It’s rare that a non-factory Porsche catches my heart, unless it wears the familiar “Ruf” badge. But here is one car that has stopped me in my tracks.

It is called the Singer 911, and from the outside it looks like a 1970s-era 911. But if that’s what you are thinking, you are so wrong.

Singer Vehicle Design debuted this prototype at Pebble Beach earlier this year, and what a machine. Starting with a 1980s-era 911 donor, Singer strips the car down to its bare shell to reinvent it into a “celebration of the golden air-cooled era of the world’s most important sports car.”

First, the chassis is stiffened, and a lightweight integral backbone and a roll cage are added for rigidity. Most of the steel body panels are replaced with full carbon fiber composite bodywork styled after the 1970s-era 911, and coated in this stunning “Racing Orange” paint. As a modern touch, Bi-Xenon headlights are tucked away in the fenders, and an active speed-sensitive spoiler is fitted to the rear.

The suspension is modified with Moton shock absorbers, Eibach coilovers, and Jerry Woods Enterprises/Smart Racing Products adjustable sway bars. A fully adjustable electric/hydraulic power steering system is also in the mix. Four-piston brakes from the Porsche 930 are added, covered by custom Zuffenhaus forged aluminum three-piece wheels styled after the famous “Fuchs” wheels, 17″ x 9″ in front (with 225/45-17 Michelin Pilot Sport Cups) and 17″ x 11″ in the rear (with 275/40-17 Michelin Pilot Sports Cups.)

The engine is a highly modified 3.82 liter flat-six with six individual throttle bodies. A 997 GT3 crankshaft, oil pump and titanium connecting rods help it rev to a sweet 8,000 rpms. Power output is 425 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque. As icing on the cake, the Motec M800 ECU features data logging, launch control and traction control. All this is mated to a Getrag G50 six-speed transaxle with a limited slip differential.

Inside, the original-style 911 instrument cluster is updated with all-new gauges, including a sweet chronograph. The interior is not carpeted, but it is trimmed in supple dark racing green leather. A new version of the classic MOMO Monza steering wheel and re-engineered vintage 911 Recaro seats complete the vintage look. There is also a modern touch in the interior, with a lightweight air conditioning system, a Garmin navigation system, an iPod interface and Bluetooth connectivity.

So does it go as good as it looks? Yes! Weighing only 2400 lbs, the Singer 911 gets from 0 to 60 in just 3.9 seconds, 0 to 100 in 8.5 seconds, and has a top speed of over 170 mph.

No word on cost, but I would do bad things to get ahold of one of these.

For more info, check out the Singer Vehicle Design website.

And view lots and lots of pictures after the jump… trust me, you want to look at them.

[source: Singer Vehicle Design]

Here is another video from Frankfurt, this time featuring two new 911 models.

First, factory racing driver Timo Bernhard drives the new 2010 911 Turbo Convertible. Then, we are given a tour of the new limited edition 911 Sport Classic.

Enjoy!

[source: YouTube]

Another of Porsches world debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show was the new 2010 911 GT3 Cup. Based on the street-legal 2010 911 GT3 RS, the GT3 Cup is the latest in the line of most successful production-based race of more than 1,400 units.

The car weighs 2,646 lbs. The 3.8 liter flat-six produces 450 hp at 8,500 RPM and is mated to a sequential six-speed manual gearbox. The car is shod with 9.5J x 18 three-piece alloy wheels with 24/64-18 Michelin racing tires up front and 12J x 18 three-piece alloy wheels with 27/68-18 racing tires in back. The suspension is upgraded to include additional Unibal joins and more adjustable anti-roll bars.

The race car features daytime running lights from the street-legal 911 and a specially-designed front end with a lower spoiler lip. In the rear, the rear wing is over 9 inches wider than the one on the 911 GT3 RS, but the rear air dam and rear LED lights come straight from the street-legal 911 GT3 RS. Body panels also carry over from the street-legal 911 GT3 RS.

Inside, of course, the cockpit is set up for racing, with an additional vent up front to provide more fresh air to the driver. The Info Display controls are on the steering wheel, and the steering wheel can be adjusted fore-and-aft as well as up-and-down just like a street car.

Since 1999, Porsche 911 race cars have over 130 class victories; they’ve won seven of ten GT2 manufacturers’ championships and eight of ten drivers’ championships in ALMS; and they’ve won seven of nine GT championships in Grand Am, including an overall victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the race cars will be available later this year.

More photos and a press release after the jump.

[source: Porsche]

World’s Most Successful Race Car adds Power, Proficiency

Porsche Motorsport North America, located in Santa Ana, CA, provides a support system of race shop and at-the-track service for its U.S. professional and customer auto racing activities, a unique system unavailable from any other auto manufacturer – http://www.porschemotorsport.com

Check out this video of the new 911 Sport Classic… just listen to that awesome sound from that sport exhaust…

[source: YouTube]

One of the most exciting announcements when the new 911 Turbo was unveiled was the optional three-spoke steering wheel with gearshift paddles for the PDK. That’s right, if you pony up some extra cash, you can replace those stupid buttons used on all other PDK-equipped Porsches with proper paddle shifters.

