The spectacular rear spoiler of the Porsche 911 is bolted to the body like a race car. This is the favorite car of American billionaires: the Porsche 911 Singer DLS Turbo, a custom-built creation that is truly out of this world and commands an enormous price to transform a classic 911 into a modern retro-style car. It is arguably the coolest modification ever done to an old Porsche 911, with a six-cylinder flat engine twin-turbocharged to produce 710 horsepower, installed into the 35-year-old 964 body, sending all power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. Historically, the turbocharged Porsche 911 had only half the horsepower of this model and was nicknamed the "Widowmaker."
The Porsche 911 Singer DLS Turbo divides opinions sharply. Some instantly love it to the point of obsession, while others believe Singer has overdone it to the point of ruin. If other restomod shops tried this, the car might fail quickly, but Singer is a master of tasteful modification and restoration, setting standards others follow. The 911 tuning engineers have a rare talent for balancing on the fine line between "art" and "disaster." It's not just about making a nearly 40-year-old car look modern, but about unearthing Porsche 911’s history, polishing and reviving it, and honoring its heritage with a beautifully crafted body that packs three times the original power.
The Porsche 911 Singer DLS Turbo is designed to echo the legendary racing 934/5 model, which won 6 of 8 Group 4 races in 1977. Of course, that 911 was a true race car, while this one will never race seriously due to its astronomical cost. However, honoring Porsche’s legacy is central to Singer’s work.
Everything depends on the "perspective" of the buyer. The DLS Turbo comes with a "Loop" rear wing, which is illegal on public roads in many countries (including Europe) because it extends beyond the rear bumper. But you don't have to keep it installed all the time. Singer offers a Ducktail option to switch styles, and if you choose the Ducktail, you get a slightly sleeker front bumper to maintain visual balance.
If you want both styles, no problem if you have the money. Singer provides this option for an additional $175,000 (around 6 million baht). You'll receive two flight cases containing front and rear body parts for both styles, plus a separate set of offset wheels if you want to change looks. About 75% of the 99 units produced choose to keep both options. Swapping body styles isn’t new in the automotive world, but the Porsche 911 Singer DLS Turbo is nearly unique, offering owners two completely distinct looks.
This likely makes option selection a nightmare. The average customer pays about $2.9 million, roughly 100 million baht. Singer never sets a base price because wealthy clients order fully bespoke builds without limits. Swapping front and rear parts takes about two hours since the front fenders and many small parts must be removed. The Ducktail looks modest compared to the massive rear fender bulges and doesn’t improve rear visibility much, as the roll cage and tiny side mirrors mostly block the view.
The original 964 chassis has a torsional rigidity of about 7,000 Nm per degree. The expensive DLS N/A version’s bracing raises this to 15,000 Nm. The DLS-Turbo pushes that number up to 25,000 Nm! This level of stiffness makes many modern supercars envious. It needs to be stiffer than the standard DLS because of what?
It produces much greater torque (553 lb-ft compared to 317 lb-ft).
It grips the road much harder thanks to 265 mm wide front tires and massive 345 mm rear tires the size of fuel tanks.
Looking around the car, you won't see much obvious modification because Singer has rebuilt the 911 from scratch, including new shock towers, a honeycomb front strut brace, an integrated roll cage into the cabin pillars, reinforced weld points, and subframe arms under the chassis—all seamlessly hidden. Visually, it’s clear this is an extremely well-executed modification.
Detractors often accuse Singer of focusing only on aesthetics and neglecting engineering. To some extent, that’s true because design guides engineering, but the engineering that follows a successful design is deep and comprehensive, mostly done in the UK. Every DLS Turbo is assembled there.
The standard DLS uses a 4.0-liter air-cooled engine with 4 valves per cylinder. The only shared part with the DLS Turbo is the cylinder block. The Turbo’s displacement is reduced to 3.8 liters, with newly designed cylinder heads and cooling systems. It retains an air-cooled feel with an electric fan—no belt-driven fan to avoid engine power loss—blowing air directly from above. However, due to the enormous heat and pressure in the tight 964 engine bay, the DLS Turbo requires a more efficient cooling system.
The cooling system includes pipes running from a front radiator, totaling 5 cooling fans, 3 water pumps, and a massive oil reservoir with integrated cooling fins. Fitting all this plus intercoolers and turbos causes components to protrude beyond the engine bay. The turbos are mounted low near the rear skirts on both sides. Exhaust pipes exit sideways, each side handling exhaust from three cylinders. It doesn't sound like the 3-cylinder Toyota GR Yaris; instead, the DLS’s sound is deep and distinctively Porsche, aggressive even at idle and clearly more powerful than a standard 911/964.
