Monterey Car Week brings together a massive group of wealthy auto enthusiasts in one region to enjoy events such as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, the party at The Quail, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Companies save some of their most opulent vehicle premieres for the annual event, and Singer is no exception.
Known for creating gorgeous versions of the classic Porsche 911, Singer Vehicle Design partnered with legendary fashion label Louis Vuitton to debut two new versions featuring some very interesting – and perhaps polarizing – design elements.
The Singer And Louis Vuitton Collaboration
Singer Vehicle Design Reimagined Porsche 911 With Louis VuittonSinger Vehicle Design
Singer Vehicle Design is one of the premier names in the restomod business, and Louis Vuitton has over a century of history in making luggage, accessories, and clothing. The result of their new collaboration is a coupe that Singer simply calls the Classic and a convertible with the moniker Classic Turbo. Both of them combine Singer’s talent for working on vehicles with the colors and materials that define Louis Vuitton products.
The Classic coupe wears a Bahama Yellow body with cobalt blue accents on the trim and even the tire sidewalls. The company imagines it as a vehicle to take on lavish road trips, complete with a Louis Vuitton trunk on the roof.
Singer Vehicle Design Reimagined Porsche 911 With Louis VuittonSinger Vehicle Design
Inside, the cabin extensively uses light brown leather in a shade that draws inspiration from one of Louis Vuitton’s most commonly used material finishes. As a special touch, the edges of the door handles use the same edge-dyeing technique used on Louis Vuitton bags. Also, each ventilation eyelet in the chairs is hand-finished with the Louis Vuitton Monogram flower motif. The various knobs, switches, locks, and air vents are rhodium-plated.
Underneath the skin, this car is a 964 generation 911. It packs a 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated, air-cooled flat-six, and a six-speed manual sends power to the rear wheels. The body panels are carbon fiber, and the vehicle comes with carbon-ceramic brakes.
The Classic Turbo convertible features a Calcaire Lutétien White body, gold accents, and wood trim that combines nautical and automotive elements. There’s even yacht-inspired decking on the rear tonneau cover, and beneath the panels is a luggage compartment with custom-fitted pieces.
The Turbo’s underpinnings are a 964-generation Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Singer installs a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six with an air-to-water intercooler. A six-speed manual sends the output to the rear wheels, and there are carbon-ceramic brakes.
How Did Singer And Louis Vuitton Team Up?
Singer Vehicle Design Reimagined Porsche 911 With Louis VuittonSinger Vehicle Design
The collaboration between Singer and Louis Vuitton happened because a Singer customer requested a dashboard-mounted clock for a build. Sparing no expense, the company began to work with the La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton workshops in Switzerland on the project. The car builder’s relationship with the fashion house blossomed, and they decided to collaborate even more.
Both cars come with a timepiece that mounts just below the dashboard. The element is removable and can be converted into a desk clock. Louis Vuitton’s Tambour watch inspires the design, featuring large numerals. The fashion house created matching dials for the gauges to create a more integrated appearance in the cabin.
Singer Vehicle Design Reimagined Porsche 911 With Louis VuittonSinger Vehicle Design
Louis Vuitton also created a capsule collection of items to match the cars. The pieces include a leather racing jacket, a pair of cotton-and-silk denim jeans, a pair of driving shoes, a pair of derby dress shoes, driving gloves, and a helmet trimmed in calfskin leather. There’s a made-to-measure suit in parachute silk and a 40-millimeter Tambour Automatic, matching the one in the cabin. The company also built a set of custom luggage, including a suitcase, duffle bag, and a 1950s-inspired helmet bag.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
These builds are both impressive and off-putting. There are countless hours of craftsmanship required to achieve the fine details within the gauges and clock, or to form the wood pieces that accentuate the Classic Turbo. However, this level of opulence seems too extreme for the 911. It’s luxury for the sake of luxury without any deeper consideration. We respect the work but don’t love the result.
