Singer DLS Turbo: 1970s racer inspires reimagined Porsche 911

The Singer DLS Turbo is the Californian company’s most powerful Porsche 911 recreation yet – combining 1970s racing looks with a 520kW twin-turbo engine.

California-based classic Porsche restoration firm Singer has revealed the ‘DLS Turbo’ – a sports car inspired by a racing 911 from the 1970s.

The Singer DLS Turbo’s design draws inspiration from the Porsche 934/5, a racing variant of the iconic 911 sports car which won six out of the eight races it competed in throughout the 1977 Trans-Am season in North America.

As with all of Singer’s ‘reimagined’ Porsches, the DLS Turbo is based on the chassis from a 964-generation 911, though its bodywork is bespoke – blending elements of the 934/5 with more modern offerings.

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Singer’s latest creation is its first model to mate the company’s 3.8-litre air-cooled flat-six engine – developed by Formula One team Williams and found in the ‘standard’ DLS – with two turbochargers.

The company claims its twin-turbo engine can produce 520kW at an ear-splitting 9000rpm – or about 160kW more than the single-turbo, 3.0-litre Porsche 934/5 it is inspired by – with drive sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

In a media statement, Singer announced two customers had commissioned a DLS Turbo – choosing different paths by opting for a track-focused vehicle and a street-ready car, respectively.

The track-focused DLS Turbo – above, finished in ‘Blood Orange’ paintwork – features rear bumper-exit exhausts, wider wheel arches, a larger front bumper and splitter, rear air intakes and a huge rear wing compared to Singer’s ‘Classic’ and ‘Turbo Study’ models.

A more road-oriented example – above, painted in ‘Moet Blanc’ – has a shorter front splitter and more aerodynamic ‘ducktail’ rear spoiler, as well as a more conventional wheel design.

The forged magnesium wheels on both cars are produced by German firm BBS – though only the Blood Orange car is fitted with racing-inspired ‘turbofans’ – measuring 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear, wrapped in a choice of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Cup 2R tyres.

Inside, the Singer DLS Turbo’s interior is equipped with deep bucket seats, analogue instruments and, in the case of the Blood Orange commission, a half-roll cage and racing seatbelts.

Singer is yet to put a price on the DLS Turbo models, though it managed to sell all 75 built slots for the non-turbo DLS at approximately $US1.8 million each – equivalent to $2.7 million today in Australian currency, excluding the cost of the Porsche 911 964 donor car.

The Singer DLS Turbo is due to make its public debut at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed between July 13 and 16, followed by Monterey Car Week in California in August.

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