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Get Inspired: 60+ of the Best Restomod, Outlaw & Custom Porsche Creations On the Planet

Screw the purists, Here are 60+ Absurdly Cool Restomod, Outlaw & Custom Porsches

I generally like modern cars versus older cars. The speed of innovation and technology development is so fast that it is hard for me to get excited about a 30 year old supercar that can be beaten by a Toyota Camry in any performance test. I would rather dream about the the new McLaren Speedtail. However, about six months ago I bought my first Porsche and all of a sudden things started to change. I found myself talking to guys at local Porsche shows who had build or bought restomodded 911s and 356s and couldn’t help but lust for one myself.

The classic and custom Porsche market is really interesting when you dive into it. There are lots of little niches that I am slowly starting to learn about. You have rich collectors who will pay insane amounts to get their hands on period-perfect Concours levels cars that are stock to the bone. You also have other rich Porsche fans who want to spend equally absurd amounts of money on recreation restomod 911s from shops like Singer and Emory Motorsports, cars that are jaw-droppingly beautiful and have attention to detail that is truly unbelievable. Then there are everyday folk trying to build their own perfect Porsche through backdating, forward dating and even “Outlaw” creations, each car distinctly personal to its owner.

There are many reasons and its not just about style differences. The reality is that matching numbers and absolute originality are coveted by collectors, which puts them out of reach to anybody outside the one percent richest in society (check the prices of the most expensive Porsches as evidence). Singer and other companies at the top end of the market have tapped into the old Coachbuilder model, serving the richest by building them the perfect modern creation with a strong dose of nostalgia too. ‘Outlaw’ cars go against the grain in a crusade for individualism. Owners of these Porsche’s are proud, they love to drive and most don’t care about the value of their classic 911. Magnus Walker is their poster child, the Urban Outlaw himself has one of the coolest collections on the planet, all hand-crafted and designed to please one man, Walker himself. He drives them, he hammers them and he shares it all with the wider Porsche community.

This post celebrates them all. We celebrate the Porsche restomod shops and their fanatic founders. We applaud every RSR clone and hot-rod 911 and we support people like the R Gruppe, a counter-culture band of hot-rodders in Southern California that builds hot rod Porsches, purists be damned. We stare and smile at RAUH-Welt Begriff (RWB) Porsches, nodding in awe at Akira Nakai’s designs that harken back to many of Porsche’s early race cars with huge power, preposterously wide rear fenders, and massive wings.

While these cars may polarize Porsche purists, we say the community is stronger and richer because of this diversity. So here it is, our list and gallery of the best restomod, outlaw and just crazy cool custom Porches.

singer dls

Singer Vehicle Design DLS

Company: Singer Vehicle Design
Located: Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Website: Singer Vehicle Design

Singers most recent creation is an absolute masterpiece. Called the Singer Vehicle Design DLS (DLS stands for “Dynamics and Lightweighting Study”), it is a 1990 Porsche 964 whose owner requested Singer and Williams restore and modify his car. The long hood of the Porsche 911 classic replaces the shorter hood of the Porsche 964. Price point is a cool $1.8 million.

The engine is a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat six worked on by Williams and is good for 500 horsepower at 9,000 RPM. The motor boasts lightweight throttle bodies with supposedly F1-inspired upper and lower injectors, a unique oil lubrication system and it has dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. The suspension was also optimized by Williams. The interior is absolutely stunning, the body is perfect, the nuts and bolts and little things are just outstanding.

Singer Porsche

Singer Rowayton Commission

Company: Singer Vehicle Design
Located: Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Website: Singer Vehicle Design

It would be really easy to include every Singer Porsche ever made in our list, but we have decided to limit the company to three entries. The Rowayton Commission Singer Porsche is one of our favorites. That dark paint, the perfect stance and the interior are just perfect.

Singer Porsche New York

Singer New York Commission

Company: Singer Vehicle Design
Located: Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Website: Singer Vehicle Design

The other Singer entry is the New York Commission. I don’t know if it is the Singer just sitting on the streets of New York that does it for me, but it stands out on the Singer website.

KAEGE RETRO

Kaege Retro

Company: Kaege
Located: Stetten, Bavaria (Germany)
Website: Kaege Retro

Roger Kaege is our kind of guy. Roger (like the rest of us) saw a Singer Porsche in a magazine back in 2009 and was fell in love with the way it looked. He (like the rest of us) immediately checked out the price and said “oh shit that’s expensive” (I’m paraphrasing). As a vehicle and chassis engineer by training Roger decided (unlike the rest of us) to just build his own restomod Porsche. His Kaege Retro took the body of a 1972 911 combined with the platform and mechanicals of a rear wheel drive 993 and added 2,000 man hours building it into his perfect car.

Kaege started with an F-Series 911 body and goes to work widening the body significantly. Kaege replaced many of the stock body panels like the front bumper, hood and rear end of the car in carbon fiber. Thanks to those carbon parts and the Kaege Retro tips the scales at 2,634 lbs (400 lb lighter than a stock 993). While the look is vintage 911, big three-piece Fuchs wheels, modern Osram LED projector headlights and a carbon-fiber front splitter add some aggressive modern touches to the exterior and really help with the Retro’s great stance.

911 RS 3.5 Evolution

DP Motorsport 911 RS 3.5 Evolution

Company: DP Motorsport
Located: Overath, Germany
Website: DP Motorsports

Dubbed the “911 RS 3.5 Evolution,” the heavily modified Porsche gets a custom body made from a combination of carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP). To keep the weight low, the doors’ windows are made from hardened plexiglass while the 80-liter fuel tank is built from carbon fiber. The end result is a 911 tipping the scales at just 2,072 pounds (940 kilograms, dry) — also possible by installing a lightweight motorsport-spec battery. Output stands at 365 horsepower (268 kilowatts) after fitting the 3.5-liter engine with a dual ignition system, a mechanical fuel injection with individual throttle valves, and 911 RSR-sourced camshafts. The engineers also tweaked the Porsche transmission by shortening the gear ratios to boost acceleration.

canepa 959

Canepa 959

Company: Canepa
Located: Scotts Valley, CA (United States)
Website: Canepa 959

Called the 959SC, Canepa’s latest restomod project thoroughly restores the original 959 and in the process adds boatloads more power. Porsche 959 owners in the U.S. can have Canepa perform all these upgrades for an undisclosed sum (ie if you need to ask how much…). The highlight is a 763 hp engine upgrade. The boost in power is thanks to new Borg-Warner turbos (now parallel and not sequential), a new engine management system, bespoke exhaust system, titanium heat shields, new fuel system, more powerful ignition system and a custom clutch pack. The added power results in a 0-60 mph time of just 2.4 seconds and a top speed exceeding 230 mph. That is modern hypercar performance.

Porsche Classic Project Gold

Porsche Classic

Company: Porsche
Located: Germany (with local partners worldwide)
Website: Porsche Classic Project Gold

Porsche announced earlier this year that the marque’s 70th anniversary would in part, be celebrated with the release of a special ‘restomod’ car. Dubbed ‘Project Gold’, this endeavor was delegated to Porsche Classic, the company’s department in charge of restorations. The finer details of this project were kept under wraps, until it was finally unveiled during the 2018 Monterey Car Week taking place in Pebble Beach, California.

RUF-SCR-1-front-side-view

RUF SCR 2018

Company: RUF
Located: Pfaffenhausen, Germany
Website: RUF SCR

Called the RUF SCR 2018 it is a stunner. More power, less weight, more driving safety and 4 liter naturally aspirated engine that have 510 hp, all wrapped in a classic Porsche 911 shape. Yes please. Their goal with the SCR 2018 is to create a “unique state-of-the-art sports car for experienced connoisseurs and sports riders who do not want to miss the furioso of a naturally aspirated symphony”. The carbon fiber monocoque is further reinforced by the integrated steel cage (IRC), pushrod suspension on all four wheels corresponds to the chassis of the Formula 1, and in the middle of the works more as a 500 hp six-cylinder engine with full four liters of displacement. Ready to drive, the new SCR weighs less than 1300 kilograms; The timeless and elegant body is made of a fantastically lightweight, solid composite material: carbon fiber.

DP Motorsport DP935

DP Motorsport DP935

Company: DP Motorsport
Located: Overath, Germany
Website: DP Motorsports

Ekkehard Zimmermann’s DP Motorsport has been building slantnose 911s before every Porsche fan thought it was cool. Inspired by the 935s (DP built the bodywork for the 1979 Le Mans-winning K3), the DP935 series was a close to the original racer as possible.

RUF CTR

RUF CTR

Company: RUF
Located: Pfaffenhausen, Germany
Website: RUF CTR

The RUF CTR debuted in 1987. Capable of incredible speed, the 469-bhp twin-turbo CTR reached 342 km/h (213 mph) during testing on the Nardo Ring, a shocking speed for its time that is still impressive to this day. Entering its fourth generation, the latest high-performance RUF supercar pays homage to the 1987 CTR Yellow Bird in both form and function. A weight-to-power ratio of only 3.46 lbs per horsepower, a first-ever rear-wheel drive bespoke carbon fiber monocoque chassis and an incredibly powerful engine are only some of the ingredients that make the latest CTR such a compelling work of automotive art.

1972 Porsche 911 STR II

Magnus Walker’s 1972 Porsche 911 STR II

Magnus Walker knows how to build a Porsche to get people like me excited. His STR II build has “Brumos-inspired color scheme, replica Campagnolo wheels and classic wide body stance”. There are the many external modifications, evoking ST and R models of the period. The car has about 280 hp from what began life as a 3.2-liter SC engine with a 915 transmission built by Team VDS. Suspension is thoroughly modernized to cope with the power. Walker’s stated intention was to “build a comfortably streetable race car”.

DP MOTORSPORT 935 DPIII

DP MOTORSPORT 935 DPIII

Company: DP Motorsport
Located: Overath, Germany
Website: DP Motorsports

As a base car this time a Porsche 965 Turbo in black with 3.3 liters of displacement from the year 1992 “serve”. To the history of the vehicle is to say that until 1997 his existence as an untouched production car in Germany lasted. In the same year – commissioned by the second owner – at DP Motorsport the conversion to the 935 DPIII race car replica with street legalization in polar silver took place. One of a kind.

Gunther Werks 400R

Gunther Werks 400R

Company: Gunther Werks
Located: Southern California (United States)
Website: Gunther Werks

The Gunther Werks 400R is a modern version of Porsche’s last air-cooled 911 and is the first car from the new Gunther Works outfit based out of southern California. Limited to only 25 units and with a price point of $525,000 this is a seriously expensive and rare restomod. Every 400R will be entirely one of a kind. Customers select the vehicle interior materials, accent colors, and finishes. Gunther Werks then create an interior that bridges the gap between modern and classic design. Customers start with a 1995-1998 Porsche 993-era 911 and Gunther Werks goes nuts from there. Nearly all of the steel bodywork is thrown out; only the doors remain, and the rest is all carbon fiber panels, made in house. Gunther Werks also has a custom 4.0-liter engine. Developed by Rothsport from Oregon it is a tasty high end machine producing 400+ horsepower at 7800 rpm redline. Prices start north of $500,000.

Emory 356
Image Source: Automobile Mag

Porsche 356 Emory Special

Company: Emory Motorsports
Located: McMinnville, OR, N Hollywood, CA (United States)
Website: Emory Motorsports

This the the Porsche 356 restomodder you want. Rod Emory and Emory Motorsports are steadfast in their devotion to the Porsche 356 and invented the Porsche “Outlaw,” rearranging 964-series Porsche 911 internals to fit under the Porsche 356 body. Rod Emory builds the most iconic, yet personalized Porsche 356s on the planet and to deliver a customer experience unlike any other in the Porsche marketplace. He has a built quite a few cars, but our favorite is easily the Emory Special.

