Much has been made of the mass (or rather lack, thereof) of the new Porsche 911 S/T, but if you really want a lightweight neunelfer then Oxfordshire’s Theon Design has the solution.
The company’s latest 964 restomod weighs just 1,163kg wet – 200kg less than the new S/T. Almost the entire body is carbon fibre, with just the doors in their original steel for side impact protection, and weight saving measures are everywhere. There’s a Mil-Spec wiring loom threaded through the bodyshell, while electrically powered air conditioning and power steering pumps are lighter and re-positioned low down in the car’s nose for better weight distribution.
The 3.8-litre, normally-aspirated flat-six motor puts out 390bhp at 7,350 rpm and 290 lbft of torque at 6,000 revs with the aid of a new ignition system, Jenvey throttle bodies, and Theon’s own engine management. A ceramic coated exhaust system is switchable so drivers can choose between subdued or screaming sounds.
A Hewland six-speed manual transmission is controlled by an RS gear shifter and delivers drive via a Wavetrac Torsen limited-slip differential. Braking is by a 964 ‘Big Red’ setup and five-stage switchable Tractive dampers are fitted so the car’s dynamic response can be tuned to the road (or track) conditions.
This example is known as GBR001 as it’s actually the first car Theon has built for a British customer. The car’s look, however, has a distinct U.S.-influence with the Slate Grey color scheme being chosen to evoke Steve McQueen‘s car in the 1971 classic Le Mans. Inside there are Recaro seats finished in Phantom leather while switches, handles and vents have been cast in aluminium.
Each Theon Design 911 is unique, built to order with prices from around £380,000. Which of the new 911 dynamic duo would you choose to lighten your wallet?
