The folks at Singer Vehicle Design used the Quail to showcase their newest engine available in their custom 911s. It’s a 4.0L Flat Six, and produces a mighty 390hp. In a car weighing only around 2,600lbs, that is quite a good amount of power. In terms of power-to-weight ratio, the new 4.0L Singer actually bests the current Porsche (991) 911 GT3. But unlike the new paddle shift only GT3, the Singer offers drivers the essence of the traditional 911 driving experience.

Because the Singer 911 is basically an old-school 911 that has been made brand new, I actually prefer it to new Porsches overall. Having said that, though, I should point out that you could have four 991 GT3s for the same money as a single bespoke-built Singer 911. But that isn’t my point. What the Singer proves is that there is still a demand for the old-school Porsche driving experience. That is something Porsche should really consider when developing their new products.

PDK is a great gearbox, it really is, but it dulls the driving experience. In the real world, sports cars are about fun, not lap times or performance numbers. And if I’m going to have a special car to drive on sunny days, why on Earth wouldn’t I want to be as immersed in the experience as possible?

That total immersion in the driving experience is what the Singer 911 offers. And the Singer does it in a manner that these new PDK-only Porsche models cannot ever hope to match. I don’t care how fast the new GT3, Turbo, or GT2 911s are, if they’re only available with PDK, then I’d take a Singer any day.

-Nick Walker