It is a one-off creation, each tastefully bespoke to an owner’s wishes and with Rod Emory’s signature eye for aesthetic enhancement. An Emory Special is a car whose specific design will never be expressed the same way again; it is unique. A Special benefits from all of our standard restoration excellence, but with body modifications that will set this car apart from its Outlaw brethren. The changes are proportional, subtle and unless you are fluent in the design language of Porsche, you’d be hard pressed to identify exactly what has been done. Every Special is outfitted with an Emory-Rothsport Outlaw-4 engine as standard equipment.

Paul Stephens Le Mans Classic Clubsport

Paul Stephens AutoArt

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

Paul Stephens LeMans Classic Clubsport

Paul Stephens is considered THE Porsche guy in the UK. Recently, Paul Stephens shared his latest creation, the new special edition Le Mans Classic Clubsport. This $350,000 special-edition gives you a 300 horsepower 3.4 flat-six (courtesy of an advanced injection system, a reprogrammed ECU, GT3 RS-specification camshafts, a lightened and balanced crankshaft and lightweight conrods) connected to a G50 manual gearbox with lightweight flywheel and a limited-slip differential. 0 – 60 mph is over in 4.4 seconds and the Classic has a top speed 170mph. You also get a de-seamed roof panel, an aluminum bonnet, composite bumpers and engine cover, a ducktail and aerodynamically optimized mirrors. All this totals to a weight figure of 2138 lbs as long as you choose the Lightweight spec (instead of Touring).

Paul Stephens Touring R series II

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

The Touring R series II is a fusion of styling and technology where old meets new, a high performance sports car with unique exterior design, that is available with the option of 2wd or 4wd and manual or tiptronic transmission, whilst perfectly weighted power steering and powerful brakes with ABS are standard. These are combined with a choice of powerful 3.6 or 3.8 litre engines to ensure that however you specify your Touring R, each journey will be an occasion to remember.

The Touring R has three power options, ranging from a strong 3.6 275BHP in the 275R through to a thoroughly invigorating 350BHP from the 3.8 350R, whilst where fitted the RS specification brakes provide truly inspired stopping power. The exterior has been designed with a restrained but toned aggression, the twin exit exhausts and subtle flaring for the arches to cover the 8.5” and 10.5” Fuchs style wheels, just giving a hint to the observant of its true capabilities. Carefully developed suspension combined with reduced weight ensures the Touring R performs like a toned athlete on your favorite road.

Porsche 356 Emory Outlaw
Image Source and full article @ Silodrome.com

Porsche 356 Emory Outlaw

Company: Emory Motorsports
Located: McMinnville, OR, N Hollywood, CA (United States)
Website: Emory Motorsports

The first and original category is the Emory Outlaw. Its body and chassis are all steel, just the way it left the factory in Germany. We perform a concours-quality restoration to the metal while stiffening the chassis in preparation for its modified 911 suspension and proprietary Emory-Rothsport 4-cylinder engine. Its styling cues are rally- or race-inspired, but the body shape remains stock in appearance. Within this category we can “Outlaw” the Coupe, Speedster or Roadster models. Every Outlaw is outfitted with an Emory-Rothsport Outlaw-4 engine as standard equipment.

Come in hardtop and roofless application, but we love the above topless one best. The Porsche 356 Emory Outlaw you see here started life as a 1954 Pre-A model, it was pulled apart and the conversion to the sacrilegious ranks of Porsche Outlaw royalty began. The full story of the car’s new specification is below the images – for those of you who’d like a little light reading.

Paul Stephens Porsche 911 Spyder
Image Source: Evo Magazine

Paul Stephens Porsche 911 Spyder

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

A unique one-off car created to show what is possible if you push the boundaries of your imagination. With its aluminum body, simple wrap around cockpit with minimal machined aluminum controls, the PS Spyder was light, sure footed and quick. A perfect example of our sports purpose ethos – less really is more.

964 restomod
Instagram: jaf_964

Instagram Hottie 964

No idea on the specs of this custom 964, but we found it on instagram and fell for it immediately. Check it out jaf_964.

Frank Cassidy’s RSR

Frank Cassidy’s RSR-inspired 911 ‘Outlaw’

Frank Cassidy’s RSR-inspired 1974 911 ‘Outlaw’ is the perfect representation of this. Visually the Porsche looks identical to the RSR which inspired it – a car limited to just 49 models and created as a more hardcore version of the potent RS. This is thanks in part to the genuine bodywork and wheels which were painstakingly sourced to create a period-correct look. But delve under the lightweight skin and you’ll soon find upgrades far beyond its inspiration!  Peek under the huge boot-mounted spoiler and you’ll find a forged 3.5-liter engine, aircooled and naturally aspirated just like its inspiration. However unlike the RSR, Frank’s Outlaw 911 develops 350bhp to the super-wide BBS E50 wheels, a cool 50bhp more than the real deal. In the handling department, Frank’s 911 benefits from coilover suspension front and rear utilizing BILSTEIN technology based around a B16 coilover suspension kit to ensure maximum performance in all driving situations.

Road legal RS Replica

Paul Stephens Road legal RS Replica

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

This road legal RS Replica is based on a genuine RHD 911 2.4E and was converted to RS LWT specification in 1990 for racing in the BF Goodrich production Porsche championship. Results sheets in the history file confirm it was a front running car in the 90s in the hands of Stephen Radcliffe. From there it headed to Northern Ireland competing in hillclimbs and sprints with Bertie Carruthers. It then moved onto Robin Titterington where again results sheets show it to have been front running in HRCA Historics in Northern Ireland before returning to the UK 2005 where it has been used for fast road use and track days. In May 2014 the car was submitted for FIA papers which it was granted, so is now eligible for a number of historic motorsport events.

Porsche 911 Resto-mod by RS Teknik (1984)

Porsche 911 Resto-mod by RS Teknik (1984)

As a company Paul Stephens recognized a few years ago that there was another market for a cheaper product to allow enthusiasts to get on the restomod ladder. So, they created a series of fiberglass body panels under a new brand RS-Teknik, specifically for the 911SC and 3.2 Carrera models. These could be purchased separately, or as a complete kit allowing individuals to personalize their own 911. This particular car is a mechanically sound 1984 3.2 Carrera with 78,000 miles from new, that has been fitted with a widebody conversion inspired by the 70s 911RSR. Originally painted by Carrera bodyworks in Bury St Edmunds and finished in sport classic grey which is an original limited edition Porsche color, it is fitted with black centerd 17” split rim Fuchs inspired alloys, RUF CTR style door mirrors and soft tint side windows to give a subtle but aggressive look.

RWB 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe

Rauh-Welt Begriff 911 Carrera 4

If the name Rauh-Welt Begriff (RWB) doesn’t ring any bells, you probably know the cars well. Known for wide fenders and a massive spoiler, these cars are hard to miss. While some think they ruin a classic Porsche, other see them as pure art. We found one on Bring a Trailer a while ago and fell for its sheer aggression.

The cool body kits is crafted by Akira Nakai in his body shop located in Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo. Not surprisingly, this handcrafted gear comes with a rather steep price tag (basic kit starts at $24,000 but it quickly climbs to almost $40,000 for the whole hog). This car started its life as a 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 4. Widened fender flares were fitted at all four corners along with front/rear bumpers, side rockers, a Kamiwaza double-decker spoiler, fender wings, Rotana-style extended canards, and RWB lettering.  This 964 is said to have been featured at SEMA in 2015/2016 and is now being offered with a clean California title in the seller’s name.

1971 PORSCHE 911T CUSTOM COUPE

1971 Porsche 911T Custom Coupe

We found this beautiful blue 911 on barrett-jackson.com. This custom 1971 911T has a Certificate of Authenticity from Porsche. Approximately 77,092 miles (mileage not indicated on title) on the matching-numbers factory 2.2-liter engine matched to a 5-speed 901 manual transmission and Dansk headers connected to megaphone pipes. The engine runs strong and clean on the car, which has had a fresh, high-end respray of the stunning factory color of Pastel Blue (per the COA), contrasted by black vinyl decals and black powder-coated Fuchs wheels with new Hankook white-letter tires – stanced perfectly under steel, butt-welded, Turbo fenders. Very clean interior.

1990 Porsche 911 RWB “Pandora One”

Porsche RWB #1 in Mignonette Green. Wide body hand crafted and installed by the famous Nakai-san of Rauh-Welt Begriff. This particular 911, known as Pandora One, was the first RWB Porsche built in the United States. Unlike many RWB’s, this car has the performance to back up it’s looks. A 3.6L flat six engine with a custom FFTEC turbo kit provides over 450hp. This RWB has been backdated to the styling of an early long hood 911.

Image & More Information @ SpeedHunters

“The Highest Star” 1989 Silver Anniversary Carrera

The car is based on a 1989 Silver Anniversary Carrera. Porsche intended this to celebrate 25 years of 911 production, and it was a limited edition which featured cosmetic changes over a normal Carrera. From there, the car was stripped down to its bones and prepared to be transformed into Ichiban Boshi, The Highest Star, as named by Akira Nakai of RAUH-Welt Begriff. The engine is a 1991 964 3.3-liter long block from Martine Altolaguirre, who’s considered one of the best Porsche 935 engine builders. Learn more about this car at SpeedHunters.

Paul Stephens 356 “Poco Bastardo”

Paul Stephens 356 “Poco Bastardo”

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

Even though the name is shared between this 356 and the American actor’s 550 Spyder, “‘Poco Bastardo’ is a nickname used to describe the 356 for its giant slaying capabilities against more powerful machinery” in the Carrera Panamericana. That said, what makes the Outlaw Coupe so special. Other than the badass exterior and no-nonsense interior revamp, the “Poco Bastardo” boasts xenon headlights, black bison quilted leather, a bolt-in half roll cage, fully rebuilt suspension with adjustable Koni shocks, electric power steering, disc brakes all around, a manual with a long 4th for highway cruising, as well as a 110 bhp boxer with Shasta pistons and Solex carbs.

RWB “Jittakorn 57”

Company: Terror Garage
Located: Indonesia
Website: Terror Garage

We talked about the RWB movement earlier and we just love how it has combined Japanese and Euro tuning elements, creating the distinct RWB style for Porsche chassis. Starting off as a small countryside body-shop in Chiba-Ken, RAUH-Welt 911’s are now a common sight on both the streets and racing circuits of Japan. All RAUH-Welt Bodykits are made in Japan and then shipped to a local shop. This build here is by the team in Indonesia who have some other cars on this list.

stephano bueme porsche 993
Image Source & More Information @ Stanceworks.com

Stephano Bueme’s Porsche 993 911

From the outside, Stephano has kept things rather modest so why is he on the list. Well, we love the subtlety and the rim, color, stance combo. An OEM Euro Turbo front bumper and an RS whale tail look really cool. The rims are awesome. They are Fifteen52 Outlaw 003s built for the car and measure 18×9 and 18×11 front and rear. The factory 3.6-liter lump has been fitted with an RS-inspired carbon intake system, Fabspeed headers, exhaust, and a Promotive ECU tune, giving the aircooled 6 some extra grunt. For the suspension, Stephano has H&R RSS Club Sport coilovers provide the basis for the changes, and Elephant Racing bump steer-correcting tie rods begin the list of additions. Rennline rear toe arms, front drop links, rear drop links, Rothsport steering rack bushings, and a 2-way front strut bar all help stiffen things up and have allowed Stephano to fine-tune his suspension. Learn more about this car at Stanceworks.com.

