STATE OF PLAY

California is blessed with some of the world's finest driving roads. We explore them in Singer Vehicle Design's latest restoration service, the wildly desirable Classic Turbo

- Ben Miller

KEYS TO SOME PRETTY SPECIAL machines have been flung my way before; LaFerrari Aperta, 250-cc Honda GP bike, my mate Andy's self-restored Triumph Herald when he was too hungover for the McDonald's breakfast run... But this is right up there. Without fanfare, Singer Vehicle Design's Maz Fawaz hands me the key to the “Fuji” Classic Turbo commission and we walk to the car; a car which, it should be noted, is beautiful like a desert dawn. Oddly, as we get closer to the car, the Porsche refuses to get bigger, steadfastly remaining 964-era petite.

I have driven a “re-imagined by Singer Vehicle Design” 911 before, a naturally aspirated Classic restoration that redefined my understanding of what an “old” car can feel like, mostly because everything that matters—and with Singer everything is important; it has been the mantra since day one—had been lovingly restored or upgraded. Though the Classic services look older and curvier than their Type 964 source material, they drive like something more modern (they are far faster, grippier, and well-braked than even a period RS, for example) while retaining the dinky size and timeless silhouette that makes pre-996 911s so special.