Is This Porsche 911 Targa Restomod The Ultimate 964?

If you want a backdated, restomodded air-cooled Porsche 911, you’re spoilt for choice in 2024. Depending on exactly what you’re looking for, there are all manner of specialists you can take a run-of-the-mill Carrera to and wind up with something incredibly special (after parting with a vast sum of money, of course).

Take Oxfordshire-based outfit Theon Design. For the last couple of years, it’s been taking the 964-generation 911 – a favourite base for this sort of thing – and creating bespoke builds that visually nod to the past but feature plenty of modern tech.

For the first time, Theon has been handed a 964 Targa, and this is the result. Codenamed GBR003, it ditches the donor car’s 3.6-litre flat-six for Theon’s 4.0-litre unit. Staying air-cooled and naturally aspirated, the engine features individual throttle bodies and produces its peak of 403bhp at 7100rpm. It’s hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox, built to the specification of the 993-generation 911 Carrera RS.

Since this is Theon’s first car with a detachable roof, it would be remiss of it not to celebrate the flat-six’s howl, so the car has a bespoke switchable ceramic-coated exhaust system.

The body, with the exception of the doors, is now entirely carbon fibre, while the chassis features underbody bracing in the form of two conjoined tubs made from a blend of carbon fibre and Nomex. This is all in aid of offsetting the loss in structural rigidity caused by the Targa body over the regular coupe. Weight loss measures include an ‘aerospace-grade’ wiring loom, which apparently saves over 20kg compared to the original item.

GBR003 gets a five-stage adjustable TracTive damping system and sits on iconic five-spoke Fuchs alloys in 18-inch form.

The exterior is finished in a one-off pastel blue, while the interior gets Theon’s more comfort-oriented ‘touring’ front seats, trimmed in black leather with OEM Porsche Pepita fabric inserts. As a nod to its Targa-ness, the roof panel has been rebuilt to new tolerances and re-trimmed in Mohair.

While we don’t know how much GBR003’s owner paid, Theon notes that its Targa builds start at £415,000 – excluding taxes and donor car, natch. We’re assuming from its name and the fact it’s right-hand drive that GBR003 is bound for a UK owner, meaning they’ll be receiving it just in time to enjoy the delights of driving, top off, on a sunny British spring… oh, hang on, it’s raining again.