 2000 release of Catherine Wheel’s last album, Wishville, the group disbanded. Cool supercar stuff only. The muffler is a lightweight unit with twin centre-mounted tailpipes of sufficient diameter. Singer Vehicle Design started by restoring and modifying the 964s and continues to innovate and grow, including a new Swiss watch and the ultimate 911 in the DLS. With a huge range of new & used vehicles on carsguide, finding a great deal on your next PORSCHE 911 has never been so easy. Specific details for are being kept firmly under wraps for now, however it’s likely the upcoming low-riding model will be A4- or A6-sized, and underpinned by Audi and Porsche's new PPE architecture. It’s wrapped in a very soft leather, twin-stitched and perfectly round, like a proper steering wheel in a sports car should be. Demand has meant that the company continues to grow. When we’re not creating it ourselves, the CarAdvice team spends a lot of time finding and consuming motoring content from all over the world. Each commission represents a unique collaboration between the customer and Singer, combining bespoke carbon fiber body panels, the finest in optimized mechanical and electrical components, superlative materials and finishes, and the spirit of the golden age of the iconic air-cooled 911. I could see myself doing bad things to get one of these. That said, there’s a great mix of old and new tech in the Singer. A Singer 911 has so much more appeal than any of the modern day 'hypercars'. The product of Singer’s painstaking effort is a Porsche 911 restored and reimagined by Singer. The cars are comprehensively disassembled and all bodywork to be replaced is removed from the car. We have never driven a Singer Porsche so we are not going to pretend we can accurately describe what one is like to drive. A Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer is the kind of car that makes you stop in your tracks. Every Singer-restored car is an incomparable work of impeccable craftsmanship. This is the most popular engine option. By continuing to use this site you agree to these cookies. And this must be the article that wasn't written and published in a hurry - didn't the teaser video come out months ago? Alabama is also familiar territory to me personally, given I did a stint at university there several decades ago. While in LA he also focused on creating his dream 911, “the ultimate hybrid of all the lightweight, racing 911s I loved, mashed up as a cafe racer hot rod”. Visually, though, there’s no way you’d pick the composite panels – it looks too damn good. Dubbed the “Malibu” by Singer, this Porsche 911 boasts a beautiful and well-thought-out specification. It’s far more precise than any old 911 I’ve owned or driven and it feels unbreakable. I'd like one, but for me the Zonda Cinque is something very beautiful. Incredible vehicle, what a build and great pics too. There’s a purity to pushing the meaty clutch pedal in and engaging first gear before giving it some ‘gas’. While it might start out as an older 911 chassis – that’s anywhere from 1989 to 1994 (this being the best rendition of the air-cooled 911 according to Singer founder Rob Dickinson) it’s fair to say each and every component is virtually reimagined (it’s the best description) by Singer in what amounts to nothing less than a maniacal restoration process. It sounds like a Hollywood movie. Brakes? Porsche Launched in 1949, Porsche has an unmatched history of building exciting cars. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close. Singer has a waiting list of about three years for its re-imagined Porsche 911s, and the final price runs around $500,000. Modern classics are ten a penny nowadays, but this is the best of the bunch, says Pat Devereux Pat Devereux Ed Pink Racing Engines developed and builds this unit and it takes cues from the Cosworth unit.