RWB Porsche Mods

RWB “Unknown”

Another RAUH-Welt 911 special but we couldn’t find any information on this one. We loved how aggressive this car looks. If Batman had a Porsche, this would be it.

Terror-Garage-Speedster
Image & More Information @ SpeedHunters

Company: Terror Garage
Located: Indonesia
Website: Terror Garage

The Terror Garage folks build the RWB Indonesia cars (they are the exclusive local arm for RAUH-Welt Begriff’s Porsche modification operation). This car makes our list for obvious reasons, it is totally unique and there is nothing else like it. The final product seems to exist more in the realm of the concept cars that grace motor show stages. Learn more about this car at SpeedHunters.

Random Hulk Porsche

Ok so we are not very creative when it comes to naming custom Porsches. Frankly we know nothing about this car other than we love it and we found it on Tumblr. To check it out you can find on Tumblr here.

1992 Porsche 911 RWB

1992 Porsche 911 C2 Manual Coupe (964) RWB

This is Akira Nakai of Rauh-Welt Bergiff’s first RWB Porsche on East coast. It was built in Atlanta, Georgia for Tate Askew at MotorCarStudio. Several specialist shops were involved with the build and this car is very well known on the show circuit. The owner started with a clean, black 1992 C2 Coupe that was stripped down to a rolling shell before going to a fabricator for a carbon fiber sunroof delete panel, then finished in Olive Green (a 1978 Porsche color). Rotiform produced the custom-designed wheels and the car wears KW V3 coilovers with hydraulic lifting option. The stock 3.6 liter engine was completely rebuilt to 3.8 liter RSR specs by Martine at Auto Europe. Custom exhaust was fabricated by Turbocraf. The interior was finished in Scottish Tartan — the driver’s seat is a vintage Recaro.

slammed black 991
Photo Source: Du Werke

Slammed Black 911

With found like black slammed custom Porsche on Flickr. No information on this one but definitely check it out here.

Magnus Walker Porsche 964
Photo Source: stanceworks.com

Magnus Walker Porsche 964 (dvmechanics)

Company: DV Mechanics
Located: Montebello, CA (United States)
Website: DV Mechanics

Dorian Valenzuela worked in aerospace and then at Singer before going out on his own in 2015. The core and passion of DV Mechanics is restoration and custom building of Alfa Romeo and Porsche motorcars. In many ways, Magnus Walker’s Porsche 964 project is a departure from what we’ve come to expect from him, but underneath its veil, you’ll still find his touch in the details that play a monumental role in the presence of his latest work. Magnus wanted to refrain from straying too far from the original car’s DNA. Rather than backdate it or attempt to form it into a wild widebody, Magnus chose to expand upon the sporty demeanor of the 964 and accentuate the cars original lines with the narrow body and big bumpers.

porsche 911 speedster dp motorsport

Porsche 911 Speedster Recreation By DP Motorsport

Company: DP Motorsport
Located: Overath, Germany
Website: DP Motorsports

Germany’s DP Motorsport is undertaking a multi-part project that aims to create the ultimate version of the 1989 911 Speedster. The car still awaits the major mechanical upgrades, but the aesthetic upgrades show that this could be an incredibly impressive creation when the job is complete. The car belongs to an owner in Berlin, Germany. He bought it in California with the conversion from a 1989 911 Targa 3.2 to a Speedster body already complete. However, this person thought that the vehicle looked “too modern,” so the vehicle went to DP Motorsport for further modification for a more retro appearance. The firm installed a body kit that took close inspiration from the F-model 911 of the early 1970s but with much wider rear fenders. The tweaks also included a lower front bumper and revised side sills for hiding the oil lines. For an understated but very attractive appearance, painted the body Nardo Gray, fitted black badges, and added black and orange graphics. The cabin has remained largely stock other than a new, Alcantara-covered steering wheel and stylish, metal shift knob.

Lanzante “F1 Engined 930”

Lanzante

Company: Lanzante
Located: Petersfield (United Kingdom)
Website: Lanzante

The English engineering firm is building 11 eighties-era Porsche 930s with genuine TAG-branded Porsche engines that the McLaren Formula One team used to win 25 races. Yes, real V6 TAG F1 Turbo engines. Imagine being able to tell your friends at the pub that your classic Porsche is powered by an engine that has won an F1 race. Baller. Despite the insanity under the hood, the F1-powered Porsche 930 restomod is rather subdued in terms of looks (the first one was showcased at the Rennsport Reunion recently). Wearing just a set of RUF wheels it is understated. The interior is basic with a set of bucket seats and a bunche of new gauges including a 9,000 RPM taco (did we mention it is powered by a real F1 engine).

PS Works Clubsport

PS Works Clubsport Series II

Company: Paul Stephens
Located: Essex (United Kingdom)
Website: Paul Stephens

In 2007 Paul Stephens introduced a lightweight coupé called the Clubsport. Created from the ethos of ‘less is more’, the Clubsport was a very light formidable car capable of showing a clean pair of heels to more modern machinery on a twisty road or circuit. The Clubsport takes you back to an era where electronic aids to help you drive faster had not been considered necessary. Instead it has the traditional values of a true performance car featuring lightweight, communicative steering and chassis together with a healthy power to weight ratio in all variants to create a formidable road car. Whilst performance is important, driver comfort is paramount and the Clubsport has been designed with long fast continental road trips in mind.

Bisimoto's 800 WHP Watercooler Porsche 930 
Image Source & More Information @ Stanceworks.com

Bisimoto’s 800 WHP Watercooler Porsche 930

Bisimoto has become a company known for applying carefully designed parts to often-overlooked drivetrains to illicit unheard of power. The retro-styled 911 gets its punch from a much more recent powerplant. Behind the rear wheels sits a watercooled M96 from the Porsche 996, posing the largest hurdle in the build with its size and additional cooling system requirements. Add twin Bisimoto/Turbonetics BTX5857 ball bearing turbochargers and a ton of other upgrades and this monster is an 800 horsepower beast. Learn more about this car at Stanceworks.com.

BENTON PERFORMANCE’S PORSCHE 912
Image Source & More Information @ Stanceworks.com

Benton Performance’s Porsche 912

Company: Benton Performance
Located: Anaheim, CA (United States)
Website: Benton Performance

John’s 1968 Porsche 912 is beautiful. John Benton, dedicated to the 4-cylinder 912s that is often overlooked in the shadow of the iconic, flat-six 911. In many ways, the 912 is a true evolution to its predecessor, the Porsche 356. With its skinny tires and 4-cylinder engine, it retained the same nimble driving characteristics that Porsche owners came to expect.  As it sits today, the ’68 912 is powered by one of Benton Performance’s 1.7L twin-spark engines, outfitted with ported heads, an aggressive cam profile, forged pistons on custom rods, and a knife edged crank. To keep everything in order, an ECU mates with a crank-triggered ignition and fuel injection while a re-geared box transmits the power to match John Benton’s driving style. Adjustable spring plates and Konis ensure that the car maintains its composure in the corners while a strut bar and swaybars front and rear allow it to stay planted. Widened steelies often go unnoticed by the untrained eye but allow the wider rubber necessary to keep John on track while he’s giving it his all.

STR
Image Source: Total 911

Magnus Walker’s ’72 Porsche 911 STR

The name says it all. This orange and light ivory 911 featured a combination of 911R and ST-inspired touches, including the ubiquitous flared rear arches. Aesthetically, the Minilite wheels looked perfect while the 2.7-litre MFI flat six meant there was menace to match the visuals.

STR II
Image Source: Total 911

Magnus Walker’s ’72 Porsche 911 STR II

The STR II was probably Walker’s most well thought out build. Once again inspired by the R and ST, the str ii’s color scheme became instantly iconic, while those gorgeous Campagnolo replica alloys once again made an appearance.

1973 Porsche 911RS Hot Rod

Makellos Classics 1973 Porsche RS-Inspired Hot Rod 911T

Company: Makellos Classics
Located: Escondido, CA (United States)
Website: Makellos Classics

This build started as a low-mileage, numbers matching 1973 911T and was fitted with steel RS flares (butt welded), steel RS Touring rear bumper, steel 911S front bumper and a fiberglass ducktail. The Brumos-style race livery really pops against the crispness of the Grand Prix White paint. The original 2.4L motor was rebuilt to 2.7L specifications including 90mm pistons, performance cams, ported/polished intake manifolds and Weber 40IDA carburetors with custom jetting. The factory 915 transmission was bolstered with a Quaife limited-slip differential, lightweight flywheel and factory short-shifter. The interior has been refreshed in a lightweight but not barebones fashion.

#277
Image Source: Total 911

Magnus Walker’s #277 Porsche 911T

Bought in 1999, this 911T – dressed up in a racing inspired livery – has become Walker’s trademark Porsche, appearing on t-shirts and stickers around the world. It may not be the prettiest, but we admire Magnus’ workmanlike attitude to #277, a continual work in progress.

Markus Haub's Hot-Rodded Porsche 911
Image Source and more information @ petrolicious.com

Markus Haub’s Hot-Rodded Porsche 911

Markus’ story is about an old rusty 2.2-liter F-series that he wanted to turn into his perfect Porsche. The full story on Petrolicious is worth reading, but the basics re taking an old rusted out F-Series and turning into a beautiful hod-rodded 911. The engine was completely rebuilt in the workshop of Matthias Hoeing in Hamburg, and was also expanded from 2.2 liters to 2.4 liters during that time. Equipped with carburetors and “Kremermodifikation” on the crankcase, it should all be work to produce almost 200HP. The color is stone grey (paint code 7510), which is originally a 356 color, but was available as “special paint” for the 911 in 1966/67. The idea was to give the car a very unique look and some original details in the interior and exterior: the customized instruments with the modified rev-meter and clock dials for instance, and then the round fuel-cap in the fender and the rear side window with its new louvers for example.

Magnus Walker's Porsche 78SCHR

Magnus Walker’s Porsche 78SCHR

Magnus’ goal for this car back in 2014 was for it to be a relatively quick and easy build. It is one us regular fans can relate to and be inspired by. Magnus is “just another car guy” like us, he just has bigger means so it is nice for him to do a quick, cheap build. Receiving only subtle visual changes, the 911SC retains much of the character and charm that makes its older, long hooded siblings so appealing. With its debut 15 years after the original 911 entered the market, the SC was equipped with some of the modern advancements of the 70s.

Kristof Mombaerts' 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4
Image Source: slamsanctuary.com

Kristof Mombaerts Porsche 964 (1991)

Belgian owner Kristof Mombaerts has built on cool 964. We picked it for our list because its a nicely balanced, low stance car. It isn’t swimming in a sea of mods, but we love the color (its called Amethyst). Kristof put his modding efforts into the suspension and wheel departments and thats the other thing we love, the unique Rotiform BS Wheels.

JASON MORABITO’S PORSCHE 964
Photo Source: stanceworks.com

Jason Morabito’s Slammed Porsche 964

Jason’s new 1991 Carrera C2 is a classic slammed custom. Jason went through the effort of replacing the front headlights, fogs, and amber corner lamps with OEM Bosch originals. The rear tail lights were refinished, painted, and cleared, paired with new gaskets, and installed to clean up the tail end of the car. The pitted and weathered windshield was replaced with OEM glass. After the restoration came modification, and first on the list was a set of AH Exclusive H&R coilovers. This allowed him to plant the the body of the car just over the pavement while retaining the the drive-ability and handling you expect out of a 911. After dropping the car, Jason added 5-spoke twist design wheels which are synonymous with Porsche.

