1-of-1: 1991 Porsche 911 Reimagined By Singer
The Porsche 911 is a car of legends, and its iconic shape is one of the most instantly recognizable in the automotive world. They are already considered desirable, but when you find one that has been “Reimagined by Singer,” that desirability and individuality steps up enormously. The Reimagined program is only available to the very few with fat wallets because these are not a cheap car. They also rarely appear on the secondhand market, so this could prove to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for one lucky person. The 911 Singer is located in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Exclusivity comes at a price, and this car is no exception. The BIN has been set at an eye-watering $949,995, although there is the option to make an offer.
Singer Vehicle Design was established by Rob Dickinson in Sun Vallet, California, in 2010. His vision was to create the ultimate in modified Porsche 911s, a vehicle that was not just a modified car but was a complete package. For legal purposes, his creations are referred to as “restored, reimagined, and reborn.” The base work begins with a secondhand 911, either in Coupe or Targa form. These are then stripped down to the last nut and bolt, and work begins to create a unique classic. Color and trim are at the buyer’s discretion, which means no two vehicles are the same. It is once the shell has been disassembled and stripped to bare metal that the fun begins. If Singer detects any flaws or issues, these are addressed to the highest standard. The front and rear fenders, along with the bumpers, bonnet, and engine deck lid, are replaced with carbon-fiber panels, and the car is painted in the buyer’s choice of color combinations. In this case, we find a 911 wearing Albert Blue paint with Blood Red graphics and highlights. As you might expect in a classic of this price, the exterior presentation is flawless. There isn’t a mark to be found anywhere, while the glass, trim, and Fuchs-style wheels all appear to be perfect. The condition isn’t a surprise because this Porsche has only accumulated 1,119km (695 miles) on its odometer since Singer waved their wand over the car.
The reality is that this Porsche’s interior trim combination is not going to be to everyone’s taste, but it graphically demonstrates Singer’s approach to individuality. The upholstery is finished in a combination of red, orange, and blue leather. The door trims, along with the seat and dash inserts, have been upholstered in this material in a hand-woven pattern, and it is this attention to detail that helps to explain the cost of these classics. All metal surfaces are finished in the same Albert Blue that graces the exterior, while the gauge cluster and dash pad are unmodified. Fitted into the dash is a retro-look Becker stereo, while the driver grips a suede-wrapped Prototipo wheel. It is probably a blessing that with such a dark exterior color, the Porsche comes equipped with air conditioning. Once again, the interior is flawless, but as you will see, there is scope for making some changes if the buyer chooses.
The original owner of the Singer was determined to cover his bases. To that end, the vehicle comes with an additional set of seats. If the buyer doesn’t find the existing sports buckets to their taste, it is merely a matter of slotting this set of Recaro touring seats in their place. The former would be perfect for some spirited driving, while the Recaros should prove ideal for extended cruising. It seems that no stone has been left unturned in the quest for perfection.
We haven’t given much thought to the Singer’s mechanical specifications to this point, but as you can imagine, it has come in for a considerable amount of attention. When the 911 was new, it would have been powered by a 247hp 3.6-liter flat-six engine that sent the power to the road via a 5-speed manual transaxle. The engine bay now houses a 4.0-liter engine that is backed by a close-ratio 6-speed Getrag transaxle. The standard Porsche engine is completely disassembled and is handbuilt, blueprinted, and fully balanced. This engine brings 390hp to the table, and when combined with the weight reductions that would come with the carbon-fiber panels, should see the Singer demolish the standard car’s 5.5-second sprint from 0-60mph. The suspension features a range of upgrades to improve ride and handling while stopping power is provided by Brembo 4-pot calipers on all four corners that clamp cross-drilled and ventilated discs all round. Once again, the engine bay is beautifully presented, and with so few miles on the clock, that amazing flat-six engine would be barely broken in.
Since its inception, Singer Vehicle Design has produced around 140 of its unique vehicles. They rarely hit the secondhand market, but when they do, they command some incredible prices. The last pair to appear was in 2019, and they sold for $857,500 and $825,000, respectively. That means that the BIN price on this one isn’t that far off the mark. It doesn’t matter which way you cut it; that is still a lot of money. That means that the list of potential buyers is going to be pretty small. Still, I guess that it costs nothing to dream, does it?
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Comments
I didn’t realize these were trading just south of a million dollars! Another car fanatic asked me if I had the money to spend on any one exotic what would it be. My first answer was I would break the money and purchase several of my dream cars for the price of one exotic. When redirected and being told it had to be one I chose a Singer over any modern exotic. This car offers everything I would ever want in an exotic wrapped in a classic design. Too bad I will never be able to own one. Maybe someday I might be able to see one in person.
I have a Singer in my garage….but it’s my mothers old sewing machine :-( :-(
Dave, you read my mind. LOL!!
Even if most of us can’t afford it it’s nice to be able to see creativity still exists. It’s art more than transportation. Nice car, well done.
