singer porsche 911 safari

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Singer Finally Did a Safari Porsche 911 and It’s as Perfect as You’d Expect

Excuse us while we pawn every single organ that isn’t needed for driving.

Prepare to feel poor all over again, because the California-based Porsche 911 restoration gods at Singer have unveiled their latest creation: The ACS, which is basically its take on the 911 Safari. Provided you're familiar with the firm's previous work, the ACS (short for All-terrain Competition Study) is exactly what you'd expect a Singer Safari 911 to be like. An absolute weapon of beauty.

The ACS is based on a 964 from 1990 and was built upon request of an anonymous, "existing, long-term, special" Singer client who wanted an air-cooled 911 that could "compete in off-road racing and demonstrate all-terrain exploration capabilities." It doesn't sound like those intentions are an aspirational cover for "keep it in a temperature-controlled garage for the next 50 years" either because this well-heeled off-road enthusiast has apparently purchased two—the white one seen here for "desert rallying" and another in red for "high-speed, high-grip tarmac events." Now that's a person who is very much living its best life.

That said, the buyer has also given his personal blessing to any future Singer customers who'd like their car done in the exact same configuration as well so you better start digging in between those couch cushions.

The ACS is powered by a twin-turbo, air-cooled, 3.6-liter flat-six good for about 450 horsepower. Apparently, more power can be extracted via tuning for the varying demands of individual events. That power travels through a five-speed sequential transmission and onwards to a permanent all-wheel-drive system. To make sure it survives the conditions in which it was meant to be rallied, it's got a long-range fuel tank, two full-size spare tires and wheels, and 5-mm thick removable aluminum underbody protective panels that allow for easy middle-of-nowhere repairs. 

All of the body panels are carbon fiber and the brake calipers are four-pistons while the long-travel suspension features not one but two five-way adjustable dampers on all four corners. Inside, there's an FIA-spec roll cage, FIA-spec bucket seats, a carbon hydraulic handbrake lever, and a huge screen with navigation.

It doesn't sound bad at all either. Have a listen.

Anyone with enough funds, however, can cobble together a bunch of parts, but it's the execution that sets Singer builds apart from the rest. Par for the Singer course, every little detail oozes beauty and care. The rear bumper was milled out of a single piece of aluminum. The fluorescent red splatter in the interior could have come off as tacky but, this being Singer , it works and works gorgeously. Even the underside of the clamshells are painted to pay subtle tribute to the legendary Rothmans livery and would not look out of place in a modern art museum. 

This off-road build being such a departure from what Singer usually does, though, help was provided in the form of vintage 911 rally expert Richard Tuthill.

Speaking of "enough funds," Singer won't specify exactly how much the ACS will cost with Tuthill merely mentioning to Top Gear that it would definitely cost "a bit more" than your run-of-the-mill Singer that already runs near the million-dollar mark. "It'll be what it'll be," he adds. Feel poor yet?

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Wow, Singer has reimagined a Safari 911

Jaw-dropping, huh? The latest Porsche 911 reimagined by Singer is a desert raider

Photography: Mark Riccioni

Question: What’s better than a reimagined 911 from Californian air-cooled fetishists, Singer?

Answer: One of Singer’s reimagined 911s that’s capable of bossing the Baja 1000 or Dakar Rally and looks like the result of a 964 having a fumble with a Trophy Truck. Yes, this is Singer’s take on the 911 Safari – the All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) to use its full name – and it’s quite something.

Built at the request of one long-standing customer who wanted an air-cooled 911 that could “compete in off-road racing and demonstrate all-terrain exploration capabilities,” the ACS is Singer’s first toe in the water of competition cars, and as such was designed in partnership with historic 911 rally expert Richard Tuthill and built as his Oxfordshire base, in good old blighty.

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In fact, this well-funded mystery customer has ordered two – the white car here for high-speed Desert rallying, and a red one “designed for high-speed, high-grip tarmac events” – and given his personal approval for any future Singer customers to spec their restorations in the same way. Generous chap.

