The number of companies restoring and modifying Porsche 911s is getting a bit silly. From the better-known outfits such as Singer and Ruf to the smaller independents such as Paul Stephens Autoart, the list seems to be getting longer and longer with every year that passes. But Theon Design thinks it's a bit different because it wants to apply Porsche-esque thinking and independent artisanship to all its restorations. We tried out one of its breathed-on 964s to see whether it has really managed to achieve that balance.
In the metal
Although Theon likes to make a lot of noise about its slightly different approach, it has to do many of the same things every other Porsche 'restomodder' is forced to do. First up, donor cars have to be sourced, then stripped down to pretty much component form. From there, Theon will work with customers to decide how best to proceed.
Some cars, the company merely restores to essentially as-new condition, and it's quite happy to do just that, but it's also keen to work with customers to improve their vehicles. The choices are pretty much endless, and owners can do more or less whatever they want. Certainly, there are plenty of colour and trim options to choose from, as well as adding new interior fittings and other upgrades. Touchscreen infotainment systems, better air conditioning and various other tweaks are all on the table, too.
In essence, customers can simply choose what they want, but there are a few common themes. All these so-called 'Recreation' cars are built to widebody specification, no matter how they came into the workshop, and there's a choice of three different engine options, although all are flat-sixes as befits the 911 ethos.
Our test car, which was destined for a customer in Italy, was tastefully tweaked to a kind of RS-style specification, but it came with a 4.0-litre engine with just over 400hp. And while the engine itself was remarkable - more on that later - the way in which it slotted into the car was almost more interesting. Whereas the rear end of an old 911 is normally criss-crossed with wires and tubes and pipes, the Theon's engine bay felt almost empty, such was the meticulousness with which the engineers had tidied things up.
Naturally, some things had been removed (or at least moved), such as the air conditioning system and some other ancillaries, but much of the work was simply tidying things away - another symptom of Theon's approach to perfection.
In fact, such is Theon's obsession with making Porsches as perfect as they can be that even things you'll never see are tweaked and fettled to the designer's specification. Asymmetrical panels are made symmetrical, modern paint techniques are used, and Theon has even gone to the trouble of rebuilding original Porsche parts with better and more modern materials, effectively improving on the original without changing the look too much.
Essentially, the idea is to build the cars Porsche might have built with less need to keep prices in check or satisfy shareholders. Even when a car is built with completely new kit, an all-new interior and out-of-period materials, Theon wants it to look as though it could have been original. Even the button to change the note of the exhausts uses much the same logo as Porsche itself would use, despite being completely different in every way.
And while that approach is commendable and highly effective, it still isn't the most impressive thing about the Theon 911. That's the way in which it's made. The artisanship on show is incredible, and we love the little touches such as the aluminium mirrors and door handles, as well as the would-be Fuchs alloy wheel design and the headlights, over which Theon spent hours obsessing. When the company first upgraded the lights, it decided to move the bulbs further back, as Porsche does with its more modern cars. But that had a knock-on effect on other things, and it took a while to iron out. Yet while that kind of attention to detail might not please the accountants, it's those touches that set the Theon apart from some other 'restomods'.
That same attention to detail also crops up in the luggage compartment, where the cargo bay is lined with leather, rather than the comparatively cheap-feeling carpet you got in the original. It's a good place to show off the brand's leather work, which involves trimming new carbon-fibre panels, rather than simply coating what's already there in fresh leather. That saves weight, but it also makes the new trims enormously strong. Again, it's detail nobody will really see, but knowing it's there makes all the difference.
Driving it
It's all well and good making an old 964 look good in photographs, but Theon is about more than just retrimming and redesigning. The aim of the game is to make the 964 feel better, more reliable and more usable than ever before, without taking anything away from its classic car status and its classic Porsche feel.
That's a tricky tightrope to walk, and of course customers can have their own input into how they want their Theon to feel. If you want to change the boundaries of the adjustable suspension, you can, and if you want to change the pedal box, you can. Almost everything is possible, but Theon will still try to make its cars feel like old 911s.
Our test car certainly did that, clattering into life from cold with that unmistakable air-cooled rattle, then settling into an eager but angry idle. It sounded exactly like an old 911 should, except it was effectively a brand-new car, complete with a new flat-six engine. When run up to 7,500rpm, at which point the engine really howls, it's churning out a meaty 407hp, which is quite a lot more than you got from a standard 964 back in period.
Combine that extra power with the reduced weight - there's carbon-fibre everywhere, including in the bodywork, so it tips the scales at around 1,100kg - and the Theon Design 964 suddenly has much the same power-to-weight ratio as the current 911 GT3. That, combined with the six-speed manual gearbox from a 993 RS, means this monster can get from 0-100km/h in less than four seconds, which puts it on a par with a modern 911 Carrera S.
Yet despite the power and the obvious performance, the Theon is eminently drivable. There's no terror factor, no need to panic about putting the power down. Yes, the clutch is a bit picky and that takes a bit of getting used to, but otherwise it's viceless. In fact, it encourages you to be a yob, the exhaust note tempting you on with the promise of an even more formidable scream the higher the engine revolutions go. There's no suggestion it's desperate to spin the wheels at any point, although it clearly will if threatened.
That usability is combined with a nicely judged ride, which is supple in an old-school kind of way. With a range of settings to choose from, it's easy to make it softer or firmer if you need, but it always manages to keep reasonable control of the body without becoming too stiff. There is a bit of body lean but that almost helps to make the 964 feel like an old car, because otherwise it might be accused of going completely modern.
Happily, you're never going to make that accusation about the Theon, which has a decidedly old-school feel to its steering and gearbox. The transmission is from a 993-generation RS, so it's a slick six-speed item, but it has quite a long lever and a long throw as a result, which ensures it still feels like a classic transmission. Similarly, the steering has a little hint of play around the dead-ahead, contributing to the classic feel, but when you start pouring in the lock it provides good feedback and elicits a positive response from the wheels.
Of course, the Theon - and this Theon in particular - is not set up to be a track car. You could get clever with stiffer springs and sharper steering, but there wouldn't be much point unless you're going to use the car to set lap times. As it is, it's a properly usable road car with modern engineering and an old-school feel. It's the best of both worlds.
What you get for your money
Getting yourself a Theon is not a cheap undertaking. Prices start north of the equivalent of €435,000 and keep rising, depending on what you want the company to do. And that doesn't include the donor car. Naturally, you get as much or as little as you pay for.
Summary
The Theon approach is an appealing one, and it's clear the founders of the company adore 911s and have no desire to ruin Porsche's good work. Instead, they build cars for those who want to perfect the recipe, fine-tuning different bits rather than building a modern car with some semblance of a 964's body. The result is a car that feels like a classic Porsche, but offers modern reliability and build quality, all in a properly glorious shell. It's one of the most convincing and appealing restomods we've seen so far.