The exterior design clearly loads nearly all weight and power on the rear axle. Compared to the standard DLS, the Turbo’s weight increases and shifts rearward. Including fluids, it weighs 1,450 kg with a front/rear weight distribution of 38/62. It resembles a "sledgehammer" in balance with the potential to hit hard.
The only relief is the simple DLS cabin: no computer screens, no complex systems to confuse the driver, manual windows, basic air conditioning controls, a non-adjustable steering wheel, and three pedals for accelerator, brake, and clutch, plus footrests. The only unusual feature compared to original 964s is a rotary mode selector switch behind an open-gate six-speed shifter, indicating electronic systems integrated via Bosch technology.
Don’t think this is a modern supercar you can recklessly drive or push boundaries with. It remains a thoroughly old-school sports car, ready to snap back if you err. But the DLS has a dignified character matching its big turbo. Owners chuckle nervously with excitement at the turbo’s whoosh but soon learn how clever and refined this engine really is.
What’s intimidating is the DLS’s performance. The engine’s manners and responsiveness are flawless, quick to react mid-corner or to gentle throttle modulation—sometimes responding even before you fully press the pedal. Singer likely solved turbo lag by injecting fuel fully to avoid delays, something major manufacturers can’t do due to emissions rules. The result is smooth, impressive boost delivery exactly as wealthy buyers expect.
Its power-to-weight ratio surpasses the latest Porsche 911 Turbo. It’s truly insanely fast and constantly thrilling, giving a sensation like free-falling from a great height. Only a big turbo and massive power in a compact, lightweight body can deliver this ultimate feeling. Owners experience an old-school thrill requiring careful control because aggressive throttle can easily break rear grip.
It’s fearsome because of its very short wheelbase but very wide track. The gearbox shifts smoothly despite being manual. DLS accelerates wildly with excellent, crisp, precise, and light shifts. The gearbox is made by Riccardo (standard DLS uses Hewland), and gear ratios are close to original, meaning closely spaced gears.
No 964 has ever been this stable. Even classic cars Singer previously restored showed chassis flex and twisting, but not this one! It feels locked firmly, providing a strong, stable foundation for the suspension. The front double wishbone suspension is refined from the DLS, while the rear trailing arm suspension is completely redesigned but retains its original character.
Lifting off the throttle abruptly mid-corner causes the DLS Turbo to snap and sway immediately. It’s not harmless, and I feel lucky Bosch’s stability control is onboard to save me. The system is impressively refined, though not yet at Ferrari or McLaren skid control levels but a big step up from the standard DLS. Don't be greedy with corner entry and exit speeds. A 700-hp car requires heavy braking and proper steering input before the corner; otherwise, it understeers. Trying to correct understeer with throttle can cause severe, sudden oversteer.
The correct technique is deep braking using top-tier Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, aligning the car properly, then gradually applying throttle while keeping the steering steady, ready for a rocket-like launch. The DLS is an old-school Porsche with old-school behavior but unmatched engineering refinement for a 35-year-old model. It’s not easy to drive, but sharp, forgiving, and as fast as modern supercars like the Ferrari 849 Testarossa—yet this 911 is more intriguing and alluring.
Slide drift.The steering has a sufficiently wide turning angle. Its torque is accessible with progressive power delivery, combined with a rear suspension that compresses and supports weight perfectly. Simply put, the entire car is very well set up.Downforce: Singer prioritizes fun sliding over lap times. This car wasn’t built to set track records, and no one really knows its acceleration or top speed. It’s geared for 350 km/h and has been tested a few times over 200 mph. There’s no claim of massive downforce, just a rear wing designed to look cool and not destabilize the car.
It’s a completely different car. The standard DLS is light, nimble, lively, and charming, while the Turbo is lightning-fast, solid in hand, aggressive, and more ferocious, requiring a more planned driving approach. But it rewards with huge fun. Singer wants the "Turbo" name to evoke explosive, brutal, and fierce feelings like the legendary Ferrari F40. The turbo’s boost causes the nose to lift and the chassis to feel stretched beyond its limits. The tension under huge power can genuinely scare you, but it’s all presented with modern engineering.
In summary, the Porsche 911 Singer DLS Turbo is a beast that is kind and friendly.