If you’re looking at this and wondering why you’d use a low-slung classic sports car as a starting point for a desert racer – where ride-height and an ability to absorb punishment are currency – fear not, rallying is firmly imbedded in Porsche’s DNA. The first race a 911 ever competed in was the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally (it came fifth, in case you were wondering) which is why a jacked-up 911 on knobbly tyres and preferably with a Rothmans livery like the Dakar-winning 953 and 959 Safaris from the mid-eighties, the latter referenced by this car’s wraparound rear deck, just looks so right.

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The donor car is a 964-gen 911 from 1990, the engine a twin-turbo air-cooled 3.6-litre flat six developing around 450bhp, although that can be easily turned up depending on the specific demands of each event.

There’s permanent all-wheel drive, a five-speed sequential gearbox, a long-range fuel tank, two full-size spare wheels and tyres – one in the front, and one in the back – and an FIA-spec roll cage. None of which is particularly lightweight, so it’s lucky that all the body panels are carbon fibre to offset what they can. The clamshells at the front and rear look like a pig to engineer, but along with removeable 5mm-thick aluminium underbody protection, they mean you can access the car’s guts quickly and easily… however far from civilisation you find yourself.

Responsible for the elevated stance and blown-out arches is specialised long-travel suspension with two five-way adjustable dampers at each corner, steel brakes with four-piston callipers and fat BF Goodrich tyres hugging 16-inch forged aluminium wheels. Contrasting with the narrowness of the 964’s glasshouse, the proportions are brilliantly cartoonish and the exterior peppered with moments of delight. Special mentions for the mutant mud flaps at the front, embossed Porsche logo on the engine cover and sills and a rear bumper milled from single piece of aluminium billet.   

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The interior plays mind games, managing to be stripped back to the bare essentials for beasting any landscape you care to point it at – FIA-approved buckets seats, a full navigation system in front of the co-pilot, a carbon rod for yanking the hydraulic handbrake and a built-in hydration system for both occupants – but still sumptuous in its execution.

Fluorescent paint splatter on the seats and as a highlight colour brings a sense of fun and opportunity for individualisation, while everything from the knurling on the gearshifter to the obscenely beautiful steering wheel (shared with Singer’s other unicorn , the DLS) is slathered in love and attention. Even the tow-eye is worthy of mounting on your office wall.

Price? Let’s just say if you’re interested in commissioning one, you better be bringing seven-figures… and a willingness to take your car to the corners of the Earth for which it was conceived. Speculators need not apply.

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Singer ACS is the ultimate Safari Porsche 911 restomod by Casper Heij

Singer ACS is the ultimate Safari Porsche 911 restomod

The Singer ACS (All-terrain Competition Study) might very well be the ultimate restomod Porsche 911 Safari, created by Singer in cooperation with Tuthill Porsche.

Look what just broke the internet: it's the Singer ACS Concept. A restomod Safari 911 with so much cool details it hurts our brains. There's eight five-way adjustable long travel dampers in the suspension setup. Yes, that means two for each wheel. There's also huge wheels with all-terrain tyres. There's an amazing interior with a steering wheel so good looking it made somebody in this room drool just a second ago. And what about that 959-inspired rear wing that is a great tribute to that of the 959 Safari? The rollcage is built to full FIA spec, but it looks the part as well. And there's a load of carbon fibre bodyparts installed to offset the gained weight of the amazing looking rollcage.

And then there's the twin turbo-charged 3.6 litre boxer engine that produces somewhere close to 450 horsepower. No need to tell you they're sent to all four of the wheels. It does so through a 5 speed sequential dog-box, enabling flat-shifting. Manual and paddle-shifter options available.

It sounds the part and it goes like stink if we can believe the video footage we've seen. We want one. We want one now and we want one bad. I would not go as far as to say we would kill for one, but let us know who you need us to kill anyway.

