1991 Porsche C4 “Reimagined by Singer”

This car, Lot 88080, sold for $1,205,000, including buyer’s premium, on Bring a Trailer’s online auction on October 25, 2022.

Singer Vehicle Design has established itself as the Porsche rebuilder of choice since its founding in 2009 by former Catherine Wheel guitarist Rob Dickinson. His 911R-based modification of his own Bahama Yellow 1969 911E garnered enough attention to convince him to go into business. Like Alois Ruf before him, Dickinson has built a following and, so far, competitors like Gunther Werks’ 993-based rebuilds have not displaced Singer’s market leadership.

The “Classic” Singer

Dickinson preferred traditional air cooling, so he chose 1989–94 Type 964s as his base. This 911 generation was the first to move from torsion bars to coil-over suspension and had a stiff, if not fully seam-welded, tub. Its 3.6-liter flat-6 engine was a strong unit to upgrade. Furthermore, at the time Singer opened its doors, 964s were relatively inexpensive compared to other air-cooled 911s.

That situation has changed as Singer and other tuner shops have dried up the supply, exacerbated by the public’s resurgent interest in all air-cooled Porsches. Dickinson preferred long-hood styling, so the bodies were backdated to low bumpers and used ducktail-reminiscent movable spoilers. Much of the car was custom crafted to high standards.

Singer now has three models and has introduced a new naming procedure. The car we have known since 2011 — albeit ever evolving — is now the “Classic Study.” Deliveries of the Classic (like our subject car) are thought to be above 200, with a large backlog. Dickinson confirmed in July that the order book is closed, perhaps just temporarily, while Singer concentrates on the new Turbo model. He also mentioned limiting total Classic production to 450 to protect buyers.

Faster, sleeker, lighter

In 2018, Singer announced the “Dynamics and Lightweighting Study” (DLS) undertaken with Williams Advanced Engineering, associated with the well-known Formula One racing team. The dynamics aspect involved aerodynamics from a roof spoiler feeding the ducktail (with a Gurney lip), rear-quarter-window air-induction vents, front air dam, and a rear diffuser. A 4.0-liter, 9,300-rpm engine delivers about 500 horsepower, with four-valve heads, massive cooling, bespoke double-wishbone front suspension and magnesium center-lock wheels.

The bodies are entirely carbon fiber, with separately seamed extended flares reminiscent of 934s. The DLS models are assembled in Oxfordshire, U.K., with deliveries of perhaps 20 cars, against an announced limit of 75, all spoken for. Prices are above $2,000,000.

At Goodwood in July 2022, Singer introduced its “Turbo Study” with a 3.8-liter, 510-hp twin-turbocharged engine with air-to-water intercoolers. The body keeps the high-bumper look and a whale tail while adding a shark-fin-area air inlet, all still based on a Porsche 964. Over 100 are on order. In mid-2022, Singer moved from separate buildings in Sun Valley, CA, to a 115,000-square-foot assembly plant in Torrance. Singer hopes that the new facility will allow an increased production rate.

Our Singer subject

This Singer Classic was dubbed “The Gratitude Commission,” as part of the Singer process is also getting a bespoke name. It is powered by the EPRE 4.0-liter, a development of the 964 engine which uses only the case, cam towers and timing boxes. EPRE custom-manufactures a lot of the rest, adding Motec management. These engines deliver up to 390 hp with a redline of 7,600 rpm. This past summer, Singer announced that it could supply a Porsche North America Motorsports 4.0-liter engine if requested.

Body panels, including the roof but excepting the doors, are carbon fiber. The car has Brembo brakes and the optional sports suspension with Öhlins adjustable shocks, pushing through center-lock 17-inch wheels. The gearbox is a 6-speed Getrag with a limited-slip differential.

Of note is that this car kept its all-wheel drive. Although Singer uses a C2 or C4 base for its Classics, it is rare to have one delivered that powers all four wheels. According to the seller, Singer will revert the car to rear-wheel drive for under $10,000. Excluding the cost of an (un-wrecked) donor car (which is now typically about $100k, give or take $25k), “The Gratitude Commission” racked up $690,000 in Singer restoration costs — a number that was disclosed when Bruce Canepa had this car for sale before it went to BaT.

This or that?

Singers have never been quick builds, taking about two years with long backlogs. Buyer demand for the cars, combined with increasingly expensive optional modifications, has driven up the prices of both new and used examples. Early Classics were only about $350,000.

Some enthusiasts would rather put this sort of money into an established collectible Porsche, say a 1973 RS or a 993 GT2. Others think a Singer belongs in their collections, along with a Ruf CTR and perhaps a BTR or CTR3. Two friends, albeit with many Porsches, have both a Singer Classic and the new Williams-engineered, carbon-intensive DSL. Two others sold their Classics in 2019 after having them for about a year. All agree that the cars are great to drive.

A warming market

More than three years ago, we reviewed the first Singer to go to public sale, at Gooding’s 2019 Pebble Beach auction (German Profile, December 2019). The “Mountain View” Singer, in Downton Blue with orange trim, had 2,000 miles since its rebuild. The car brought $857,500, including buyer’s premium. Since then, an additional 15 Singers have gone to public market, with another 10 or so sold through dealers. Prices have continued to rise.

After two more sales in the mid-$800k space, the first Singer to break $1,000,000 was a 1992 C2 in Gulf Blue with 6,200 miles on PCarMarket in June 2021. Thereafter, prices retrenched with five “reserve not met” results mixed in. Bring a Trailer entered the fray in March 2022 with a Rubystone Targa that sold for $1,100,000 with 80 miles showing. Then in October, our subject car drew $1,205,000, while almost simultaneously, PCarMarket sold a two-wheel-drive version, which was also built from a C4, “The Dartmouth Commission,” in “Delicate Blue” for $1,300,000.

A new Classic model now costs $750,000–$850,000, all-in. At $1.2m here, the buyer paid a sizable premium for instant gratification. That’s the buyer’s choice and fine by us. If Singer indeed limits the Classic to 450 cars, these values may seem reasonable later.

Or maybe not. The original Ruf CTR Yellowbird, built just 29 strong, is now about the same price, $1,200,000–$1,500,000. We might take the Yellowbird. ♦

(Introductory description courtesy of Bring a Trailer.)