This British Porsche Restomod Is A Beautiful Flashback
It’s Porsche’s seventieth year, and over those 70 years, they’ve put out a lot of incredible cars. From the original 356 to the Carrera GT, and of course, the 911, they’ve rarely put a foot wrong. While some may accuse the 911s of being little more than VW Bugs, that couldn’t be more wrong. Sure, they don’t have the displacement of the great American muscle cars, but they’re still fast. High-power straight-six engines power them around racetracks the world over, and get them out on the road, and you’re in for one of the finest driving experiences available.
While restomods of these particular Porsches are dime a dozen these days, this one was built for a special purpose. Last weekend, the ninth Le Mans Classic ran, with six different grids of cars taking to the legendary track, with vehicles from 1929-1981 racing. Ten of these Porsche restomods, called the Paul Stephens Le Mans Classic Clubsport also met their new owners. What’s so special about them? Read on, Macduff.
The cars, built by Paul Stephens, a famous brand specialist, begin with an original Clubsport, and then it all goes a bit crazy. The car is restored, and then lightened, with new body parts fitted including a new roof, new bumpers, and an aluminum hood. Even the wing mirrors are tweaked to make them more aerodynamic. Under said new hood, you’ll find a 300 horsepower, 3.4 liter flat-six. What kind of speeds can an engine this small produce? Some pretty nice ones, actually. The Lightweight version weighs just under a tonne, so it can accelerate faster than the proverbial through a goose. From a standing start, the cars hit 60 in 4.4 seconds. If you opt for the slightly heavier Touring version, it’s up to 4.5 seconds.
Inside, the interior is finished in black leather and houndstooth. It’s also where the two versions really diverge. The Touring version has a luggage box and adjustable seats, while the race-oriented Lightweight version features little in the way of soundproofing, light carpets, plastic rear windows, and no power windows, among other weight-saving measures. The cars sold for £250,000, or about $331,000 at time of writing. While you can’t get your hands on one right now, they’re worth appreciating, and are a wonderfully speedy retro flashback.