Singer joined forces with Tuthill Porsche , maybe the ultimate name when it comes to vintage racing. And yes, this is still a vintage Porsche underneath. In true Singer spirit, the whole thing is based on a Porsche 911 from the 1990 964 generation.

We can tell you a lot more about this car, but you're probably allready busy imagining yourself behind the wheel in the Dakar or a Baja-event of some sort. So let's keep it simple: when you're done, check out this video of Top Gear, which tells you all you want to know about the Singer ACS.

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Singer Built Two Specially Commissioned Safari-Style 911 Rally Racers Named ACS

The custom ACS Porsche 964s were requested by a client who wanted an air-cooled 911 with off-road capabilities

by Sergiu Tudose

Have you ever thought that you’d like nothing more than a classic 911 that’s capable of competing in off-road racing? Well, someone has, and they’ve commissioned one through Singer Vehicle Design.

The result is called the All-Terrain Competition Study (ACS) and is quite spectacular. The vehicle is based on a 964-generation Porsche 911 from 1990 and features a 450 HP twin-turbo air-cooled 3.6-liter flat-six.

Read: Stunning 1991 Porsche 911 ‘Malibu’ By Singer Is An $875,000 Work Of Art

The ACS is Singer’s first ever competition car and was designed together with historic 911 rally expect Richard Tuthill, built at the latter’s Oxfordshire garage. Actually, the unnamed customer ordered two vehicles: this white one for high-speed Desert rallying that draws on the Rothmans livery 953 and 959 Safaris from the 1980s, and a red one that’s “designed for high-speed, high-grip tarmac events.”

Moreover, the customer was fine with future Singer customers designing their resto-modded 911s in the exact same way, which is great news for anyone who likes this project.

The ACS sports a permanent all-wheel drive setup, a five-speed sequential gearbox, a long-range fuel tank, plus two full-size spare wheels and tires. There’s also an FIA-spec roll cage, while all of the body panels are made from carbon fiber in order to offset the additional weight.

Other mods include the removable 5mm-thick (0.2 inch) aluminum underbody protection, custom long-travel suspension with two five-way adjustable dampers per corner, steel brakes with four-piston calipers, and BF Goodrich tires wrapped around 16-inch forged alloy wheels. The car also comes with big mud flaps at the front and an embossed Porsche logo on the engine cover and sills.

As for the dual-tone interior, it’s got FIA-approved bucket seats , a custom steering wheel, a navigation system for the co-pilot, a carbon rod for the hydraulic handbrake, and a built-in hydration system for the pilot and co-pilot.

While we can’t tell you how much the ACS cost, Singer’s 911s don’t come cheap, so expect something in the high six figures. You can get a walk around the ACS in the Top Gear video that follows.

singer builds one-off 1990 porsche 911 safari ready for extreme rally races

with a deep understanding of the history of the brand – just check out their 964 DLS custom – singer vehicle design creates a contemporary interpretation of a porsche 911 safari rally car . the modern off-roader pays homage to their successful racers in the ‘60s with a version fit to complete in the dakar or baja 1000.

see singer’s 1990 porsche 911 964 safari design in action in the video above.

requested by a long-time client, LA-based singer vehicle design were asked to transform a 1990 porsche 911 964 safari into an off-roader that demonstrates all-terrain exploration capabilities. they enlisted the expert advice of richard tuthill of oxfordshire, UK-based tuthill porsche , whose speciality of preparing race-ready porsches for both off-road and race track have recently won events like the east african safari classic and FIA WRC R-GT championship.

to reduce weight, the design adorns a carbon-fiber-paneled body. an FIA-specification roll cage helps strengthen the monocoque further. the porsche was then lifted high above ground with a long-travel suspension with twin five-way adjustable dampers at each wheel. inside, FIA-certified bespoke competition seats have been added along with a dual spare-wheel carrying system in the front trunk and rear storage area, a GPS race navigation system, and a rehydration system for driver and navigator.

