Theon Design HK002

Theon Design from Abingdon (UK) is one of those companies that age Porsche 911s visually. This doesn’t mean that rust and dents are used to create an artificial barn-find condition. Instead, ‘Backdate’ cars are about transferring the design of older cars to the newer models. The 911, with its timeless silhouette, lends itself particularly well to this. The third example of Theon is also their second car to be delivered to a customer in Hong Kong. That is why it bears the nickname HK002. A restored Porsche 911 from the 964 series served as the basis. The British company attaches great importance to the highest possible quality at OEM level combined with great attention to detail.

Career of the company founder

Behind the project is Porsche enthusiast and automotive designer Adam Hawley. Before founding Theon Design, he worked for companies such as BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Lexus, Lotus and Airbus for about 20 years. Personally, however, he had long dreamed of a customized 911 with air cooling. He finally created it with the help of his acquired skills in CAD and prototyping. His first vehicle combined a 911 SC with the more powerful engine of the 911 (993) RSR. A number of interested parties quickly came forward and requested the conversion of their own examples. Thus he founded his company, which he named after his youngest son Theo. Theo wasn’t yet able to walk, but had already abandoned all his toys in order to be allowed to sit in his father’s Porsche conversion. Theon Design is based in the heart of the British Motorsport Valley. Various Formula 1 teams build their cars in the immediate vicinity. There Hawley could easily find a team of hard-working and ambitious engineers as well as good suppliers.

Combination of steel and carbon

As with all Theon conversions, the 964 for the HK002 was first completely stripped down. The team then repaired all existing damage and selectively stiffened the bodyshell. All new add-on parts were first created on the computer using a 3D scan of the complete 964. In this way, Theon Design achieves the best fitting accuracy, including use of the original fastening points. In addition, individual customer wishes can be taken into account in the design. The long front hood of very early 911s, the flared fenders of the 911 S/T and later G models, and an independent, extendable rear spoiler are adopted. Bumpers and spoiler are made of carbon fiber, the fenders and hoods of steel. On special request, a bodyshell made entirely of carbon is also available at extra cost. Inspired by the 991 Speedster Concept from 2018, they also designed electrically adjustable exterior mirrors made of billet aluminium.

Green leather with yellow accents

Inside, Theon Design is guided by the customer’s particular tastes. Sports bucket seats from Recaro are therefore used in the HK002. Like the rear seats, the dashboard, the center tunnel and the side panels, they are upholstered in green semi-aniline leather. Braided leather with yellow accents is found on the seat center panels, door panels and central dashboard trim. The leather-clad center tunnel features various details in exposed carbon. A three-spoke Nardi steering wheel awaits the driver’s hands. The screen of the rear-view camera only appears when required. The radio with high-quality sound system is also concealed to emphasize the clear design of the Porsche. It can be paired with modern smartphones, which also enables satellite navigation. Cell phones can be charged wirelessly on a magnetic holder below the dashboard. To match the interior, the front trunk and parts of the engine compartment also received leather upholstery.

Excellent weight distribution

The attention to detail is particularly evident when you look at the installation positions of the air conditioning and power steering. On the original Porsche 911 (964), these components sit very high up in the back of the engine compartment. Theon Design replaces them with much lighter components, which are also located far down in the front. This results in a weight distribution of almost 50:50, with the Theon Design HK002 weighing in at just 1,248 kilograms with a full tank of gasoline. The wheel arches are fitted with 17-inch Fuchs alloy wheels.

Various customization options

On the engine side, customers have a wide choice. It starts with the classic 3.6-liter displacement and extends up to four liters. The engines are also available as naturally aspirated or turbocharged. In the HK002 we show, there is a naturally aspirated version with 376 hp and 407 Nm of torque from 3.8 liters of displacement. This power reaches the rear axle via a completely revised G50 six-speed transmission from the 993. A KW Variant 3 coilover suspension provides the best ground contact. If you are now also interested in a Theon Design Porsche 911, the following information is probably not unimportant: For the complete conversion, the British company reckons with about 18 months of construction time. The basic price is £ 300,000, with special requests naturally increasing this value.

Images: Theon Design, Dean Smith