Photo Source: delessencedansmesveines.com

Porsche 964 Carrera 4 – Belgium Outlaw!

The tuning market for Porsche is big outside the U.S too and for evidence just take a look at this Blue Baltic colored 964 from Belgium. At 4 corners, Cargraphic Racing 18 ‘ wheels in black with chrome offset and the slammed stance make this 964 really cool and unique. Under the back cover, the Flat 6 aircooled engine is basically untouched (other than aesthetic treatment).

bisimoto 1980 porsche 911
Photo Source and more information @ superstreetonline.com

Bisimoto ’80 Porsche 911 BR

Bisi Ezeriohia—founder and chief engineer at Porsche tuning firm Bisimoto—didn’t construct the car he calls Project 911 BR to satisfy Porsche purists. Bisi built this car as a node to Steve McQueen and said, “It’s something McQueen might’ve driven today”. It includes touches like the late actor’s racing number—48—that’s been emblazoned about, most notably on the center caps of the semi-period-correct, Fuchs-inspired wheels by way of celebrated maker fifteen52. For everything that dates Bisimoto’s most current exploit, there’s a sophisticated piece of electronics that delivers it into the 21st century. As with so many air-cooled builds these days, the 3.0L engine has been tossed not in favor of anything era-specific but instead for a 964’s 3.6L. Unlike most of those straightforward swaps, this engine uses a 996 GT3 intake manifold feeding individual Jenvey throttle bodies that have been situated atop the cylinder heads. To make the tuning of the custom assemblage possible, an AEM Electronics computer is in command of the entire operation. All of this is good for north of 300 hp. Learn more about this car at superstreetonline.com.

911 RSR IROC Street Racer

911 RSR IROC Street Racer

Company: Patrick Motorsports
Located: Phoenix, AZ (United States)
Website: Patrick Motorsports

This original 1979 930 chassis has been expertly converted to a lightweight 1974 911 RSR IROC inspired street racer! This chassis is fitted with a 1997, 993 Carrera 3.6L DME engine then converted to a high torque 3.8L displacement! Featuring hydraulic billet sport cams and married to a specially prepared, 1986 915 Euro transaxle gearbox with LSD and euro oil cooler system.

1991 964 RSR Twin Turbo

1991 964 RSR Twin Turbo

Company: Patrick Motorsports
Located: Phoenix, AZ (United States)
Website: Patrick Motorsports

This 964 RSR was built to win with a 3.8L twin turbo engine, 993 6spd, Wavetrac differential and more!

993 SuperCup By Theon

Porsche 993 SuperCup By Theon

Company: Theon Design
Located: Deddington (United Kingdom)
Website: Theon Design

What started life as an original 1979 930 3.0SC has changed a lot under the somewhat new Porsche shop called Theon Design. This particular 911 combines the classic bodywork of the original car with a bespoke interior and drive-train combination. Well, for starters, apart from the hand stitched leather interior, bespoke body modifications, custom 17-inch Fuchs wheels, custom coil-overs and other mods, the vehicle features a Porsche motorsport RS engine. The powerplant, originally destined to race in the 993 SuperCup Series, was supplied by Porsche Motorsport and it was built to RS specifications. That includes equal length stainless steel manifolds (among other stuff), and a power output of 300 HP.

Custom 1977 3.0L Porsche 911
Image source and more information @ fueltank.cc

Melbourne Outlaw: Hugh Feggans’ Custom 1977 3.0L Porsche 911

The return of the impact bumpers. This mild custom 911 is a personal project that marked the beginning of a lifelong passion for architect Hugh Feggans. It’s a 1977, 3.0L Porsche 911. These are the earlier 3.0s 911s, prior to ‘76 the capacity was 2.7L. He kept the impact bumpers as it resembles the original little red 911 he fell in love with as a kid. The interior has been completely redone and the engine is the original 3.0L but has been completely rebuilt to a high performance but still reasonably driver friendly specification.

930

Magnus Walker’s ’76 Porsche 930 Euro

Magnus’ turned to the 3.0-litre Porsche 911 Turbo era for this car. This Euro-spec 930, finished in Minerva Blue was the perfect example of simplicity. Lowered and on a set of gold Group 4 Campagnolo replica wheels, it looked perfect.

1983 Porsche 911 by Straat

1983 Porsche 911 by Straat

Company: Straat
Located: Miami, FL (United States)
Website: Drive Straat

This ice-cool custom ride began as a classic 911 from the early 1980’s with a clean record. Our goal for this project was to perfect its iconic looks and fine-tune its features for modern-day drivers. The exterior is a clash of opposing forces, classic and modern, light and dark. The original body with its fender flares and iconic lines was fitted with a modern drivetrain and classic Fuchs-style wheels. Blacked-out LED headlamps and exterior accents balance out the icy-cool, high-gloss finish of this classic 911, giving it a custom look influenced by the world of vintage racing. The 3.0-liter flat-six is one of Porsche’s finest air-cooled engine, and this one gets an extra dose of power and efficiency with PMO electronic fuel injection that’s been sport-tuned by our experts. But power is not the reason to buy a 911. You buy it for that race car feel and unparalleled connection to the road. Here, that feeling is amplified by the 915 gearbox’s spirited shifting, its sport-tuned coil-over suspension, sticky tires that grip every curve, and the big 930 brakes with plenty of stopping power.

Lightspeed Classic
Photo source: www.andrekirsch.de

Lightspeed Classic – Sport Classic Grey

Company: Autoactive Motorsport
Located: Taufkirchen (Germany)
Website: Lightspeed Classic

Lightspeed Classic is not meant to be taken off the ground for occasional summer rides; they are built to be driven – day in, day out. A case of classical beauty meets modern technology and performance that does not look out of place next to a 997 GT3. The Lightspeed Classic 911 is a meld of ‘90s and 21st Century tech wrapped in a ‘70s look. The formula is simple – reduce weight, increase power and give cars that classic stance. Like a lot of other Porsche restoration shops, the Lightspeed Classic crew likes the 964 as a startpoint. In their words it is the “first production 911 to use coil springs that can easily be swapped out for fully adjustable coilovers and other competition-based components and the 964’s G-Series derived bodyshell can be easily modified to evoke the look of the earlier long bonnet cars that my clients want.”

Turban Outlaw Lightspeed Porsche
Photo Source: Lightspeed Classic

Lightspeed Classic – Baby Blue

Company: Autoactive Motorsport
Located: Taufkirchen (Germany)
Website: Lightspeed Classic

Lightspeed Classic is not meant to be taken off the ground for occasional summer rides; they are built to be driven – day in, day out. A case of classical beauty meets modern technology and performance that does not look out of place next to a 997 GT3. The Lightspeed Classic 911 is a meld of ‘90s and 21st Century tech wrapped in a ‘70s look. The formula is simple – reduce weight, increase power and give cars that classic stance. Like a lot of other Porsche restoration shops, the Lightspeed Classic crew likes the 964 as a startpoint. In their words it is the “first production 911 to use coil springs that can easily be swapped out for fully adjustable coilovers and other competition-based components and the 964’s G-Series derived bodyshell can be easily modified to evoke the look of the earlier long bonnet cars that my clients want.”

ROCS 3.8L Panamericana

ROCS 3.8L Panamericana

Company: ROCS Motorsport
Located: Belleville, NJ (United States)
Website: ROCS Motorsport

The ROCS 3.8L Panamericana Palo Alto Art Car. A tribute to Fletcher Aviation and the Mexican Pan-Am race.

restomod 944

Restomod 944

We could not find any information on this slammed 944 but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Just look at that set of rims and that stance. That sinister glistening black paint completes the picture.

944 restomod
Image source and more information @ superstreetonline.com

720hp 944 with five-cylinder Audi Quattro engine

Porsche purists will likely hate this restomod 944 the most out of all cars on this page. It is a 720hp 944 that is going to make their blood boil. Roger Fyhrlund’s ’85 Porsche 944 has bolder front-end and bigger wheels, however Roger’s 944 isn’t your typical 944 porker. And that’s because he’s one of the Nordic nutters from Sweden and under the bonnet is a 727hp five-cylinder Audi quattro engine.

West Coast Customs 1965 Porsche 356 Restomod
Image Source: Mecum

West Coast Customs 1965 Porsche 356 Restomod

This Porsche has been radically transformed by West Coast Customs into a car that gracefully merges modern-day performance with the classic body style of a 356. A 2008 Porsche Cayman was used as the platform for the build, requiring a 9-inch section removal from the chassis to accommodate the shorter-wheelbase 356 Coupe body. The Cayman drivetrain and suspension was retained utilizing its 2.7L 240HP flat-6 engine and automatic transmission. This Porsche 356 Cayman is the result of a labor-intensive 3,000-hour build, and the final presentation reflects that level of quality and attention to detail. This radical Porsche has a high-impact presence that few cars can match.

Introducing the New McLaren Speedtail: 250+ mph, 1000+ HP, $2.2M Pricetag. Wow.

Meet the new Speedtail – an aptly-named addition to McLaren’s Ultimate Series. This limited-edition car, of which only 106 examples will be built, represents McLaren’s unyielding pursuit of top-speed.

As of today, only three cars fall under McLaren’s Ultimate Series designation: the P1, the Senna, and now, the Speedtail. The Speedtail is also the first of 18 new models that McLaren intends to unveil between now and 2025.

Whereas other McLaren’s blend handling, acceleration, top speed, and driving dynamics in a harmonious package, the Speedtail has a more singular focus. And that focus is speed. Ludicrous amounts of it.

The Numbers

McLaren Speedtail Rear EndMcLaren Speedtail Rear End

What we know so far:

  • Power: 1,035 horsepower from a yet-undisclosed hybrid powertrain
  • Top Speed: 250mph (or more)
  • Acceleration: 0-186mph (300 kph) in just 12.8 seconds.
  • Weight: Approximately 830 kg
  • Price: $2.2 million price tag
  • 106 examples that are 100% sold

The Speedtail is a Blend of Sweeping Lines, Aggressive Bodywork, & Incredible Opulence

McLaren Speedtail Front EndMcLaren Speedtail Front End

Exterior

Looks are subjective and because of that I rarely oogle or outright proclaim how good looking a thing is (especially a car). We all have our tastes.

But an exception must be made for this McLaren. It is simply gorgeous and awe-inspiring on its own right; even if I didn’t already know that it was a machine capable of reaching speeds that no sane person would dare take it, on looks alone that message would be received loud and clear.

McLaren Speedtail Top ViewMcLaren Speedtail Top View

It’s one of the few cars today that elicits an inherently emotional response. One replete with all the superlatives you can think of, and perhaps those wouldn’t be enough to do the Speedtail justice.

McLaren Speedtail Rear 3/4McLaren Speedtail Rear 3/4

Its silhouette sweeps from the front of the car to the extended rear – a teardrop shape that is the key to its exceptional aerodynamics – with side accents that add an organic edge to its smooth profile. The front rims are enclosed – for maximum top-speed – while the rears remain exposed. The entire care oozes elegance, class, and barely-contained power that the lucky driver will be able to unleash.

McLaren Speedtail Door HandlesMcLaren Speedtail Door HandlesThe Speedtail features hidden door handles and dual rear ailerons that blend seamlessly into the bodywork. Panel gap tolerances of 1mm remove any visual break, resulting in a single smooth line that follows the car from head to tail.

