TechArt enters Singer’s territory with its first Porsche 911 restomod
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TechArt has been tuning Porsches since 1987, but has so far left classic models alone. That is now changing. The GTclassic is based on the 964-generation Porsche 911, adds a 276 kW naturally aspirated air-cooled flat-six engine and wraps the mechanical package in bodywork that deliberately looks back to the 911’s earlier history. Just 11 cars will be built.
The 964 is next in line, but the builder is new
A restomod based on the 964-generation Porsche 911 is hardly a revolutionary idea in 2026. Quite the opposite: Singer Vehicle Design turned the concept into a luxury industry in its own right years ago, and a whole range of smaller and larger builders now work with the same platform.
TechArt’s entry is nevertheless noteworthy. For nearly four decades, the company has focused primarily on making modern Porsches faster, more aggressive and more expensive. The GTclassic is the company’s first comprehensive restoration and modernisation project involving a classic Porsche. According to TechArt CEO Benedict von Canali, the aim was not to reinvent the 964, but to further develop its characteristics.
The 964 is, of course, almost too well suited as a donor car. Porsche produced this generation of the 911 from 1989 to 1994, and its relatively modern underlying structure combined with a classic air-cooled powertrain has made it a favourite for restomods.
A 3.8-litre flat-six produces 276 kW
At the rear of the GTclassic sits an air-cooled, naturally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine. Its 375 hp equates to approximately 276 kW in European units. The engine is paired with a manual gearbox.
On paper, 276 kW is nothing remarkable in the context of a modern 911. That is not the point. The naturally aspirated air-cooled engine, manual gearbox and dimensions of the 964 offer a combination no longer available from a new Porsche dealership.
By comparison, the original 3.6-litre flat-six in the 964 Carrera 2 developed around 184 kW. The GTclassic adds approximately 50 per cent more power, while avoiding a turbocharged engine. This is precisely where TechArt’s approach differs from conventional modern tuning: rather than chasing numbers, the company aims to preserve the old 911’s responses and mechanical character.
The styling looks even further back than the 964
The GTclassic does not actually look like a standard 964. In shaping the bodywork, TechArt has travelled further back in time, towards earlier generations of the 911.
The front end receives an extended bonnet reminiscent of pre-1974 911 models. Two mesh-covered vents cut through the bonnet, their shape already showing the influence of the much newer GT3. At the rear, the bodywork is finished with a classic “ducktail” spoiler.
TechArt has widened the wings to accommodate 18-inch forged wheels. The rear wheels are 254 mm wide. Behind them sits a more powerful braking system sourced from the 911 Turbo. LED headlights and rear lights bring the lighting technology up to date.
The result is not a Singer copy, although the recipe is inevitably similar. TechArt blends three eras: the proportions and details of the early 911, the 964’s underlying structure, and functional elements from modern Porsches.
The cabin does not try to pretend it is 1990
The same logic continues inside. TechArt retains the classic analogue dashboard and physical controls, but does not force the owner to forgo modern convenience.
The centre console can integrate a multimedia system supporting navigation, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. Among the features creating the old-school atmosphere are mechanical Hanhart stopwatches. TechArt will finish the cabin according to the customer’s wishes.
It may sound like a minor detail, but usability is exactly what separates an expensive restomod from a perfectly restored collector car. The GTclassic is meant to offer the feel of a classic 911 without demanding that its owner put up with all the inconveniences of a classic car.
Singer has gained another rival, but TechArt has its own trump card
The GTclassic’s biggest problem is also this market’s greatest virtue: customers are not short of choice in the world of air-cooled Porsche 911 restomods. Singer set the bar for this class so high that every newcomer must explain why a very wealthy Porsche enthusiast should hand their money to it.
TechArt has at least one compelling argument. It is not a newly established small workshop, but a company that has been modifying Porsches since 1987. The company knows the brand’s engineering, suspension, aerodynamics and powertrains, and has sold its solutions to European customers for decades. With the GTclassic, it brings that experience back to the air-cooled era for the first time.
From a European perspective, the project is particularly logical. This is home to both Porsche’s historic domestic market and a sufficiently large base of classic 911s. At the same time, rising donor-car prices and the 964’s growing collectability inevitably make projects like this the preserve of very wealthy customers.
TechArt has not yet announced the GTclassic’s price. There is therefore no point comparing it in euros with Singer or other top-tier restomods before the Germans put a figure on the table.
One limitation is already known: TechArt will build only 11 GTclassics. That makes the car more of a demonstration of the company’s capabilities than a major new business direction. If all 11 cars quickly find owners, however, it would be quite surprising if TechArt’s classic programme ended there.
