Singer ACS

For the first time, Singer Vehicle Design has developed an offroad vehicle. As with all previous conversions, a Porsche 911 from the 964 series served as the basis. This time, however, very little of it remained. At the request of a customer, Porsche vehicles that have competed in rallies such as the East African Safari (911 SC/RS) or the Paris-Dakar (959) were taken as a source of inspiration. Together with the experts of Richard Tuthill, who builds rally Porsches with his team in Great Britain, the All-terrain Competition Study (ACS) has now been created. Tuthill’s vehicles have already celebrated various successes. Most recently, a 911 prepared by him won the East African Safari Classic 2019 – for the fourth time.

Two different vehicles

As described earlier, virtually nothing remains of the basic 911 (964) except the rough silhouette. The customer’s wish was for a vehicle with which he could compete in offroad competitions. Correctly, we have to say at this point that he even ordered two cars. In addition to the white Singer ACS shown in our picture galleries, another one is currently being built in Corsica red. That car is to be tuned for fast tarmac rallies. In this way, the customer and Singer are linking up with Porsche 911s at rallies in Monte Carlo or Corsica.

Completely modified carbon body

From the Porsche 911 (964), the ACS only takes parts of the bodyshell including the roof. Singer replaced all other body parts with carbon fiber components. In addition, the entire front section and large parts of the rear were designed so that they can be opened. This results in better accessibility to important components, which is a major advantage in rally events. There is also room for two full-size offroad spare wheels under the front hood. Also, the bodyshell has been given various reinforcements to increase torsional rigidity. The underbody is completely clad. Rollover protection to the highest FIA standards is of course on board, as are a fire extinguishing system and state-of-the-art racing bucket seats. Driver and co-driver are strapped in by six-point harnesses and have a modern GPS navigation system as well as rehydration system.

Extensive offroad package

In the rear of the Singer ACS is a 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine with air cooling and biturbo charging. This transmits its output of around 450 hp via a sequential five-speed transmission to the permanent all-wheel drive system. Three lockable differentials on the front and rear axles and in the center ensure the best possible grip on all surfaces. The power finally reaches the ground via 16-inch wheels with offroad tires from BF Goodrich. Four-piston brake calipers and a hydraulic handbrake help maintain control. Two five-way adjustable dampers with coil springs are used per wheel. The large gas tank also enables participation in long stages of endurance rallies such as the Dakar. Fortunately, the customer of these first two Singer ACSs agreed to make the knowledge gained available to other interested parties. However, Singer didn’t announce a price.

Images: Singer Design Vehicle