Latest news with #TheonDesign
Forbes
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Fortunately, Here's A Restomod Porsche 911-Alike I Tried Earlier
Theon's near-$1m hyper-modded Porsche 964 - but you have to look closely... Sometimes the Gods of Diaries, Deadlines and Travel Delays conspire to create the perfect storm of logistical implosion resulting in the need for that excruciating call. "Aarrgghh. I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it there," was the cringer to Oxfordshire, UK, -based Theon Design, which specialises in re-thinking and then enhancing one of the automotive greats: Porsche's 911 (964). On offer was a drive in Theon's most powerful, lightest 964-based Coupe commission to date. Built for a US customer over the course of 18 months, the F1 grade carbon-Kevlar bodied two-door in Azzuro Thetys Metallic, combining a 421bhp naturally-aspirated flat-six with a kerb weight of just 1,150kg (2540lbs), promised spectacular performance, as you might expect with a power-to-weight ratio better than that of the 992.1 GT3 RS. Fortunately, I'd driven one they'd made earlier... It's This is as close as you'll ever get to hands, feet and backside being indirect contact with the road ... More surface A 964 Jim, But Not As We Know It Theon, which, as per intellectual property and trademark legal requirements, has to follow strict guidelines as to how it terms its cars, stressing it has no connection with the Porsche brand; it sources donor 964s and then, to coin the cliché, re-engineers them according to customer wants. And some of those wants yield some pretty special cars. On top, they look like 964s. Underneath (cliche alert #2...) they're state of the art, science and engineering. On the face of it, and assuming you don't come across a 964 every day, and few of us do, they look like very nice 964s. Period cliché fans might witticise it's a 964 Jim, but not as we know it. Because once you've done a tour of a Theon-designed car the detail differences and enhancements add up. Most of those visible enhancements involve fractions of an inch or a few millimeters difference: the space between headlamp and front fender, the slightly bigger wheel and tire size, the location of a fresh air vent in the panel surrounding the rear window. Details everywhere, and nowhere. Look carefully for visible detail, but the real differences are ... More under the carbon fibre bodywork. What You Don't See Is What You Get, Really Get But the less-visible changes are where the big improvements lie: Donor 964s, either sourced by Theon or provided by the customer, are first stripped back to bare metal before being rebuilt from the ground up with full RS seam welding. This transforms torsional rigidity and structural strength. In the case of the US-bound car, the reinforced platform was then cloaked in a complete F1-grade carbon fibre-Kevlar body, including the roof, blending aerospace and F1 composite technology to deliver a car that's both super-light and exceptionally rigid. Brakes are carbon ceramic, suspension straight out of high-end 2025 parts catalogues and then tuned to suit the car and its likely usage, that usage being determined through a continuous dialogue with the customer. But it's nuances such as relocation of air conditioning and power steering equipment, and battery, to tweak the balance of the car, that make it a 964 as some of us recall but featuring the sorts of capability extensions to satisfy frustrated generations of 964 fans. Just as well given the performance potential: the air-cooled 4.0-litre engine, a flat-six motor, Theon's most-powerful to date - produces 421bhp at 7,400rpm, and 330lb/ft of torque at 5,400rpm. It sits in Theon's super-pared-back engine bay, breathing through motorsport-style open trumpets, with bespoke independent throttle bodies developed with British specialists Jenvey. A defining characteristic of the 964 flat-six motor is the songs it plays on the way to ... More 7,400rpm-plus. Upside, Downside Potential downside? Heavy-metal-band-gig-level racket. Upside? Heavy-metal-band-gig-level racket. A big part of any 964 driving experience is the noise, but the US-bound car has been fitted with an active switchable exhaust. It has a "closed" mode for town driving or early starts, but a "raucous" open mode for, shall we say, spirited drives. Rock-band-level racket it may be, but there's little to match a flat-six in full song. Servicing, meanwhile, is simplified, with a single plug connecting all wiring to the bulkhead, meaning the engine can be dropped out in a matter of