Watch: Singer rallies iconic l

Image: motorpress

Watch: Singer rallies iconic legends with reimagined all-terrain Porsche 911

Drawing on Porsche’s especially legendary rally machines, like the 911 SC/RS, 953, and 959, the Singer All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) forges a new path.

Watch: Singer rallies iconic l

Image: motorpress

Singer Vehicle Design (SVD) has reimagined the near unimaginable in its stunning new Porsche 911 “absolutely” all-terrain vehicle.

At the behest of a long-term client, LA-based Singer looked back to a golden era of Porsche rallying in the 1980s to reimagine new World Rally Championship-inspired, all-terrain competition machines.

To highlight the broad repertoire of the Singer All-Terrain Competition Study (ACS), the client has commissioned two machines: One — in Singer’s iconic Parallax White — focused on high-speed desert rallying and a second — in Corsica Red — configured for high-speed, high-grip tarmac events and disciplines.

Singer Porsche 911 ACS
Image: Supplied/ Singer

Singer ACS: Built for Paris-Dakar glory

The Singer ACS begins as a 1990 Porsche 911 — the 964 model — before being thoroughly modified and overhauled for high-speed off-road hijinks.

“This off-road-oriented competition study built for Paris-Dakar glory evokes the 959, the ultimate Porsche rally machine,” enthused motoring journalist Ezra Dyer.

Power from the car’s twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre flat-six is channeled through a five-speed sequential race transmission and three differentials before finding its way to the ACS’s wheels, all four of which are wrapped in all-terrain tires.

Two spares are on board, in case bad luck strikes twice between stops.

Rally guru Richard Tuthill in the mix

Longtime rally guru Richard Tuthill – who helped prepare the Rothmans 911 SC/RS race cars in the1980s – was heavily involved in the development of the ACS designed for competition.

“This collaboration brings together the best of innovation, cutting-edge technology, and decades of real rallying experience into one, amazingly capable, all-terrain off-road racing vehicle. I am delighted to have now partnered with the team at Singer to bring this incredible machine to life.”

Richard Tuthill
Images: Motorpress

Designed to endure the dirt

Long-travel suspension with two dampers per corner offers high ground clearance, and BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires reaffirm that this is not a GT3 RS — nor any car made by Porsche AG or any of its subsidiaries, except originally, back in 1990.

Bodywork is carbon fibre, with the underlying body-in-white thoroughly gusseted and buttressed against future off-road abuse.

Singer Group founder and executive chairman, Rob Dickinson, said: “So much of what we’ve done for the last decade has been inspired by Porsche’s competition success and the ACS provides us the “opportunity to showcase that idea literally and vividly”.

“We at Singer are motorsport nerds in our hearts and demonstrating our understanding of the discipline required our off-road vision to display deeply legitimate competition credentials from the structural engineering to the bodywork ethos, to the mechanical package.”

‘Desert racing under our skin’

Standard features include a full roll cage, oversized fuel tank, and storage for two spare wheels and tires (in the front trunk and behind the seats).

The cars will be assembled at Tuthill’s facility in Oxfordshire, England.

“Desert racing has got under our skin at Singer. I tested and ran a Trophy Truck with Jenson Button’s Rocket Motorsport in 2019 and we’ll be back in the truck for three events in 2021, so I know from personal experience exactly how demanding these events are,” noted Singer Group CEO Mazen Fawaz.

“It’s been great to work with Richard [Tuthill], who has run the Baja 1000 himself, as well as a vast array of other off-road competitions, and apply all that knowledge and experience to this restoration for our client.”

Images: Motorpress

Wider Availability, Costs and Assembly Details

The commissioning owner has reportedly agreed that the results of the Singer ACS will be available to others who wish to equip their cars with this off-road capability.

As always, each car is approached as a bespoke restoration and Singer’s “special wishes” personalisation approach is available.

The price for the restoration services based upon the results of the Singer ACS will be dependent on the specification chosen by the prospective owner.

So, who’s buying No 3?