Daily Slideshow: 964 Becomes So Much More With Singer and Williams
You'd have to have been living under a rock to have not heard about Singer's new 911 that was built in collaboration with Williams, but what exactly goes into backdating a 964 to Singer's standards?
The Singer Way
Singer Vehicle Design's latest collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering has been the talking point ever since renderings of the car's new air-cooled 500 horsepower flat-six engine broke cover. The first of 75 cars is now complete and is arguably Singer's sexiest build to date, so this provides us a great opportunity to look back at the"restoration & reimagining" process of a Singer 911.
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The Air-Cooled Donor
The donor car for a Singer build begins with a 1989-1994 911 (964) Coupe or Targa. Upon its release, the 964 was a radical redesign from the outgoing Carrera 3.2 as Porsche claims that 85% of the components were new. Much of the body paneling and interior bits remained the same with only slight enhancements, but the torsion bar suspension was gone, hydraulic power-steering and anti-lock brakes were added, and the all-new M64 3.6L engine boasting 250 horsepower. While the 964 had its share of teething problems, its classic 911 silhouette combined with improved performance and modern touches has made it a highly sought after model.
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Stripped to its Skivvies
Upon receiving a car, the Singer team completely strips it down to the monocoque as seen above. The unibody undergoes blasting and has a rust preventative treatment applied to it. The front tub is modified to accept the long hood as found on the earliest of 911s. Each car is uniquely built to each owner's specifications, but it is standard for all body panels to be made of motorsport grade pre-preg carbon fiber. The doors typically remain of a steel construction for crash protection, however, carbon can be substituted if the owner opts for a full roll-cage.
>>Join the conversation about the Singer and Williams 964 right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Chiseled Chassis
As would be expected, the steering & suspension systems, as well as the brakes, are heavily upgraded over the factory components. Specific components can be optioned to the owner's tastes, but mods typically include top shelf adjustable springs and dampers, uprated sway bars, drop links, trailing arms, and bushings. The 964 steering rack is replaced with a 993 unit which many believe to provide the best feeling and feedback of 911 steering setups to date. If you are gonna go fast, you need to stop fast too, so Singer opts for big red brake calipers from Brembo with choices of standard or oversized steel or ceramic rotors.
>>Join the conversation about the Singer and Williams 964 right here in the Rennlist Forum!
The Devil is in The Details
The attention to detail in a Singer build is second to none, but unfortunately, many of the smaller details hidden beneath the inner workings of the car goes unnoticed. Features like the massive oil coolers, the bespoke wiring harness, strut top mounts, etc. are what make the Singer a cut above. While there are hidden gems throughout the cars, our eyes are often greeted with modern lighting components and retro-flavored interiors. Although components may look like they are from the 60's and 70's, they are actually the best of what is available today. As can be seen from the interior shot above, there is an extensive use of leather, carbon fiber, and some magnesium bits. The whole package is clean and tidy without being overdone.
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Flat-Six Refinement
Singer offers a variety of powertrain options, all of which are incredibly awesome. Their base option offers a spruced-up 3.8L using the original Bosch electronics and emission equipment good for 300 horsepower. Things start getting fun with their Cosworth 3.8L that uses features such as individual throttle bodies and improvements in the intake, cylinder heads, rods, pistons, and fuel-injection system. While this makes a healthy 350 horsepower, their 4.0L takes things a step further to produce 390 horsepower and 315 ft-lbs of torque. The new behemoth Williams engine (which saw the legendary Hans Mezger as a technical consultant) also displaces 4.0L, but now uses four valves per cylinder, titanium connecting rods, dual oiling circuits, aluminum throttle bodies, and carbon intake trumpets among the other trick bits. All said and done this air-cooled monster makes 500 horsepower and is capable of revving beyond 9,000 rpm. Yes, please!
>>Join the conversation about the Singer and Williams 964 right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Air-Cooled Pinnacle
While "standard" Singers are half-million dollar cars all day long, these Williams collaboration cars are expected to come in around the one million dollar mark. For starters, these cars will not be built in the California facility, but at the Williams campus, in Oxfordshire, England. Numerous aerodynamic improvements and cooling improvements are implemented as can bee seen by the splitter, diffuser, side skirts and air vents. Exotic materials as used in the Inconel exhaust or 18-inch forged magnesium BBS wheels are sprinkled throughout the car. The suspension and brake components have been further enhanced, yet lightened. The end result is a featherweight car at 2,180 pounds. While you can have the trickiest components in the world, they must be developed to work well together (which is what Singer prides themselves on), so they brought in Marino Franchitti and Chris Harris for additional fine-tuning.
>>Join the conversation about the Singer and Williams 964 right here in the Rennlist Forum!
What Dreams Are Made of
Overall, the new Singer is a beautiful car that further builds upon a design that car enthusiast lust after. Credit must also go to the owner of the car, Scott Blattner, who petitioned Singer to push their limits by incorporating an F1 level engineering effort into his 964. As a result, a dream team was formed and 75 fortunate souls will have the opportunity to own one of these magnificent machines.
>>Join the conversation about the Singer and Williams 964 right here in the Rennlist Forum!
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