TESTED 7.4.22, CALIFORNIA, US ON SALE NOW PRICE £650,000
Gunther Werks' headquarters is white and clean, spacious and cool. What adorns the walls depends on which area you're in: some car stuff, of course, but also expensive bottles where customers receive their cars and sci-fi models elsewhere - an apparent enthusiasm of Peter Nam, founder of both Gunther Werks and a company called Vorsteiner, which makes wheels and high-end carbon fibre components.
There's an element of cartoonish fantasy to Gunther Werks' cars, too - although technically they don't make cars. You buy a stock 993-series а Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (1994 to 1998) and they take it and remaster it, creating the 993 Speedster Remastered by Gunther Werks - the sort of naming convolution that keeps intellectual property people happy. But let's call it the Gunther Werks Speedster. And let's call it a resto-mod born from the idea of what would a money-no-object 993 look like?'
Nam and co think it would look like this; a bit like if Porsche had built a GT3 RS version of the 993, last of the air-cooled 911s.
There will be 25 Speedsters like this, following 25 coupés, whose production/modification run is now drawing to a close.
Gunther Werks can help you source the donor 993 coupé or cabriolet; ideally a car with a clean title with no accidents, probably costing £40,000 to £60,000, and there are enough in the US that they're not going to run out. Then the work starts.
The most obvious thing is a widening of the front track, for which the suspension already has mounts from racing homologation.
Then a fair degree of weight reduction and adjustment goes on.
The air conditioning and power steering pumps are moved from the back, where they were driven by the engine, to the front, and made electrically powered.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MG 4
An EV changes your driving style - but not to the detriment of pleasure
PEUGEOT E-208
Time with our French hatch is up. Is it good riddance or au revoir?
In the hot seat
Is the best automotive job in the world actually in miniature scale? Hot Wheels' design boss assures STEPHEN DOBIE it is
Correcting the record
Autocar invented the road test back in 1928 - or did we? KEITH JONES trawls the past to find the true starting point
Road test rebooted
As the Autocar road test forges into its second century, its brief is expanding and it's returning to a familiar place. MATT SAUNDERS explains
Cyber attack
MG is back on the international stage and now trying to return to its sports car roots. MATT SAUNDERS sees if the Cyberster EV can match up to a rival from the present and a relation from the past
KIA PICANTO
As rivals fall by the wayside, Kia's popular city car gets a makeover
MASERATI GRANTURISMO
Latest coupé in a long line of Maserati GT cars hits the UK with V6 power
PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS COUPE
New V8 model gets all the goodies
TOYOTA PRIUS
Back by popular demand with a cool new look and greater driver appeal