This type of precision is possible thanks to new technology that incorporates flexible carbon fiber- the bodywork will move and bend with the car as it accelerates.

Because of this, there is no turbulent air. No drag. No loss of speed. No break for the eye to get distracted by.

McLaren Speedtail Rear AileronsMcLaren Speedtail Rear Ailerons

That unleashing of power, by the way, will take place in ultimate luxury. Let’s look inside.

Interior

McLaren Speedtail InteriorMcLaren Speedtail Interior

The cabin is perhaps the best example of luxurious minimalism taken to the nth degree. The center-aligned driver’s seat – reminiscent of the venerable F1 – gives the driver a commanding view of the road ahead. Slightly flanking the driver on either side are two passenger seats. The world’s fastest GT car is once again a three-seater.

McLaren Speedtail InteriorMcLaren Speedtail Interior

McLaren has managed to pay homage to its past while demonstrating how the future should look and feel. Three big screens make up the majority of the dash, and bleeding-edge technology is seamlessly incorporated throughout the car. Even the windshield, which features an electrochromic top section that can dim on command, is an example of the technological ability of the Speedtail.

McLaren Speedtail InteriorMcLaren Speedtail Interior

Long Live the Hyper GT

McLaren Speedtail Rear End`McLaren Speedtail Rear End`

McLaren has labeled the Speedtail a Hyper GT, which seems fitting given the excess of the car and its abilities. This is a car that’ll take you to 250mph, and then to the Opera, on the same set of tires (to paraphrase McLaren spokesperson Wayne Bruce).

More than that, the Speedtail is a car that reminds us that the automotive world serves to inspire and excite us as much as it does to move us from one place to the next. Though, in the case of the Speedtail, it very much moves us.

Video Overview

Care of Carfection.

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Gallery

McLaren Speedtail Officially Revealed: Fastest McLaren Ever Built

The McLaren Speedtail has opened the next chapter in McLaren’s Ultimate Series. The three-seater McLaren hypercar has been eagerly anticipated for years. That cockpit layout being synonymous with one of the greatest hypercars of all time; the McLaren F1. Not only does the Speedtail open a new chapter for the Ultimate Series, being the first of 18 new cars or derivatives under the new McLaren Track25 business plan, it holds significance for the brand as a whole!

Just 106 McLaren Speedtails will be produced. That’s the same number of cars as McLaren produced for the McLaren F1. Famously, McLaren had trouble trying to sell the production run of the F1. The Speedtail has no such problems with McLaren confirming that all production slots are spoken for at a minimum cost of £1.75 million plus taxes.

The press release is thin on the ground when it gets to engineering. We are told that the Speedtail will utilise a hybrid drive train, yet the information about what that means is to be announced at a later date. We have some headline figures though. McLaren have confirmed a top speed in excess of 403 km/h (250 mph) and a 0 to 300 km/h of just 12.8 seconds. Details of the 1,050 PS engine will presumably follow in time.

Weight is a key factor for the McLaren Speedtail too. It uses a variety of different types of carbon fibre to keep this to a minimum, achieving a 1,430 kg dry weight which compares favourably to cars like the Koenisegg Agera RS which weighs 1,435 kg and the 1,995 kg Bugatti Chiron. We are hoping that McLaren are simply being conservative in their performance figures!

As you would expect from a three-seater, the cockpit features a teardrop shape. The carbon fibre bodywork has been designed with aerodynamics at its heart, compromising the aesthetics slightly in our opinion. In total, the McLaren Speedtail measures a staggering 5.137 metres nose to tail, the Chiron for example is significantly shorter at 4.54 metres.

The air flow to the front of the Speedtail has been designed so that air enters either into slender air intakes which feed the Low-Tempreture Radiators or two air intakes contained within the upper front clam. From here, the air is ducted through the body and around the wheelarch before exiting out of the lower door vents. A snorkel inlet feeds air into the back for the engine.

Much like the McLaren 720S, the Speedtail features a false bodywork which acts as a channel for the air from the front. The High-Tempreture Radiator intakes suck in the air from here. The silhouette appears incredibly futuristic due to the maximum focus on aero performance. The most noticeable feature being the absence of cumbersome door mirrors.

McLaren Speedtail Cockpit

Perhaps the most controversial element of the design so far is the static wheel covers which hide the 20 inch 10 spoke rims at the front. McLaren claim that they minimise the drag, something we don’t doubt. They are said to remain fixed while the wheel spins. Exactly how much drag they shed remains a mystery, as does the exact drag efficiency of the overall design.

On the chassis side of things, McLaren have utilised a bespoke version of its Monocage system. Something called Velocity Active Chassis Control can lower the Speedtail by 35mm, leaving the highest point of the vehicle just 1.12 mm from the road surface.

The rear features a one piece carbon fibre clamshell. An interesting feature is the central active rear ailerons. They are hydraulically actuated and form an integral part of the rear clamshell. Flexible carbon fibre has allowed McLaren to achieve this. Both the front splitter and side skirts are finished in 1K Titanium Deposition Carbon Fibre which is lighter than most normal carbon fibre weaves. Ultra lightweight Thin-Ply Technology Carbon Fibre (TPT) is also available inside and for the McLaren badge while other parts of the badge are made from 18 carat white gold.

McLaren Speedtail Rear View

The central driving position is made up with custom carbon fibre seats. A special leather finish makes it easy to slide into the seat. Two passenger seats are integrated into the carbon fibre monocoque. The dashboard looks futuristic with two high definition displays substituting the rear mirrors. The controls to start the engine and to open the doors and mirrors are above the drivers head.

The Speedtail in the pictures is trimmed in Dark Glacier and Cool White leathers supplied by Bridge of Weir Leather Company. It has been developed to be lightweight. It lines the floor of the Speedtail in the colour or colours of the owner’s choice. It looks likely that owners will get a high degree of choice over how their car is constructed and the colour schemes. If you don’t like the example in the photos, chances are that it won’t be produced to the same spec twice!

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Anonymous Buyer Acquires Aston Martin Vanquish Tooling for $26 Million

With Aston Martin’s recent listing on the stock market, it seems certain that we will get to learn more secrets about how the company is run. As part of the company’s listing, it was required to produce an initial public offering prospectus. Buried in this 321 page document is confirmation that in June, Aston sold the tooling and design drawings for its Vanquish sportscar for a massive $26 million.

The Aston Martin Vanquish was replaced this year by the brand New Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. It is a car that has been getting rave reviews from those that have driven it. It seems that at least one person might wish to continue production of the outgoing Vanquish. They have acquired enough to effectively bring the Vanquish back from the dead!

There is no confirmation on who the purchaser might be although the sale also includes 18-months of support from Aston Martin Consulting.

It seems clear that someone is looking to continue production of the Aston Martin Vanquish. You don’t pay $26 million for the right to build a car just for prosperity. Among some of the likely candidates are Mansory and Ares Design, European tuning companies. We might also look at companies like Spyker and Gumpert who plan to introduce new vehicles and need a proven platform to do so.

Do you know more? Get in touch.

Shark Tank Judge Wrecks His LaFerrari in Beverly Hills

It seems that last weekend was not a good weekend for Robert Herjavec. The Shark Tank star was allegedly driving around Beverley Hills early on Saturday morning when it appears that he lost control of the hypercar. The photo below was posted by the Beverley Hills Police department who attended the scene.

According to witnesses, Herjavec was driving the LaFerrari when the accident happened. The hypercar was being driven in excess of the speed limit when it hit a tree at the side of the road. It has been reported that the driver’s passenger was ejected from the car as she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

Contradicting the above account, Beverley Hills police department confirmed on their instagram account that there were no injuries. Surely if someone was ejected through from the window of a LaFerrari during a high speed crash, they would have suffered at least some injury?

The damage to the front end of the hypercar looks fairly extensive. The front left wheel looks to have been ripped from its arch. The entire front bumper is also destroyed. Key to the assessment of whether the car is a complete loss will be finding out whether the carbon tub has remained intact.

Did you see the accident? Was this Robert Herjavec’s car? Get in touch below and let us know!

2019 BMW M850i Review

It has been a staggering 20 years since we last saw a BMW 8 Series roll of the production line in Germany. I was left salivating at the thought of seeing a new 8 Series hitting the streets after sighting the sensual swooping lines of the BMW Concept 8 Series at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2017 – it was a pleasant surprise to see that the production ready 2019 BMW 8 Series on sale to the public carries the dramatic lines and sharp features of the concept. I flew over to Lisbon where the German manufacturer chucked me the keys to the 2019 BMW M850i to see what the sporty coupe had to offer.

Whilst admiring the vast proportions of the M850i before jumping in I asked myself a question – what exactly is this luxury yacht born to compete with? BMW call labelled the 8 Series the ‘Gentleman’s Racer’ – hmm, I’m not so sure. In my mind this is a large GT that I could see tempting buyers away from an S-Class coupe and a GT that would not really tickle the fancy of a focused 911 driver. Looking around the car, there is no doubting that it has some serious presence – its modern styling and ginormous grill give this thing presence, the vast dimensions command the attention of other road users. On the topic of all things HUGE, check out those exhaust surrounds, they would provide a small child the ultimate hiding space for a game of hide and seek. Unlike other manufacturers, BMW have opted to make the quad pipes behind them fairly visible and therefore slightly more acceptable. Let’s hope all models and not just the M850i are treated to the pipes…I suspect the diesel will not be.

So what exactly is the M850i packing? Serious heat, that’s what. The full fat M8 is to come – BMW confirmed that we will see the M8 Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe soon, but until they arrive the M850i will be the range topper with 530 horsepower and 750Nm of torque coming from a new 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8. Yum. Power is transferred to all four wheels using the xDrive system and a lightning fast yet silky smooth autobox. This results in a 0-100km/h time of just 3.7 seconds. Just imagine how outrageously fast the M8 will be…

Enough of the stats and staring, whats this V8 8er like to drive? Jump in, adjust the supremely comfortable seat and hit the ignition switch. Initial impression are brawny to say the least. In the default comfort mode the exhaust barks with intent, this statement is followed by a spattering of bangs – dramatic. Ahead of me is the all new BMW digital dash that we can expect to see across the model line up. Jazzy. You’ve probably seen the giant bejeweled gear selector before, it’s a bit chavvy in my eyes but I’m a little old fashioned. iDrive is touch screen and features a smorgasbord of new tech. It has gotten a little too complex but is still the best system in the industry in my humble opinion. Grab the giant jewel stick in it in D and away we go.

Comfort is…comfortable. It’s actually calming and serene. The GT credentials are immediately apparent and it makes me think that this car has been set up to munch miles like a 5 series and will struggle dynamically. As it to be right on cue, the preloaded navigation led me off the smooth Portuguese highway onto some of the prettiest passes I’ve ever seen time for some Sport+ me thinks.

Remember those pops and bangs on start up? In Sport+ they become more and more frequent and are amusing – not quite AMG levels of silliness. The engine tone is enough to inspire more fruity driving and the car transforms from a long distance cruiser to canyon bruiser. That being said, this is a heavy old brute. This is a two tonne car and BMW have tried their best to hide it with agility improving features such as electrically controlled dampers, active four-wheel steering, anti-roll and stiffer springs, honestly, it works, but you can still feel Newtons laws at work.

