Behold, the Targa-topped ‘Sotto’: Singer’s 300th restoration

This is the latest reimagining from renowned Californian reimaginist Singer Vehicle Design, here showcasing its three hundredth car. Prepare thine precious heart to flutter at the rather delectable ‘Sotto’ commission.

It is a 1990 Porsche 911 Targa restored by the very best in the business. Indeed, this ‘Classic Study’ – one of Singer’s four tenets of 911 reimaginings and the foundation upon which the company is based – marks an enormous milestone not just in cars delivered, but in its fortunes, too.

But first, we must address the car, for reasons that largely involve a) a naturally-aspirated flat-six, b) a five-speed manual gearbox, and c) Targa!

Singer’s modified this 964 with carbon fibre bodywork resplendent in a colour that sounds like it comes from the Star Wars universe: ‘Resistance Blue’. Of course the force is strong with this one, what with earlier ‘Classic’ versions of this naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre pushing 400bhp or thereabouts. No idea on this one, but it won’t be… slow.

Nor will it be shy. The blue bodywork with ‘light ghosted stripes’ is matched to an outrageously orange interior featuring proper carbon fibre track seats, and all the retro goodness you’ve now come to expect. The 964 was not a shabbily put together car in the first place, but this one – as all Singers – looks unburstable.

Should sound – and stop – fairly well too, because the Sotto features a titanium sports exhaust and carbon ceramic brakes. All in, a fine example of what Singer’s capable of.

Indeed, the company’s grown since its 2009 inception. It now operates out of a 115,000 sq ft workshop in Torrance incorporating fabrication, interior, ‘fine works’ and paint all under one roof, while there’s a new UK facility too. There are some 700 employees working for Singer. Its sales has increased by 225 per cent over the past three years. Heck, it's even doing watches now.

Though, they’re probably not doing any more of this type of Singer. Boss Rob Dickinson told TG back in 2022 that the company had stopped taking orders for the ‘Classic’ range, because at the time they’d had a load of ‘Turbos to build’. There are also two other variations you might be familiar with: the Dynamics and Lightweighting Study, and the DLS Turbo car. That last car is quite the reimagining.