So that brings up the question: will Porsche offer this option across the board on all PDK-equipped Porsches? Or maybe even phase out the buttons altogether?

We’ll have to wait to find out, but they’d be silly not to.

[source: Autoblog]

Dutch site SpyShots.nl has some more pics of the next generation 911 testing. Not too much can be gained under the disguise, but the shots of the interior are a little disturbing to me–they seem to follow in the footsteps of the Panamera with a million buttons on the center console.

One thing I find funny though is that they cover up the Porsche hood crest. I mean, come on, who on earth can’t tell that is a 911?

More pics after the jump.

[source: SpyShots.nl]

With Porsche pulling the RS Spyder out of ALMS, Acura looked to dominate the ALMS LMP2 class. But at Mid-Ohio earlier this month, Team Cytosport brought the RS Spyder back to ALMS, and they did so in grand style.

Cytosport entered the ex-Dyson Racing RS Spyder with drivers Greg Pickett and Klaus Graf. After an early penalty they battled back to finish second in LMP2 and fourth overall. The next race, at Road America, the RS Spyder finished third.

In GT2, the big news at Mid-Ohio was the debut of the GT2-class Corvette C6.R. The Vette moves to GT2 to race against Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Panoz and Ford. The Corvette finished a respectable 2nd behind the winning Porsche 997 driven by Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Long, just ahead of a BMW E92 M3. At Road American, Porsche didn’t fair too well, as the Bergmeister/Long entry finished fourth behind two BMWs and a Corvette.

The next ALMS round is this weekend at Mosport.

[source: Crash.net and American Le Mans Series]

Porsche has unleashed the new facelifted 2010 911 Turbo on the world. But there is more lurking under the skin.

The new 911 Turbo features a new 3.8 liter direct fuel injected six replacing the previous 3.6 liter unit. Power is now up to 500 hp, and fuel mileage increases a couple mpg also. This pushes the car from 0 to 62 in 3.4 seconds, and on to a top speed of 194 mph. Of course, the PDK is also available in the new boosted 911 if you prefer it to the standard six-speed manual. But, hey, here’s a change: those horrible steering-wheel mounted PDK shifters are replaced by real, F1-style paddles…but for some reason, the buttons are still an option if you prefer.

The Porsche Traction Management and Porsche Stability Management systems have also been tweaked to enhance the driving pleasure.

Check out more pictures and the full press release from Porsche after the jump.

[source: Porsche via Autoblog]

Porsche has announced its 3.8-liter 911 Carrera S engine has won the 2009 “Best New Engine of the Year” award in the International Engine of the Year Awards.

The power combined with the efficiency and drivability of the direct fuel injected engine helped earn the award. The current engine, combined with the PDK transmission, produces 385 hp while maintaining a 23 mpg average fuel economy.

The new engine is 8.5% more powerful and 13% more fuel efficient than the previous 911 Carrera S engine. And CO2 emissions are down 15%.

So, if you want to drive the Best New Engine of 2009, head to your Porsche dealer and grab yourself a brand new Carrera S.

Full press release after the jump.

[source: Porsche]

Porsche wins “Best New Engine 2009 Award”

Distinction for more powerful and fuel-efficient flat-six engines

Stuttgart. Once again Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has been successful in the International Engine of the Year Awards. With its 3.8-litre power unit from the 911 Carrera S models, the sports car manufacturer has underpinned its position in a fie of high performance competitors, receiving the coveted “Best New Engine 2009 Award”. For eleven years now, this prize has been awarded by the British specialist journal “Engine Technology International” for outstanding engine characteristics.

With the new flat-six engines featuring direct fuel injection Porsche is raising the sportiness, efficiency and environmental compatibility of the 911 to an even higher level than before. The Carrera S for the first time also comes with Porsche’s new double-clutch transmission (PDK). And despite an increase in power by 8.5 per cent, the PDK models reduce fuel consumption by more than 13 per cent and CO2 emissions by almost 15 percent.

Output of the 3.8-litre power unit in the S-models is up by 30 to 385 bhp (283 kW), pushing the extra-powerful S-version beyond the magic speed barrier of 300 km/h or 186 mph. Despite this supreme power and performance, the new models in the 911 range once again boast a significant reduction of fuel consumption, the 911 Carrera S Coupé with the PDK version offering even greater fuel economy with average fuel consumption of just 10.2 litres/100 km (combined overall fuel consumption to the EU5 standard).

9ff has announced a new tuning kit for the 911 GT2 called the 9ff BT-2. And I have to say, at least in the Gulf livery shown in the pics, this is my favorite 911 tuner package yet.

Pumping out an amazing 850 hp, the 9ff BT-2 can get from 0 to 62 in 3 seconds flat, and hit a top speed of 240 mph. There’s nothing really more to say than that. So just look at the pictures after the jump of the 9ff BT-2 in all its Gulf livery glory.

[source: 9ff via Autoblog]