Exciting news from Singer Vehicle Design (SVD) this week!
The California-based company has
announced a new collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering, another
iconic name known for their expertise in performance and light-weighting
services. The goal of the partnership is to meet the exclusive wishes of three
customers looking for an even higher quality restoration for their Porsche 964.
Sounds thrilling!
To achieve these high
demands Singer have developed a brand-new 4.0L engine, capable of delivering a
staggering 500bhp.
Let’s recap on what SVD
offers at the moment. Customers have the choice between 3 modifications for
their 911 flat-six:
·
A 3.8L engine with 300BHP featuring the standard Bosch Motronic engine
management system.
·
A 3.8L engine with 350BHP developed in partnership with Cosworth and
hand-built by Ed Pink Racing Engines. It uses the Porsche GT3 crankshaft and
oil pump, GT3 RS air intake plenum, Rothsport injection system and Jenvey
throttle bodies.
·
A 4.0L engine with 390BHP, which is a further development of the 3.8L to
achieve higher levels of torque (315lb/ft) and power. It is quoted as the
“ultimate incarnation of the normally aspirated flat-six”, at least up until now…
For some customers the
‘ultimate’ is not enough and so the new partnership with Williams is set with
the simple objective to make the Holy Grail of air-cooled flat-six engines. In
order to get the best results they have welcomed none other than the legendary
Hans Mezger as a consultant to the project.
Who’s who?
Singer Vehicle Design
doesn’t need any introduction to the enthusiast, just keep in mind that
“Everything Is Important”.
Williams Advanced
Engineering provides world-class technical innovation, engineering, testing,
and manufacturing services to deliver energy efficient performance and has
expertise in electrification, aero and thermodynamics, advanced lightweight
materials and vehicle integration. Their expertise is used in Sport Science,
Automotive, Defence, Motorsport, Marine, Civil Aerospace and Energy. In
collaboration with Jaguar they built the villain car in the latest 007 Spectre
film: the Jaguar CX-75 hybrid supercar! And they are the exclusive provider of
batteries for Formula-E race cars.
Hans Mezger knows a
thing or two about engines and in particular the flat-six. He is the former
race and development engineer at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. His work ranged
from the design of the legendary six cylinder boxer engine for the Porsche 911
to the development of the legendary Porsche turbo engines used in both
production and racing cars. One particular highpoint was the air-cooled twelve
cylinder engine for the Porsche 917, which produced up to 1,200 horsepower in
the 1973 CanAm version (cfr. Karl Ludvigsen “Celebrating the Rennmezger”) .
Hans resigned in 1994 and is to this day still considered the Godfather of the
flat-six. The 997 GT3 RS 4.0L was the last 911 to receive the final iteration
of his prizewinning craftsmanship.
The trio have reworked the Mezger-designed
Porsche 3.6L flat-six to the following specification:
·
500HP
·
Four-valve
cylinder heads
·
Engine speed
range extended beyond 9,000 rpm
·
Dual-oil
circuits
·
Cylinders and
pistons with titanium con-rods
·
Aluminum
throttle bodies with carbon fiber trumpets
·
Upper and
lower injectors for improved performance
·
A carbon fiber
air box with active multi-stage resonator chamber for mid-range torque
optimisation
·
Inconel and
titanium exhaust system optimised for thermal performance
·
CFD optimised
and enlarged engine cooling fan
·
Ram air
induction system with pressure recovery in intake plenums
·
Lightweight
materials, including titanium, magnesium and carbon fiber are used extensively
to reduce component mass and vehicle weight.
It’s truly a work of art that will deliver
an unprecedented driving experience trough the combination of power and
lightweight materials. Below visualisation shows just how seamlessly this
masterpiece will fit into the Singer bodywork. We are already counting the days
until the first delivery! More info will follow in September 2017.
Sources:
Karl Ludvigsen – “Celebrating the
Rennmezger”
Michael Harley and Rob Dickinson – “One
more than 10: Singer and the Porsche 911”