minutes: anything beyond basic maintenance on a 964 means dropping the engine. However, Theon can also monitor their cars' systems anywhere in the world, even remotely changing settings to allow for poor-quality fuel. Theon co-founder Adam Hawley, a former senior designer for luxury OEMs such as BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and Lotus, is detail-obsessed, often staying into the night analyzing the cars in re-development. He's always armed with a roll of green tape which he attaches to areas of the car that aren't quite detailed enough, or for when he has a light bulb idea moment for a further mod or change. While adding up to more work and continuous improvement tasks for design and engineering staff, it all adds up to the cars being optimized for fast road use and the occasional track outing, he says. The Porsche 964 Theon-style. A showstopper from every angle. So, What's It Like To Drive? I'd earlier driven a 400bhp, slightly heavier Theon-modified 964. It's a car you'd love or hate. The haters would be those who drive or passenger in a modern-day digital capsule, divorced and insulated from the sensations of enthusiastic motoring. But the Theon 964 is the closest thing to having your hands, feet and backside directly in contact with the road. These cars are communicators. And the more you know about what's going on through the contact patches, the more enjoyment. The authenticity of the noise might even be frightening to those unfamiliar with the almost sentient sound emissions of the flat-six, especially as, just when you think it can't rise to another visceral level, it does as it passes through peak torque at 5,400 rpm, then peak power at 7,400rpm. Handling? Go-kart. Acceleration? Horizon-introductory: startling and relentless. Price? From around $1m (£750,000). Desirability? Do you really have to ask?
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Test-Driving The $550,000 Theon Design Porsche 911 Targa
Theon Porsche 911 GBR005 Theon We've all been deep in thought about spending lottery earnings, a topic that causes the shadow of time to fleet past. If my numbers appeared, I'd scramble to my local Lamborghini dealer and dress bulls in vibrant colors before placing a ludicrously expensive order. They would then join various other cars in my dream garage, but the Porsche 911 never secured a spot until now. U.K.-based Theon Design is owned by Adam Hawley, a successful automotive designer who's worked for Lotus, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover. Theon started with aspiration to build the perfect Porsche 911 while retaining its original driving charm and aesthetics. 'I've always loved Porsche 911's. They're beautiful and practical' says Hawley. Want a 500bhp racetrack monster with a six-speed gearbox and a Wavetrac limited-slip-differential capable of accelerating from 0-to-1o0mph in 6.5 seconds? No problem. Each car is bespoke to the customer and almost nothing is off limits. They've built 18 cars in eight years: 15 custom and three restorations. Theon pours circa 6,000 hours into designing and building each Porsche 911. Many interesting Porsche 911 restomods have rolled out the doors of the unassuming barn nestled in Deddington, Oxford U.K., home to Theon Design. But I was there to drive restomod GBR005, a Signal Yellow Porsche 911 Targa stunner with 407bhp and 285 lb-ft. This car has two carbon tubs bonded to the original chassis to improve stiffness. 'This makes a huge difference in the chassis and delivers the same torsional rigidity as the Coupe' Hawley adds. The Theon Porsche 911 Targa (GBR005) Theon Designs It sits on a steel monocoque chassis and features various bonded carbon fiber bits like an engine lid, hood, and bumpers. Its flared carbon wings cover thick rubber wrapped around classic 17-inch Fuchs alloys. Quad exhausts sit flush against the bumper, and a neat active aero ducktail spoiler sits at the rear. Finally, there's the Porsche 911 Speedster Concept-inspired door mirrors—the icing on this Bakewell tart. The naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six has Theon-engineered motorsport-quality aluminum cylinder heads and a switchable ceramic-coated exhaust system. Likewise, there's a new intake and a single-mass flywheel, while a 993 RS six-speed manual 'box delivers power to the rear wheels. Handling upgrades include switchable five-stage Tractive electronic dampers, Eibach suspension springs and 993 RS brakes. Inside, the yellow steering wheel center line, center console stitching, and tartan touring-style front seats complete