On a damp squiggle of a road, the xDrive makes its presence known allowing for over zealous application of the throttle with little drama, much speed and delicious engine/exhaust parp. It will make you giggle. I eventually ran out of road as I approached the gates of somewhere a little bit special – Circuito do Estoril. In my mind, this was going to be a wee bit irrelevant. As alluded to earlier, in my eyes this is a car for crushing long distances in with ease and not something that should be hunting for apexes on a racetrack where Ayrton Senna won his first Grandprix.

Apparently I was wrong. Heading out of the pitlane onto the damp Estoril track was something of a revelation. I was following none other than racing legend Philipp Eng piloting an M5 Competition.

Philipp could have left me in his wake at the drop of a hat, but the M850i really was not embarrassed by the most potent M5 ever. Through the corners the all-wheel-drive did not dull but instead aided the capabilities of the 8 Series and the four wheel steering effects were pronounced in the tighter bends.

BMW dubbed the 8 Series as ‘The Gentleman’s Racer’ a big claim and one I approached with a fair bit of skepticism. Following a full day on the road and track is it clear that with the use of dynamic aids and clever engineering this is one of the best rounded cars on sale today. It offers so much in terms of usability and dynamic entertainment. Yes, it could be slightly more engaging on the street, the steering is a little numb and there isn’t a lot of feedback on the whole, but this is what the M6 will surely offer.

15 of the Greatest Automotive Instrument Clusters of All Time

As a driver, there are few aspects of a car you look at more than the instrument cluster. Your attention there is divided among occasional glances at the speedometer and tach, and if you’re really fancy, navigation instructions. The dials on some cars are so pretty they deserve a more extended gaze, so long as you’re at a stop light or parked.

Dial designs are a lot like wristwatches. Sometimes manufacturers don’t put in the effort, leaving them no more than numbers and notches that merely get the job done. The best dial designs are innovative and stylistically brilliant; many have, perhaps unsurprisingly, gone on to inspire watches of their own. These are 15 of the best instrument clusters of all time.

1999 Honda S2000

Purely motorsport-inspired, the long arch of color LED lights was the best way to show off the S2000’s 9,000 rpm redline.

1976 Aston Martin Lagonda

The Lagonda wasn’t the best looking car on the road, but the rise in popularity of digital technology in the late-’70s granted the Aston a very handsome, arcade game-like dashboard.

1993 Lancia Delta Integrale HF

Aeronautical inspiration is apropos, seeing as how the Integrale rally car spent most of its life in the air, flying over jumps on rally stages.

2007 Lamborghini Reventon

Cars, watches and planes share an incredibly integrated and collaborative history. The F22-inspired Lamborghini Reventon got one of the coolest sets of LCD gauge as a result.

1985 Nissan 300ZX

By the time the 300ZX came along, digital and LED gauges were nothing new, but the way the 300ZX tachometer subtly displayed power output as well as the current gear and engine was genius.

1973 BMW 2002 Turbo

In the case of the 2002 Turbo, simplicity is key. There’s something to be said about the timelessness of the design and the typeface used as well — BMW hardly changed the design over the next 30-40 years.

2012 Pagani Huayra

If the Bimmer gets on the list for minimalism, the Pagani earns its spot on extravagance alone. This design is so over-the-top Italian, you can almost taste the exuberance.

2017 McLaren 720S

The McLaren 720S cluster earns a spot for being purely performance driven. It even features a pop-up headlight-like action when changing betwwen drive modes instead of going the easy route by digitally switching the TFT screen face.

2000 BMW E46 M3

Like the 2002, BMW’s E46 gauges remain a simple black and white, but during night driving give off a soft orange glow. In a pitch black cabin, it feels akin flying in stealth mode in a fighter jet.

2012 Lexus LFA

The Lexus LFA’s V10 revved so freely and quickly than a conventional analog tach couldn’t keep up, forcing designers to go LCD. It’s just a bonus that the needle looks like a Jedi putting on a lightsaber demonstration just infront of your steering wheel.

2016 Audi TT

As far as modern gauges go, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit ranks at the top. Audi’s tech, which transplants 3D navigation to the screen ahead of the steering wheel, debuted in the TT. It wasn’t the first car to get the technology, but Audi gets bonus points for design and execution.

1957 Ferrari 250 Testarossa

Jaeger-LeCoultre, the watch maker, went in to designing instrument clusters for high-end cars in 1921 and then sold most of the company to S. Smith & Sons in 1927. Luckliy, design quality never faultered; if it had, the 250 Testarossa might be less of a car with out this beauty.

1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto

More evidence of how well a Jaeger instrument panel can (and should) dominate a dashboard.

2009 Spyker C8 Aileron

Is it any surprise that a Spyker landed on this list?

1973 Citroen DS 23 Pallas

Not only are the speedo and tach beautifully designed, the matching warning light cluster is also impeccably currated. It’s also super honest about what might go wrong during a drive.

The Most Beautiful Engine Bays to Match

Out of sight? Who cares. Make it beautiful anyway. Read the Story

2019 Audi R8 Facelift Revealed

The highly anticipated facelift of the Audi R8 has been officially launched today. Due to hit the streets in early 2019, the Audi R8 follows shortly after the premiere of the 2019 Audi R8 LMS GT3 at the Paris Motor Show 2018. Both Coupe and Spyder models have been announced with improvements to standard features and performance.

At the heart of the package remains a naturally aspirated V10 powerplant. Audi have replaced the ‘Plus’ badging with a ‘Performance’ model at the top of the tree and offer a less performance oriented V10 model at a reduced cost.

The 5.2 litre V10 engine puts out 620 hp in Performance trim with 570 hp from the normal V10 model. The gains for the normal model are in the region of 30 hp while the Performance gets an additional 10 hp over the outgoing model. The Performance manages a 3.1 second 100 km/h sprint while the V10 puts in a 3.4 second time.

Modifications have been made to the design of the suspension. Optional dynamic steering and electromechanical power steering are available. The feedback changes depending on the drive mode selected. Three additional programs have been added, dry, wet and snow which are available next to the usual Audi drive select modes.

Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) has been added to the Performance model which helps get braking distances from 100 km/h (62.1 mph) to a standstill up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) earlier. 19 inch wheels are now standard with optional ultralight 20 inch five spoke models and ceramic brake discs available as options. Those with a keen eye will note that the tailpipe design has also changed.

2019 Audi R8 V10 Performance

On the outside, the Singleframe radiator grille is wider and flatter. Thicker bars divide up the large air inlets. Flat slits have been placed in the hood to resemble the iconic Audi Ur-quattro brand icon. A new front splitter, diffuser and engine compartment have also been installed. Three design packages are available for the exterior with differing highlights for the splitter, side trims and diffuser. Kemora Gray and Ascari Blue have been added to the paint range too!

Pricing has yet to be announced.

There has been extensive speculation over the last year about what will happen to the Audi R8 once the second generation goes out of production. Rumours have suggested that Audi won’t make a third generation Audi R8. More recently, rumours have suggested it will take the form of an all-electric car in its third generation. Is this your last opportunity to bag a naturally aspirated, mid-engine Supercar?

McLaren Senna Crashes in Munich Shortly After Delivery

All of the downforce in the world would not have stopped this brand new McLaren Senna from crashing into a wall in Munich. The supercar looks to have been delivered on Saturday this week if a Facebook post made by McLaren Munich on Saturday is to be believed. The accident happened on Saturday, hours after deliver, in the Munich suburb of Grünwald.

The photos show the scene of the accident. Judging by the tyre marks left on the tarmac, it looks likely that the drive lost control of the rear end. The front seems to have buried itself in a wall although the extent of the damage is not known.

The driver of the car was said to be a 43 year old businessman from Grünwald. The car was said to have sent a signal to the dealership who were on hand within minutes to recover the car. It had less than 100 kilometres on the clock at the time of the accident, however, the damage is not thought to be severe enough to cause a write-off.

The McLaren Senna is a limited edition Ultimate Series McLaren. Just 500 will be produced and McLaren is currently working on delivering the production run to its customers. While it’s 800 hp twin-turbocharged V8 is impressive, it is in the handling department where the car really excels.

The Senna produces a staggering 800 kg of downforce at 250 km/h, making it a potent tool for the track. We drove it recently, read our review of the McLaren Senna by clicking the link. Rear the official details of the McLaren Senna by clicking through.

12 SUVs and Overlanders To Be Very Jealous Of

We asked; you delivered. Below, some of our car-enthusiast readers’ personal rides, with the stories to go along with. There are plenty more to share, but this time we’re concentrating on SUVs and Overlanders… and the off-grid life has never beckoned harder. If you’d like the chance to share your own car or motorcycle, submit all the info about your ride here. It’s exciting for us to see the project, daily driver and/or pride and joy in your stable, so thanks for sharing. Keep ’em coming.

1992 GMC Typhoon

Neal M, Thousand Oaks, CA

Why do you love your car? The GMC Typhoon was only produced for two years [and fewer] than 5,000 total trucks were made. It came stock with all-wheel drive, and a turbocharged 4.3-liter V6 putting out 285 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 in 5.2 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.1 seconds. Which beat the Ferrari 348 of the same year. I love these trucks because they’re the ultimate sleeper and will still blow the doors off most of today’s cars. They’re super rare, and of course, Clint Eastwood STILL drives one.

The best story about your car? My best story came shortly after I got my Typhoon. I was driving in Burbank, CA, when I noticed a GMC Syclone (the pickup truck version of the Typhoon made in 1991) up ahead. I sped up and pulled alongside of the Syclone and none other than Jay Leno himself was driving it. He looked over and gave me a thumbs up! Years later I ran into Jay at The Rock Store in Malibu, CA, and told him about our encounter years before; he got a good laugh from it, and said he still owns his Syclone.

Has the car been a good deal? I bought my Typhoon in 2006, with a little over 14,000 miles on it for $16,000. For the time it was a great deal. A low mileage truck in excellent condition would run you around $30k. However, you can still score a great deal on a truck in good condition with under 100k miles for around $17-18k. It’s some of the cheapest dollar-to-performance you can get!

Any advice for future owners? If you don’t know anything about cars, you will after owning one of these. They can be temperamental, and you do need to stay on top of maintenance… but if properly tuned, they’re a blast to drive! Be careful though, the speed bug can bite you and before you know it you’ll be upgrading the turbo, for more horsepower.

1985 Land Rover Santana 90

Sam B., Philadelphia/PA

Why do you love your car? Firstly, I found my truck on Bring a Trailer, after Gear Patrol turned me on to them. I bought it from the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco because Defenders are out of my price range. I love it because it is truly unique. The vents are cut into the body instead of having plastic inserts. There is no tachometer. The engine is unique with no owners manual (make sure to travel with tools). I 3D printed a custom part to hold a Bluetooth stereo instead of an ashtray.

The best story about your car? I drove it down the shore this summer. I lived in a house full of friends. Everywhere we went, my friends asked to take the “fun” car. It turned a lot of heads, sparked a lot of conversations, and brought enjoyment to all passengers. I also became more popular on the island once people learned who the cool, old safari truck belonged to.

Has the car been a good deal? $10,000. I’m going to keep this truck for a long time. I can resell for at least double in the right market. I think it was a great deal.

Any advice for future owners? Most old Defenders have a lot of rust. Since my car spent its life in the Canary Islands on an estate, it’s rust free and low mileage (kilometerage?).

1995 Jeep Cherokee

Dennis M., Raleigh NC

Why do you love your car? It’s a classic now! With steel front and rear bumpers and four-wheel drive it feels like I’m in a tank by today’s auto standards.

The best story about your car? I bought my Jeep on Craigslist! It was in excellent condition. Most people like it.

