Autoart by Paul Stephens has taken the wraps off what it describes as the pinnacle of the 993 Porsche 911 with its stunning little 993R. It has received everything from a makeover to a completely revised powertrain and performance hardware.
The company says that the original brief for the 993R came from a customer who requested a 25 per cent improvement in “every area” on the narrow-bodied air-cooled 993 generation Porsche 911. It has since taken five years to come to fruition.
Headlining the powertrain upgrades is a capacity increase from 3.6 to 3.8 litres for the flat six-cylinder engine, with RSR barrels and pistons, a crankshaft and oil pump taken from the 997 GT3, lightened steel conrods and a specialised camshaft.
The end result is a power increase from 202kW at 6100rpm to 246kW at 7400km, with the option of another powertrain tweak that brings power to 268kW, while torque has increased to 360Nm.
Power is thrown to the wheels via a revised six-speed manual gearbox with the addition of a lightweight flywheel and clutch over the stock unit.
The 993R’s weight has been reduced from 1370kg wet to 1220kg and translates to a healthy power-to-weight ratio that actually matches the 996 generation 911 GT3 of 201kW per tonne, increasing to 219kW per tonne, which is more than you’ll find in a 997 GT3.
To match the power increase, there’s a redesigned engine shroud for the air-cooled engine, as well stopping power provided by set of carbon discs inside the 18-inch front and rear wheels taken from the 996 GT3 RS, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber.
Underneath, you’ll find a new Wavetrac limited-slip differential, as well as five-way adjustable suspension paired with a new ECM that offers five different handling setups.
Weight reduction was a priority for the company, throwing out all the original panels in favour of composite replacements, as well as an aluminium bonnet replacing the stock steel bonnet and the removal of the electric sunroof. Founder and director, Paul Stephens, said:
“More than any Paul Stephens Autoart-converted Porsche 911 to-date, the new 993R project expresses our ‘less is more’ philosophy to include many subtle details that will go unnoticed to the casual observer, yet hopefully will be appreciated by the most ardent 911 aficionados, who understand our vision.”
Attention to weight savings very much extends to the interior which has been stripped out and fitted with a pair of carbon fibre Recaro bucket seats, with an integrated roll cage and the option of an airbag delete.