the car's vibrant persona. It's not an uncomfortable racer with roll cages and rocker switches but a usable Porsche with luxurious leather, a Focal audio system and air conditioning. The mohair targa top can be removed for warmer days. It can also be stored in the car's trunk—that couldn't be done with the original car. Driving a slightly broken Porsche 964 first was a must before GBR005: a before versus after. Five minutes into the drive, Hawley and I were shoving it backward while it emitted clouds of blueish smoke from its offset exhaust. But like GBR005, this car would soon be dissected by Theon's boffins as it's transformed from clunker to stunner. The tired Porsche 964 awaiting its Theon treatment Matthew MacConnell GBR005's engine rumbles to life before settling to a lumpy idle—a by-product of the individual throttle bodies (ITB)—while a dashboard switch opens the exhaust valves, releasing a throaty bellow. Stomp the gas and the flat-six crescendos while letting off releases a raspy symphony accompanied by percussive bangs and pops. It's gloriously obnoxious. Peak power arrives at 7,700rpm while 285lb-ft is available at 6,650. And despite what the RPM figures suggest, it's incredibly responsive at low revs because of the ITBs and lightened flywheel. Keeping your foot planted causes trees and road signs to arrive rapidly. Yet, it's easy to power down a backroad without fear that you'll destroy a farmer's field, fence, the car and your ego. Fun over, pushing the exhaust valve button mutes the engine and it returns to a semi-docile state. The Theon Porsche 911 (GBR005) Theon Designs Despite being low-slung, it doesn't crash over potholes. Nor did it conjure back pain—something I often find with modern sports cars—and as you can probably tell, it handles incredibly well. I felt special sitting behind the wheel, not because I was transmitting a flat-six harmony through the English countryside via a classic yellow Porsche, but because of how unique this machine is. They say cars are an extension of your personality and after the drive, I felt like I had met the owner. I knew what they liked and didn't with a car, and why they specced GBR005 in this way. It's designed for touring the Swiss Alps rather than racing Silverstone. If you are a lottery winner or are looking to spend hard-earned cash on a Porsche 911 restomod, the Theon Design guise is hard to beat. It's priced from £410,000 for a coupe, while the Targa is £430,000. 'It's a process that our clients enjoy. It's a journey to design and engineer a car for them, and each car is different.' It's a lot of money, and I could easily buy two used supercars with my pretend lottery earnings, but would these be as special? Not only is the Theon Porsche 911 unique to the buyer, but it's a story maker, and it could run through your family tree for years. GBR005's engine Theon Designs
Forbes
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Test-Driving Theon Design's USA001, A Porsche 911 Restomod For America
Midnight Blue Metallic paint on USA001 only sparkles in direct sunlight. Just over 18 months ago, I visited England and stopped by the small town of Banbury to drive a fresh Porsche 911 restomod built by a company called Theon Design. At the time, founder Adam Hawley intentionally made waves in the exploding Porsche restomod scene by self-proclaiming Theon the 'Singer of the U.K.' Now, Theon has completed the company's first build for an American client, and this time around Hawley brought the car out to Singer's home turf in Los Angeles for journalists to experience on the Angeles Crest Highway. Familiar roads always help to accelerate—quite literally—my drive impressions. Especially since the previous build that I tested on the wrong side of the road was, in fact, a left-hand-drive 911 destined for Italy, which explains Theon's name for it: ITA001. The American car, therefore, goes by USA001. Yet despite the instantaneous familiarity of scene and settings, I still took the first few minutes behind the wheel purposefully easy, as Hawley in the passenger seat explained the purpose of the build. Contrasting interior upholstery paired with a new suite of brushed aluminum trim. 'I've really enjoyed working with the owner,' he remarked. 