Has the car been a good deal? $3,100 dollars. It was a great deal.

Any advice for future owners? JEEP stands for Just Empty Every Pocket.

1974 Ford Bronco

Asa M., Young Harris, GA

Why do you love your car? This is a restoration that my father and I did over quite a few years and it’s really turned into a great driver. We kept it pretty stock with only a few inches of lift and didn’t cut the fenders but it’s still got a pretty mean stance.

The best story about your car? We found the truck in the backyard of the local garbage man. It was completely original but had been sitting out for most of its life, so I spent an entire summer simply removing rust.

Has the car been a good deal? I think we paid about $2,500, which I think is a pretty solid deal.

Any advice for future owners? Prepare for loads of rust repair.

1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Tyler R., San Diego, CA

Why do you love your car? This is the car I grew up in. Bought right before college. Moved to the beach. Packed it with surfboards and friends. Took my wife fishing on our first date. Brought home my first dog in it. Drove it through law school. Moved from NC to CA. 11 years later and it’s still my daily driver.

The best story about your car? There were a lot of fun beach camping trips, but by far the best drive in the car was a camping/surfing trip along the outer banks of North Carolina. We started in Ocracoke and worked our way up to Hatteras. Beach, ferry disappearing roads (thanks hurricane season) – this thing handled it all. We spent a week living out of the Jeep, surfing early in the morning until late afternoon, finding a good campground, making a fire, grabbing our guitars and enjoying a few beers.

Has the car been a good deal? Got it used for about $7,000 in 2007. It was in incredible shape.

Any advice for future owners? None – this thing is built to be abused! Plus, there is almost nothing on it you can’t fix yourself. And if you can’t do it, there is a nationwide community of Jeep owners willing to lend a hand either online or in person.

1973 Land Rover Military Lightweight Series 3

Gary P., Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Why do you love your car? It is unique — just different. Old school.

The best story about your car? It was [found] at a house in an open garage. Have done a few trips with it — other people love it lots and offer to buy it.

Any advice for future owners? No, it’s a Land Rover.

1965 Jeep CJ5a Tuxedo Park Mark IV

Chris H., Rochester, NY

Why do you love your car? It is the first ever [special-edition trim package offered on a] Jeep which consisted of chrome bumpers, chrome windshield hinges, a chrome mirror and a name badge: Tuxedo Park Mark IV. Apparently, [in the late 1800s] Tuxedo Park was a ritzy neighborhood north of NYC. I’m the second owner; first guy died as a happy old man and his son-in-law sold it to me to make more room for his tractor collection. Came with original key and a receipt from the dealership, [located] down the street from the guy. It was used as a farm utility vehicle.

The best story about your car? Found on eBay. Funny ad: “vintage Jeep, this ain’t junk, call me” – but there was no number. It took me several emails to explain to the guy I wanted to speak with him. He was two hours away so I went to look with a trailer and a pocket of cash. As per the VIN, I knew that there were only about 1900 of these made so I had to check it out.

Has it been a good deal? Paid $5K. A great deal, I could sell it for $12K today.

Any advice for future owners? You’ll have to learn what the Jeep wave is all about.

1972 International Harvester 1210

Chris L. — Raleigh, NC

Why do you love your car? My “Mint Julep” reminds me of my childhood, riding in an IH truck and Travelall.

The best story about your car? I found her online and bought it sight unseen. You just gotta trust folks. Now more than ever.

Has it been a good deal? $5,000. To me, a great deal.

Any advice for future owners? Love it and cherish it. It is history.

1998 Toyota Land Cruiser

Ron B., Canton, OH

Why do you love your car? I love this car more than life itself! It does everything. Hauls gear and people in all conditions too.

The best story about your car? How many people fly over 1,000 miles to buy a 20-year-old car with a quarter of a million miles on it?

1970 Nissan Patrol LG60

Kirk D. — Austin, TX

Why do you love your car? The secret love child of an FJ40 and a Series IIa, the Patrol is rarest of all here in the USA. Seating for eight and just the right amount of patina means that everywhere I go, we get attention! A true resto-mod, it sports a Chevy 350 V8 and automatic transmission from the previous owner, LED headlights and is all new from the frame down to the ground, including disc brakes.

The best story about your car? I first saw the Patrol on a Sunday — [it was] sitting on a shady used car lot on the side of the highway. Before I could call on it the next day, I suffered a stroke and was dealing with life issues for a while. Two weeks later, it was gone from the lot. I tracked down the owner and convinced him I was its next rightful owner. Now, at least once a week when out and about, I will find a note or business card from someone trying to convince me they are next in line. Not yet… not yet.

Has it been a good deal? Incredibly used but at $7K, I feel it is a great bargain!

Any advice for future owners? Enjoy the journey of fixing up a car like this – make a list and be prepared for lots of contingency items to pop up along the way. Keep the top off and drive it all the time.

1971 Land Rover Santana Series IIA 109

Liam F. — Medfield, MA

Why do you love your car? It is so slow that it’s unusable unless driving around town. It seats 11 people while being a 4WD convertible getting 30 mpg. It’s good at everything but great at nothing.

The best story about your car? While driving off the beach I tried to shift the transfer case from 4 Low into 2 High, but it wouldn’t shift. I climbed under the car and found the linkage broken, so I took a hammer and banged it back into place, tossed a couple zip ties on it, and it did the trick for a good six months.

Has it been a good deal? $12,000 — in the long term it needed a lot of work, but it has been an excellent first car.

Any advice for future owners? It’ll need a lot of work to get it into a mostly reliable state, but once all the work is done it works like a charm. Watch out for rust in the frame, bulkhead and the floors. Otherwise, they just run and run and run.

1976 International Scout II

Ben G. — New York, NY

Why do you love your car? My Scout is not a vehicle you see every day. A work hourse that has a rugged a sleek style. Not your avarage daily driver.

The best story about your car? Taking my four-year-old to her first movie at a drive-in-theater with the top removed and, hearing the V8 rumble into a parking spot, watching everybody’s heads turning. My daughter says to me “this is my ride.”

Has it been a good deal? I traded with a friend for it.

Any advice for future owners? Nope. Get one. And enjoy life!

The 5 Best Camper Trailers for Any Adventure

Vanlife has its perks, as does the resurgent RV craze. But both also have a lot of drawbacks. When your portable vacation home is also the vehicle you take to get there, anything that happens to it mechanically takes you out of business. That’s why we still have a soft spot for camper trailers, which you can tow behind any appropriately rated vehicle, park in a great spot while you go off exploring and keep nice and preserved without worrying about whether it’ll start the next time you spontaneously decide to get away.

Our favorites have sleek, modern looks, cool amenities, and lots of smart details that make your time on the road all fun, with no hassle. Most importantly, they’re all renowned for their high build quality. (Pro tip: Stay away from “white box” trailers and RVs, which tend to last only about as long as your payments.) Of course, these are suited for use on pavement or the occasional dirt road—if you want to go way off the beaten path, we’ve got you covered in our roundup of overland-capable models. Otherwise, load up, practice your trailer-reversing skills, and head out.

Built to Last: Bowlus Road Chief On-the-Road Edition

The Bowlus brand dates back to 1934, when aircraft engineer and builder Hawly Bowlus decided to build a lightweight travel trailer for transporting aviation crews to remote locations. (He helped create Charles Lindbergh’s famous airplane Spirit of St. Louis.) Today, the trailers are the ultimate in luxury and quality, with high-grade materials and construction, and lots of high-tech features, including lithium battery power, built-in charging stations for gear, a cellular data booster and even heated floors. Its wide front door allows you to put long or oversized gear in easily, while polished-aluminum design will look great for decades. And for a starting price of $137,000, they had better.

Most Stylish: Happier Camper HC1 Ultralight

These sleek, retro-modern fiberglass trailers weigh just 1,500 pounds loaded, and thus can be towed behind most cars, making them excellent and efficient for spontaneous retreats from city life. The insulated, 10-foot-long cabin can sleep up to five and is designed to be modular and adaptable—by the owner—to any adventure. This includes complete removal of the cube-based interior fittings, including tables, seats, and kitchen hardware, to make room for bikes, kayaks, and other gear. Options include loading ramps for motorcycles, solar panels, propane heaters, and dry-flush toilets—and even a lift option that raises the trailer three inches for better ground clearance and includes off-road tires. Bonus: It’ll fit in most garages, ensuring it could last decades, not years. These campers start at $14,000.

Best Home Away from Home: Home Grown Timberline

If you have an SUV or pickup capable of towing more than 5,000 pounds, this spacious and fully appointed 23-foot trailer — as much a tiny house as an RV — will make you happy for weeks on the road. (Or off the grid, if you opt for the solar and lithium-battery option.) Starting at $40,000, this wood-paneled rig has seven-foot ceilings, a spacious kitchen, and sleeping for five in both bunks and a bed. It’s weather-tight and built from renewable materials.

Coziest: Nest by Airstream

Though well-known for its iconic silver aluminum trailers, Airstream recently began exploring fiberglass options, as well. The Nest, starting at $45,900, is a compact yet robustly designed trailer, with many of the amenities you’d expect in their bigger models. These include LED lighting throughout, a full-size propane tank for electricity and cooking, and a microwave and refrigerator—as well as comfortable chairs and bedding systems. The most striking feature, though, is the panoramic window, which infuses a bit of the soul of the Airstream brand into this new upstart.

Most Eco-friendly Design and Materials: Safari Condo Alto R-Series

The brilliant retractable aluminum roof on this trailer adds 20 inches of headroom when pushed up, but cuts aerodynamic drag by 75 percent when closed for transport. Starting at $29,500, it’s also made from lightweight materials, which makes for even more efficient and economical transport, and many of its components are recyclable for the sad day when it’s time to say goodbye. Until then, you’ll have a full-featured trailer with a kitchenette, ample dining space, and a bathroom as a standard feature.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Car of 2018 According to Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson isn’t back on our screens just yet, but in between filming and hosting the third season of The Grand Tour, he found some time to name the 2018 Huracan Performante as the Best Car of the Year for The Sunday Times and The Sun newspapers.

The Lamborghini Performante isn’t merely a special-edition with a commemorative paint scheme — when you spend the $274,390 to get one, you’re getting the latest and greatest Lamborghini’s engineers can come up with. The 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 can be counted on for 630 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, enough to get the Lamborghini from zero to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. It helps the engineers were able to shave 90-lbs off the car’s weight through the liberal use of forged carbon fiber to get it down to 3,493lbs.

Admittedly, the power bump and weight drop aren’t exactly the most breathtaking differences from the standard Huracan’s specs. If you’re still looking for the Performante’s party piece, it’s because technically, you can’t see it at all. Under the rear wing, under the floor of the car and at the very front of the car are vents and ducts which make up the Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, the company’s active aerodynamic system.

Depending on how fast you’re moving around a corner, which direction you’re turning or how much throttle or brake is being applied, the Huracan Performante’s brain opens and shuts those vents to best optimize the airflow around the car, increasing grip. It’s not a ground-breaking concept, but on a car already as stellar as the Huracan, you get a winning combination. There was a lot of stiff competition for picking ‘The Best Car of 2018,’ but there’s no denying Clarkson is on to something with the Performante — it’s an amazingly complete package.

F1: Raikkonen Wins at United States GP: First Win Since 2013

Raikkonen has won the 2018 United States GP, after leading for most of the race thanks to a superb strategy from Ferrari. Verstappen finished second, his teammate Ricciardo retired today. Hamilton finished third and was not able to seal the title fate.

