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The Tuthill Porsche 911K flaunts 80s classic appeal; has a screaming 11,000 RPM motor, and at under 2000 pounds is very serious about weight savings.
When we think about custom and restomod Porsches, "Singer" is the name that pops right in. But we have other names in the Porsche restomod world that are less publicized yet equally desirable. One among them is Tuthill Porsche. They are a UK-based company specializing in rally-spec Porsche builds, which people know very little of.
These guys do God-tier mods on Porsche cars and were involved heavily in the development of the re-imagined Singer Porsche 911 Rally Racer. They even made a hoon-worthy Porche that Ken Block devoured at the 2021 East African Safari Classic Rally. So, when these guys take a bold step from their arena of off-roading expertise and build something wicked for the road, eyes will surely roll.
Enter the Tuthill Porsche 911K, a reincarnation of the classic Porsche 930-Gen 911 Carrera with some serious addiction to weight savings. Tuthill showcased the 911K at the recently concluded Monterey Car Week. Almost all the body panels are carved out of carbon fiber, and Tuthill has also included a lavish dose of titanium components to keep this German on a strict diet!
The impressive part here is that despite the aggressive strategy, this 911 Carrera stays true to its era, and there are no digital adulterators here. It is pure motoring madness. "Simplicity" and "lightweight" are what Tuthill Porsche strived to achieve with this 911K build, and it's safe to say that they have nailed it religiously. The end result is a desirable Porsche 911 restomod that is wildly vocal and weighs in less than a Lotus Elise!
The Tuthill Porsche 911K flaunts 80s classic appeal; has a screaming 11,000 RPM motor, and at under 2000 pounds is very serious about weight savings.
Modernizing and maintaining a classic appeal together is a tough job, but Tuthill has managed to do just that with their 911K build. Based on the 930-Gen Porsche 911 Carrera, Tuthill has retained this German's classic charm. But to achieve insane weight savings, they had to carve those curves all around the body using carbon fiber.
Just to stay humble and not let the world know of Tuthill's carbon fiber addiction, the car has been painted in a soothing shade of gold that goes well with the classic form factor. Every body panel is made from carbon, including those cool Fuchs-style wheels that come in 15X7 inches up front and 15X9 inches at the rear.
The lavish use of carbon fiber (with a pinch of magnesium and titanium) is what has helped Tuthill's Porsche 911K to weigh just 1,874 pounds. These dudes are so obsessed with saving weight that the engine lid badge is made from titanium, and the Porsche crest you see on the exterior is painted to save weight! This feat alone has unlocked a whole new level of driving appeal, and we bet that the driver will have a wide grin on their face, especially when tackling corners.
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The aggressive approach to weight saving is prevalent for the 911K's interior as well. But Tuthill Porsche has managed to add charm and beauty to the minimal interior layout. Tuthill has used Ultra Fabric and Ventile with a unique embroidery for the upholstery.
But carbon fiber continues to dominate the cabin as well with bits like the cool-looking RS steering, the dashboard, and door trimmings, and even the seats being carved out of the lightweight material. Even the parking brake lever is made from carbon (How much carbon is too much carbon?!).
That's not the only elusive material used in the cabin though. Tuthill has also carved components like the gear knob, the anti-roll bars, and the torsion bars from titanium.
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The choice of engine here is rather subtle. Tuthill Porsche packs in a 3.1-Liter turbocharged air-cooled flat-six motor that sings till 11,000 RPM. While the performance figures are still under the curtains, we expect it o churn at least 330 hp because the most-powerful stock configuration of flat-six engines used during this time packed those figures. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a cool magnesium six-speed 915 K transmission which has been taken off later generations of the Porsche 911s.
And guess what?! There is carbon fiber in the engine bay too. Tuthill has given this classic air-cooled motor a carbon fiber intake plenum. Apart from that, other cool mods on the mechanical front include a bespoke oil tank, a cooling system with an electric fan at the front, and a race-spec competition pedal box and wiring harness.
Even with the stock power figures, this 911K will be a wicked machine, thanks to its insane power-to-weight ratio. This build also reminds us that horsepower and torque and only numbers on spec sheets if not married well in the bigger picture!
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The first Tuthill Porsche 911K was showcased at the 2022 Monterey Car Week and people went gaga over it. Richard Tuthill, the main man behind Tuthill Porsche said "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!".
There is no disclosure on the pricing or number of units of the 911K that Tuthill Porsche will build, but we are pretty sure that all of them will sell out like hotcakes. As for the pricing, given the extravagant use of carbon fiber and other pricey yet weight-saving materials, expect it to hover near the half-mill mark with ease!
Tijo is an engineer, mechanic, and an avid content creator. He is a grease-monkey who loves tinkering with automobiles every now and then, when not busy penning down his passion for them. He has always had a soft spot for JDM and is keen on diving deep in for anything that involves wheels and engines.