'He calls the car perfect, for a start. We try and keep it as a 911, but just better in every way. And I think because the chassis is such a good chassis to start with, you can make all this massive bandwidth of a complete touring car, or a complete weekend beast.' Unleashing the 911's inner beast takes on new form for USA001. Mounted behind the rear axles, in quintessential Porsche fashion, an air-cooled flat-six engine now displaces 4.0 liters and pumps out 405 horsepower. That's no joke in a sports car with carbon-fiber body panels that help to drop the wet weight to just 2,540 pounds. Yet Hawley's client intended from the get-go to drive the car on weekends, as well as potentially on the racetrack, so he wanted a drive-by-wire electronically controlled throttle. Which, in turn, allowed Hawley to program drive modes, selected via a newly developed knob on the steering column. USA001's rear spoiler extends and retracts at 45 miles per hour. By about 10 minutes into my drive, I wanted the engine fully enlivened, the adjustable suspension from TracTive similarly dialed in and the exhaust fully opened up. Now, the car was raring and ready to go, as Hawley encouraged my efforts with a wry grin. His clear confidence that a Theon build can survive two full weeks of journalistic flogging only urged me further onward. The engine rasps and rumbles right up to the tachometer's 7,000-rpm redline—and beyond, in fact, since peak power arrives at 7,500 rpm. But tractable torque delivery of 324 lb-ft, which hits at 5,800 rpm, makes the process of revving and gearshifting an absolute pleasure. Similar to ITA001, this customer specced a six-speed gearbox sourced from a 993-generation Carrera RS. The perfect gear ratios for mountain roads helped me get into a flow, and the single-mass flywheel results in stunning responsiveness, especially to throttle blips while heel-toe downshifting. Perfect gearshifts from a 993-generation Carrera RS transaxle The drive-by-wire software even allows for an auto blip function, but where's the fun in that? I'm here for the raw nature of this screamer, the analog experience augmented with just a touch of class and modernity. The air conditioning blows ice-cold, for example, and the mildly assisted power steering makes driving around town at lower speeds a cinch, where a 30-millimeter front-axle lift system also prevents scrapes or driveway concerns. New aluminum trim developed since ITA001 left Theon's shop indicates Hawley's commitment to continued evolution. And the rear decklid spoiler extends and retracts at 45 miles an hour—but that's customizable, as with everything on the car, in the same vein as a 911 restomod from Singer Vehicle Design. Having driven the fully realized form from both companies now, Theon's vision hews more closely to the original air-cooled experience—for better or worse, depending on personal taste. And USA001's specific breadth of capability, from an effortless elan to incessant eruption, caters to this specific client's wishes as much as anything. Textures at every touchpoint indicate the truly bespoke nature of Theon's Porsche restomods. 'We can work with all of our customers and completely hone it to their fingerprint, basically,' Hawley told me after I handed him back the keys. 'The drive-by-wire and the switchable maps are absolutely lovely in the car. The fact that you have that ease of being able to drive it up a canyon road or through the city and it's not too intense… In reality, a Porsche is supposed to be an all-round car, you know, and I think the fact that it's such a great car to start with, explains why we don't try and reinvent it.' Though the modern slate of restomods greatly exceeds the performance of Porsche's efforts from the late-1980s and early-1990s, when the 964-generation 911 donor car debuted, the weight distribution and steering feedback and floor-hinging clutch all bring me straight into that old reverie with ease. Only at a much quicker pace, in more comfort, and with the confidence that every last bit and bob received recent attention throughout the build process. Porsche decals, Fuchs wheels, and wider haunches amplify USA001's presence. Would I take a 911 rebuilt by Theon, or Singer for that matter, at even money versus an original Porsche? Well, hard to resist a 993 Carrera RS… But for the customer who can make that choice, personal taste enters the conversation earlier. Personally, I lean toward the more hardcore end of the spectrum, where the raucous wild child of USA001 emerges with all the dials turned up to 11. Hawley clearly recognized my proclivities and teased a forthcoming project in Theon's brainstorming phase: an R model targeting 550 horsepower and further lightweighting to bring the wet weight down below one metric ton. And if the all-rounder USA001 drives this well, this raw, I can only dream of the fun factor amplified to a whole new level.
