Thornley Kelham’s latest 911 restomod is a 10,000rpm screamer

That means it’s a build focused on lightness and interaction, while calling on the quintessential visual drama of an early race-spec 911. Indeed, the European RS is lower, longer, and wider, with RSR-esque ducktail, hip and front inlet treatments. The front valance however, has the kind of CFD-honed flow more familiar from newer cars. 

The body at the nose and tail is, as you’d expect, all carbon fibre, while the doors and bonnet are alloy, meaning the European RS can weigh as little as 1,070kg with a full tank of fuel. The lightness continues on the inside with one-piece Recaro bucket seats and a Moto Prototipo Black Edition steering wheel. There’s even a lightweight 14kg climate control system.

The basic engine option is an enlarged worked-over 993 engine good for 390PS (287kW) and an 8,000rpm redline. There are however, two spicier engine options for the European RS. 

The first is a 3.8-litre two-valve-per-cylinder 3.6 good for 385PS (283kW)… and a redline of 10,000rpm. Yes, you read that right. Want more power and torque but with a lower redline? A 4.0-litre with 400PS (294kW) and four valves per cylinder is what you need. All will sing via the optional Inconel and titanium exhaust, too.

Suspension-wise, it’s been fully worked over with bespoke wishbones based on today’s GT3. There’s a standard passive setup with manually adjustable JRZ Motorsport coilovers and Eibach springs, or you can get an adaptive damper option. The diff is a Wavetrac limited-slip item and the brakes are six- and four-piston at the front and rear. Lighter carbon ceramics are an option, contributing a 17kg chop to that 1,070kg fully-fuelled lightest spec.

Just 25 of these European RS-spec Porsche 911s are to be made by Thornley Kelham which of course, will offer a huge range of customisation options.

“The European RS combines the pure engagement of the original 1973 Carrera 2.7RS but comes complete with a lightweight, handcrafted body and reimagined, driver-focused interior,” said Simon Thornley, co-founder.

“This is a truly unique car imbued with the nuanced dynamics and feedback of the legendary 2.7RS, the thrill of the 2.8RSR, and performance, precision and progressive handling of the legendary 997GT3 RS 4.0.”