Not long after last year's Porsche Rennsport Reunion, we posted on Lanzante Engineering's Restomod project with the original Porsche 911 Turbo. McLaren Formula One used TAG brand Porsche engines for four years in the 1980s to win two constructor and three driver championships. McLaren sold 11 of those engines to Lanzante – nine of which were played, one with a win to his name – and Lanzante installs them in the original chassis of around 930s. PistonHeads stopped by the store to find out more.
Towards the end of its service in the MP4 / 3, the TAG Porsche TTE P01 engine landed 1,060 hp in qualifying and 960 hp in the race, revving to a 12,600-rpm redline. Porsche engine legend Hans Mezger had led the development, leading those numbers of only 1.5 liters of V6 assisted by two large KKK turbo's at a maximum of four bar. That was all good for a time when F1 was running with unlimited tests and unlimited parts, but a modern owner doesn't want to pay five techies to live in his garage and keep his car running.
Lanzante asked Cosworth to make the engine more manageable and reliable. Cosworth installed a new crankcase, adjusted the air-fuel mixture and installed smaller turbos for faster power delivery, reducing the max boost by 25 percent to three bar (43 psi). The redline has dropped to 9,000 rpm for the final output figures of 503 hp and 310 pound-foot torque. According to PistonHeads, the power increases to a "constant slope to red line" and more than half of the speed band delivers maximum torque.
The 503-horsepower rating doesn't really sound much today, when a Mustang reaches more than 700 horsepower. Yet the first 930 Turbo & # 39; s got 296 hp and 243 lb-ft from a 3.0-liter flat-six with one large KKK turbo. The most powerful 930 Flatnose worked up 330 hp and 347 lb-ft from a 3.3-liter flat-six. However, Lanzante has lost a lot of weight. The TAG engine is already 220 kilos lighter than the 3.3-liter 3.3-liter of the 930; a new carbon fiber hood and engine cover, and aluminum door skins that have lost more kilos. The total package weighs around 2,430 pounds, which is more than 500 pounds lighter than the original Porsche Turbo.
That includes the extra parts that are needed to make an F1 car a passenger car. Lanzante had to replace a 930 Flatnose front bumper, which replaces the fog lamps for oil coolers. The team installed radiators at the front of the car as part of a brand new water cooling system. The climate control is fully electric, since F1 cars were not supplied with HVAC.
Instead of the original five-speed manual gearbox, there is a manual 993 Porsche G50 and a limited-slip differential. A screw set improves ride quality and delivers 911 sensations. The 17-inch RUF wheels get 225-piece Pirelli rubber in the front, 255-piece at the rear. Top speed is said to be 200 miles per hour.
Unlike almost every high-dollar made-to-measure car, it does not offer an unlimited adjustment palette. Lanzante will only equip the car in the original Porsche colors and trimeters available in the 1980s, which means that leather and vinyl Recaro pool-position seats are sewn with vintage patterns. The only subtle modern elements inside are the Porsche Classic main unit with navigation and two USB ports.
It costs £ 1,095,000 ($ 1.45 million US) to claim one as your own vehicle, including the donor car and options. Dean Lanzante said he plans to choose buyers who will get the car at events so that people can see and appreciate what has been done. "We couldn't get McLaren engines any more," he said, "so this is it. There will never be another car like this."
Here's a clip from Jensen Button that goes on gas at Goodwood in one of the original McLarens. We are already looking forward to the completed project.