Top gear (the original) did a feature on the singer 911 as part of a comparison between the new (in 2014) 911 and what Porsche purists really wanted… at 2:54 in this video https://youtu.be/ihhFf-9wLHs pretty amazing cars even if most will never even see one in person let alone drive or own one.
I’ll take the red one, thank you.
That disappearing rear wing, blew me away. But then, that goes for the entire package.
I would be afraid to drive it in L.A. traffic.
At that price I would have said: “I would be afraid to drive it” and left it at that.
And here, more details on these amazing cars. https://youtu.be/jNtMmNixosU
What are the odds of someone achieving fame and fortune in TWO different ventures? Look up Catherine Wheel (the band). I can’t wrap my head around that.
Catherine Wheel was not very well known, and much underappreciated in the US. Good stuff. Glad to see them mentioned Eric.
As far as the car goes, I pretty much agree with alphasud. If I had to pick one exotic, for around a million bucks, it would probably be a Singer. I have looked into them in the past, and they seem incredibly well executed.
I saw Catherine Wheel live in Philadelphia in…1995? 1996? Sometime around then. Great show, and I was a fan of their music even before the singer (ha ha) decided to create some of the most desirable Porsches on the planet.
As for the car: absolutely drool-worthy, but it should really have been finished in Black Metallic ;-)
Heyyyyy, amazed and glad to see others recognize them! Seems like the comments are typically filled with uh, older folks. Then again, if I’m reminiscing about an early to mid 90’s band, I’m old now too : ( They were pretty big in the UK and I’m sure did well for themselves.
Black Metallic would definitely be in my all time top 50 songs. I believe Rob has never confirmed or denied that it’s about a car, but not completely sure about that.
I wonder if Rob ever hung out with Fuzz Townsend of CarSOS fame (and less so Pop Will Eat Itself fame. Who remembers the drummer?). Until your post Townsend was the only accomplishment gearhead from the 90’s alt music scene.
All you need is 6 magic numbers for Friday’s Mega then you can buy all 120 of them !!
If had this I would sell it and spend $1,000,000 on a whole fleet of more interesting cars…..
I’ll never afford one of these but I did pick up the coffee table book on them (signed by Rob – also pricey) so I can sit and dream sometimes.
The only sad thing is, at that price they likely don’t get a lot of road time, especially the type of road time they were built for. I could be wrong, these are built for the ultra rich driving enthusiast, so maybe most of them get flogged! I could only hope. Building a car like this and then turning it into a garage trophy is a sin.
banjo – It depends on where you live. In “greater” Chicagoland there is a club with a road course for exactly this kind of enthusiast. Club house, garages, etc. Haven’t read enough about it, but track time can be rented, or become a member. Will have to look up location of this car, as this color scheme is close enough to University of IL OR Chicago Bears to be owned by someone with those ties. As for winning the lotto, would I buy this soon-to-be 5+ year old, or go to Singer (or Ruf, for that matter). Dreaming !
It just like own a real 427 or 289 Cobra nice to look at and fun to drive around the block. But tough to leave any where.
Says Singer is in Sun Vallet – did rob used to park cars too?
I agree with others,as I would rather own a bunch of cool cars
rather than just one very expensive one.
If you can afford this “Singer”, you can afford to own a bunch of other cars.
Barn Find?
How about Vault, Castle or Museum . . .
If I could afford to buy this I’d go to Singer and get one made to suit me. The car looks exceptionally well done but I don’t care for the color scheme. Way too busy also.
Looks nothing like a sewing machine.
Just fishing here! A beautiful piece of workmanship from Singer. As much as I love Porsche and I’ve owned four of them. Only a fool would pay that kind of money. Price a 2021 GT3 or even some other super car or even a vintage a race car with provenance. Singer would need to justify his labor and materials costs on paper first. Only in LALA land!
4,000 hours of work on the car, starts at $400k…I’d say those number line up given the materials and parts used. Ed Pink engine? Hand woven seats, dash, and door panels? Carbon fiber body panels? Every touch point, every detail thought out? These guys are chasing, and have achieved, perfection.The sum of all this isn’t just a car, it is rolling art.
Of course, the price of the one here is for someone who doesn’t want to wait. I think it is a two year wait if you want one straight from Singer…which is what I would do if I had the money, as I have some color combo ideas of my own.
Maybe I missed it, did the ad mention “it runs like a sewing machine”?
I was fortunate enough to see one at a cars and coffee event last year (pre-pandemic) in Rancho Santa Fe CA near San Diego. They are impressive. I love the plaid interior so much that I reupholstered my BMW coupe with a combination Scottish tartan inserts (seats/doors) and leather bolsters. Its awesome. Takes you back 40 years. To each his own.
Frank makes a good point but doesn’t appreciate the power of nostalgia and personalization. Watch the video’s and its easy to see where the high cost comes from. Hand made – completely customized – modern performance – and nostalgia. What a recipe. Only to be rich! lol