beneath its carbon-fiber body, the singer porsche 911 safari rally car is powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-L air-cooled flat-six that offers 450 hp and 569 Nm of torque. the power is delivered to all four wheels through a sequential five-speed transmission and front, center and rear mechanical limited-slip differentials to push through sand, snow and mud. monobloc disc brakes complete the design alongside BFGoodrich all-terrain tire-wrapped aluminum alloy wheels.

project info:

custom workshop: singer vehicle design

original model: 1990 porsche 911 964 safari

collaborators: tuthill porsche

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Singer Safari 911 Is A Dream Come True

This is really a no-brainer…

It’s universally agreed upon that some of the most beautiful and sought-after custom Porsche 911s emerge from Singer . The Los Angeles-based shop has churned out plenty of impressive examples, but until now we can’t recall seeing a safari model bear the name. That’s why this video from Top Gear showing off the All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) from Singer is so glorious .

After all, Safari Porsche 911s are also some of the most storied versions of everyone’s flat-engine GT. The German automaker has been using 911s in rally races for a long time, even though the average person would be shocked to see one jacked up with knobby tires and other trail-ready modifications .

To create the ACS, Singer teamed up with Tuthill Porsche out of Britain. A client of Singer wanted an air-cooled 911 read for extreme off-road races, likely drawing inspiration from the storied Porsche 959 Safari.

This Singer ACS not only looks the part of being a badass, it comes with four-wheel drive for pulling through difficult terrain. The flat-six engine is turbocharged, squeezing out more power. With carbon panels some of the weight gain contributed by the rally-ready mods is annihilated. Ditto for the stripped-down interior that’s devoid of niceties, showing this isn’t a build for grabbing coffee or just cruising around town but instead is geared for motorsports without apology.

Despite the utilitarian nature of the vehicle, this 911 still shows the crazy level of detail Singer always leaves on each of its creations. Some of those might be marred in some racing incidents, but we’re assuming the owner has the money to fix it and keep racing.

In the video, you get to see Jack Rix flog this Singer ACS. Then you’re treated to a full tour if you want to hear about all the technical details of the build.

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Porsche’s 911 Dakar Is Awesome, but Remember the Singer ACS?

This utterly bananas turbocharged, air-cooled rally monster debuted last year and is one of the coolest things ever..

Porsche dropped images of its almost-too-good-to-be-true 911 Dakar on Wednesday, and while I’m borderline freaking out about seeing it in the metal next week, it reminded me of the time last year when Singer and Tuthill got together to make their own Dakar-ready 911 . So, since Porsche is keeping mum about the Dakar for now, let’s watch a 450-hp air-cooled 911 absolutely destroy all kinds of terrain.

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This video from Top Speed is my favorite because it just shuts up and lets the sound of the twin-turbo 3.6-liter flat-six do the talking. I’ve never driven a Singer personally, though I hope to rectify that one day, but I’ve been up close with a few, and this ACS Prototype is a whole other animal.

In case you’re curious, aside from the previously mentioned engine, this car has a five-speed sequential gearbox, which drives all four wheels. Each corner of the car gets dual dampers which are multi-way adjustable and capable of nearly a foot of travel. The car’s wild, all-carbon bodywork hides dual spare wheels and tires and the interior is fully-FIA-spec for rally. The Singer ACS is ready to race.

This other video from Top Gear does a great job of going over all the car’s particulars in detail with Tuthill’s boss, Richard Tuthill.

Of course, while the ACS is a super wild, bespoke off-road racer and likely costs as much as the GDP of Luxembourg, the odds of me driving it are slim to none. Conversely, the 911 Dakar – if it goes into series production, fingers crossed – stands a good chance of landing in my driveway at some point and that’s pretty freaking exciting.

Keep an eye on Jalopnik next week for coverage of the 911 Dakar and the LA Auto Show.

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