These days, thanks to companies such as Singer, Gunterworks, and many others, there seem to be stunning restomod and outlaw Porsche 911s everywhere we turn.
Tuthill Porsche is another company that’s taken the Porsche world by storm. Based in Britain and run by Richard Tuthill, the company is now recognized globally as one of the best Porsche builders out there.
Unlike others, whose sole focus is on restomods, Tuthill’s specialty is prepping cars for historic racing and rallying. So, whether you’re looking for a restoration, race car build, or rally setup, they’ll get the job done.
They took all of their motorsport and restoration knowledge and crammed it into this monster — the 911K. It’s actually built on an older car, not a 964 like most other Porsche restomods.
Hiding under the rear lid is a screaming 3.1-liter, four-valve, short-stroke, flat-six engine that revs to a rather ridiculous 11,000 rpm (see why it’s called 911k?!). While there’s no exact power figure, it’s estimated to deliver north of 350 hp, and all the ponies are sent to the rear 15-inch Fuchs-style carbon wheels via a six-speed, magnesium-cased, manual gearbox.
In a world where everyday SUVs deliver over 600 horses, the 911K’s power output doesn’t seem all that impressive, but considering that it weighs less than 850 kg (1,874 lbs), roughly half of what a new 992 Turbo weighs, this thing moves!
To keep things under control, they installed two-way adjustable rally dampers, and a set of ceramic discs and Tuthill calipers are there to bring things to a halt.
The body panels may look original, but that’s all part of Tuthill’s plan to deceive and misdirect. Its fenders, bumpers, hood, roof, doors, and engine lid are all made from carbon fiber. In addition, many of the steel chassis parts have been swapped for titanium, including the torsion bars and anti-roll bars.
This featherweight Porsche was built to be a proper driver’s car, and what it lacks in luxuries, it more than makes up for in sheer driving pleasure. Or as Richard Tuthill put it, “Weight is always king, and the fun of driving a lightweight car when combined with what I believe to be the most exciting engine I have ever experienced and a chassis that gives one unrivalled compliance on wonderfully diverse backroads has redefined what I thought was possible.”
Inside the cabin, it’s fair to say the 911K is very minimalist, if not outright spartan. I’m not complaining, though, as that means the driver can listen to the high-revving engine’s glorious soundtrack. That said, it’s still dripping with expensive materials, such as high-quality leather, a carbon dash, a titanium half cage and gearknob, and, as a nod to Tuthill’s rallying experience, a hydraulic handbrake.
“There are so many great people in the world building amazing Porsche 911s, it’s sometimes quite daunting to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in. That said, my experience over the last few years, when combined with an extremely enthusiastic and supportive friend and client, was enough to do exactly that. This one is for the drivers and quite honestly, I never imagined it could ever be what it has already become, and we’ve only just started.”
I, for one, can’t wait to see what else Mr. Tuthill and his crew have hidden up their sleeves.