Top ten at the US Grand Prix 2018 were: 1. Raikkonen, 2. Verstappen, 3. Hamilton, 4. Vettel, 5. Bottas, 6. Hulkenberg, 7. Sainz, 8. Ocon, 9. Magnussen, 10. Perez.

Hamilton started the United States GP 2018 from pole, a race that brought him to his fifth F1 title win. Vettel started from fifth after collecting a penalty for failing to slow down under the red lights. This is round 18 of 21 in the championship.

Raikkonen managed to jump Hamilton for the lead, the Brit took second while Bottas was third. There was a series of collisions on the field, major one being between Vettel and Ricciardo, leaving the Ferrari spinning. There was another collision on turn 12 involving Sauber.

Leclerc took his Sauber to the pits after the spin, so did Stroll, Grosjean and Alonso. Vettel was now down the order, Mercedes took note and advised Hamilton on what was going down the order. Alonso and Grosjean later retired after the contact incident, with the McLaren driver saying his rivals are impossible to race with.

Vettel was up to P8 by lap 7/56, Verstappen on the other end had started from the last row and was up to P6. Meanwhile, the stewards decided to take no further action on the Vettel-Ricciardo incident.

Ricciardo’s car stopped on the track prompting the VSC, and just like that the Red Bull was out of the race. Vettel had jumped Sainz for sixth, while Verstappen was now running fourth with the fastest times among the leaders. Hamilton managed to pit under the VSC, and rejoined behind Bottas in third on soft tires.

Hamilton was back in second after Bottas lifted off on the main straight, allowing him to cruise through to P2.

“I cannot keep him behind” Raikkonen told Ferrari, referring to Hamilton who was now 0.2s behind him.

Bottas stayed out as Verstappen was brought in to the pits, Ferrari man Vettel was also running and yet to pit. The Red Bull rejoined behind Raikkonen, just when Bottas made his stop, and Verstappen was now ahead of the Mercedes. Raikkonen passed Vettel for second, and was now chasing Hamilton.

Vettel made his stop on lap 27, taking on some softs like his rivals, before he pitted Verstappen was able to pass him successfully without contact. The Ferrari man rejoined in P5 behind Bottas.

Hamilton stopped again on lap 37, picking up soft tires before rejoining in fourth ahead of Vettel. Bottas seemed to let Hamilton through to third. Under these circumstances, for Hamilton to win the championship, he needed to finish second and Vettel fifth. Verstappen was currently second.

And Vettel managed to catch up with Bottas for fourth, denying Hamilton any chance of winning the world champion today.

Raikkonen went ahead to win the US GP from Verstappen and Hamilton. Vettel bought himself some more time in the fight for the championship.

The 20 Best Wheels Ever to See the Road

Getting the proper ratio of wheel-to-car is one of the top missions for a car designer. It can make or break the entire design. But once that sweet spot is found — what then? Do you just slap any old wheel on there and call it a day? Not a chance: rim design is almost as important as any other aspect of the car. The rims have to match the spirit of the design in theme, performance or character — or, preferably, all three at once. It should be no surprise, then, that some of the most iconic cars to ever hit the road have the most incredible sets of wheels to match.

2000 Spyker C8

Every other detail on the C8 is top notch, so it should be no surprise the aeronautical-inspired wheels are, too.

1998 BMW E39 M5

You can always pick an E39 M5 out of the crowd, simply from its wheels.

2017 Aventador S Roadster

Lamborghini may be the best in the game as far as modern wheel design is concerned.

2007 Subaru STI

The 2007 STI is easily the most attainable car here, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pull off gold wheels.

2016 BMW M4 GTS

On paper, two-tone alloys sound a little too Pimp My Ride, but the M4 GTS wears them tastefully.

1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v Evoluzione II

Pulled straight from the rally car.

1986 Porsche 959

Hollow-spoked magnesium wheels were light-years ahead of their time.

2005 BMW Alpina B7

Pure class. Plain and simple.

1966 Ford GT40

Those gold center-lock wheels may be just as iconic as the car.

1968 “Bullit” Ford Mustang 390 GT

San Fransisco tested, Steve McQueen approved.

1967 Ferrari 330 P4

The 330 P4 is one of the most gorgeous cars ever built; it had to be given shoes worthy of that design.

2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

A bold car design needs a bold wheel design to match.

1963 Aston Martin DB5

Maybe the best example of spoked center-locked wheels, ever.

1966 Porsche 911S

A “best wheels” roundup wouldn’t be complete without a Fuchs mention.

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV

You might be noticing a pattern here. Center-locking wheels — they’re pretty great.

1985 BMW E30 M3

The basket-weave wheels that made the car famous — or is that the other way around?

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

For a car that had 617 horsepower and weighed 3,850 pounds, the SLR was going to need fans to cool off the brakes.

1980 SAAB 900 Turbo

A level of cool only Saab could manage.

2007 Lamborghini Reventon

The Spyker has old-school aviation covered; the Reventon is definitely decidedly new-school.

1998 Ford Crown Victoria (Steelies)

Simple. Utilitarian. Almost always accompanied by red and blue lights.

The Best Shifters

The shifter is, literally and figuratively, the centerpiece of a car’s cabin. Read the Story

Steve McQueen’s 1945 Willys Jeep MB Is Going to Auction

We could go on for days about the collected film works of The King of Cool. Actually, we already did when we ranked Steve McQueen movies from worst to best. When it comes to McQueen’s…

This Used BMW 325iX Is the Ultimate Winter Wagon, and Just in Time

Editor’s Note: We love scouring the internet for reasons to spend money we don’t have on cars we daydream about owning, and these are our picks this week. All prices listed are bid amounts at the time of publishing.

There’s no denying it. There’s no stopping it. Winter is coming, and it’s bringing awful driving conditions with it. Well, ‘awful’ only if you’re not prepared. As a baseline, you can start with a good, grippy set of cold weather tires. Next, turn to all-wheel-drive as a weapon to help beat back the slush and snow. But you don’t need a massive SUV or overlander to churn all four tires — can stay a little more incognito and a hell of a lot more classy in this Malachite 1988 BMW 325iX Touring.

What We Like: Green cars are just better. This is a fact. Then throw in a five-speed manual, classic BMW performance and handling and the added practicality of wagon cargo space, and you get a potpourri of greatness. Even though this isn’t a show car, it’s still in fantastic condition; still, you won’t feel as guilty of taking it out in the colder months. The 325iX was pretty much marketed directly at slope-hitting yuppies back in the ’80s. BMW knew this car was going make countless trips shuttling its owners back and forth from ski weekends back, so why not keep the tradition going?

From the Seller: “This 1988 BMW 325iX is a European-market wagon that was imported to the US by the seller earlier this year. Finished in a paint-to-sample Malachite Green, the car is equipped with heated black leather sport seats, powered front windows, headlight wipers, a Momo steering wheel, and a manually-operated sunroof. The 2.5-liter inline-six sends power to all four wheels through a five-speed manual transmission, chain-driven transfer case and viscous differentials.”

Watch Out For: Before this particular 325iX was imported, the previous owner replaced the timing belt, water pump, battery and fluids. But, for this vintage of 325, there is a real problem with engine oil leaks specifically stemming from the valve cover.

Engine: 2.5L Inline-Six
Transmission: five-speed manual
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Mileage: 145,000

EarthRoamer Adventure Vehicles Are the Ultimate Off-Road Luxury

“I always had this dream of driving a vehicle completely around the world,” says Bill Sails, EarthRoamer founder. “And I asked my self what kind of vehicle would that be and what would it be like? In 1998, I bought a brand-new diesel Ram 2500 and put a pump-up camper in the back of it and start exploring the mountains of Colorado. Eventually, I took that vehicle, in 1999, quit my job and headed for Alaska for the entire summer and that lead to the design of EarthRoamer.” Like most creations, EarthRoamer was born of necessity, to solve a problem. Swails wanted a vehicle to take to the ends of the Earth; compared to the current models in his lineup, his old Diesel Ram camper is incredibly humble.

In a conversation about EarthRoamer, the question “Yea, but how much does it cost?” is an inevitability. The Ford F-550-based XV-LTS runs between $500,000-$600,000 and the F-750-based XV-HD clocks in around $1.5 million. EarthRoamer has the means to build four XV-HDs per year and a total of 26 XV-LTSs. But, before it manifested as a multi-million dollar overlanding cavalry, the concept of ‘EarthRoamer’ consisted of a simple a log of Swails’ own experiences. “When I first started it, it was just a travel writing company. I wrote for 4Wheeler Magazine, a diesel Dodge enthusiast magazine, and I was writing about both the modifications and building of what at that time I called it the ‘EarthRoamer Truck’ — my original Dodge — as well as the travels I was taking it on. I did trips to Alaska, down to Baja, all over Canada and the western United States.”

It wasn’t until 2003 Swails built the first production EarthRoamers. By then, he had racked up so many miles on his own adventures that it became easy to conceive of a vehicle that could travel the world: a very capable one. When you look at just how capable a modern EarthRoamer is, the price quickly becomes its least impressive aspect.

Swails starts with Ford F-550 and F-750 commercial duty truck cab chassis, which come with just the cab and nothing over the rear chassis. More commonly, companies buy these behemoth shells and build up the missing half, using them as blank slates to build as anything from a delivery truck to a tow truck. In EarthRoamer’s case, they rebuild the truck entirely and substantially modify the rig — its frame gets extended and fitted with the unique mounting system, bumpers are replaced, more extreme lighting is wired in and all new air ride suspension components are installed.

That fully-adjustable air ride suspension is one of the most crucial upgrades. Given that the F-750 Swails uses has a turbo diesel V8 engine capable of 330 horespower and 725 lb-ft of torque, and that a finished rig can total a gross combined weight rating of up to 50,000 lbs, it needs adaptable support. “When the truck comes to us, it’s going to change dramatically in weight. If we’re adding almost 250 gallons of water and 100 gallons of fuel, the air-ride suspension automatically keeps everything at the same ride height.” And when you do head off-road on off-camber trails, all 33,000-lbs or so of truck can be adjusted by inflating one side and deflating the other down to keep level and stable. And considering the 250 gallons of diesel will give you a 900-mile range, the odds of you hitting at least one angled road are pretty high.

Listing out numbers, power figures and capacities is one thing, but aside from the ridiculous terrain an EarthRoamer can handle and how far it can actually take you, it’s what you’re hauling that is the pièce de résistance. Behind the driver’s cab is a one-piece, seamless, multi-layered fiberglass box containing what amounts to a log cabin on wheels. “We have a couple different layouts and materials customers can choose from. Customers can choose among materials like wood, flooring and leather.” From the couch and lounge area to the full kitchen, including the full-size oven, stove and fridge, to the microwave and sink, customers essentially design and drive a luxury apartment. Now that price starts to make more sense.

Overlanding is nothing new, but its popularity multiplied in the past five years alone. In the decade since Swails founded EarthRoamer, he’s seen a massive evolution. “When we started, we sort of coined the term ‘expedition vehicle’ or XV, as opposed to recreational vehicle or RV. There was some activity in the US, but we really had to explain to people what our vehicle was — the ability to take an RV off-road just wasn’t there before. And to be designed for a complete off-grid operation… nobody else was doing that at the time.” These days, there’s an entry point into overlanding culture and outdoor exploration for almost everyone. Adventure motorcycles are probably the most affordable, then come vintage off-roaders, vanlife and tow-behind trailers. However, as far as ultimate off-grid luxury is concerned, EarthRoamer is a pioneer and the leader. But like any other luxury item, you have to pay to play.