N°01
TUNER
SSR's Leo Targets Sub-7:00. With Turbos.
<cite index="3-10,3-12,3-13">SSR Performance's Project Leo twin-turbo GT3 RS conversion could exceed 800 hp and target a sub-7-minute Nurburgring Nordschleife lap</cite>.
<cite index="3-1,3-3,3-5">Based on the 911 GT3 RS with dual turbochargers, Project Leo aims at a sub-7-minute Nordschleife lap while ditching electrification and particulate filters</cite>. Rennlist is split: <cite index="9-3">SSR's kit produces similar downforce to Manthey's but with less dramatic aesthetics and simpler installation</cite>, yet purists remain unsure whether twin-turbos compromise GT character.
SSR Performance has spent two years developing Project Leo as a clean-sheet vehicle, not just a modification package. Unlike Manthey's aero kit approach, SSR is fundamentally reworking the 911 GT3 RS platform with forced induction—a move that mirrors Porsche's own rumored GT2 RS development. The flat-six receives dual turbos, removing the naturally-aspirated screaming soundtrack that defines current GT3/RS cars, but the engineering payoff is substantial: estimates of 800+ hp suggest performance approaching mid-7:20s territory. Visually, spy photos show GT3 RS-familiar rear wing geometry and Manthey-style aero covers, though SSR has hinted at no particulate filters to maximize breathing. The sub-7-minute claim puts it into hypercar territory—faster than most hypercars manage on a challenging 20.8 km circuit. Production timeline remains under wraps, but SSR's prototype testing at the Nurburgring continues aggressively.
TUNER · N°01
N°02
RESTOMOD
Goodwood: Singer Gets the Crown. July 9.
<cite index="12-18">Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 honours Singer as the Central Feature marque, the Californian-based Porsche tuner famous for reimagining the 911</cite>.
<cite index="14-23">The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed runs July 9-12</cite>. <cite index="16-5,16-6">Alpine's all-electric A110 successor will debut in development mule form, the first true electric sportscar on a dedicated EV platform</cite>. Enthusiasts on Rennlist and Pistonheads are thrilled: Singer's 30-year obsession with air-cooled 911 perfection finally gets its moment, while the Alpine EV reveal signals genuine shift in lightweight sportscar DNA away from combustion-only dogma.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 (July 9-12) marks Singer Vehicle Design's elevation to Central Feature—an honor typically reserved for Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini. The California restomod house will showcase its latest bespoke builds alongside two customer-commissioned cars. Beyond Singer, the festival promises significant debuts: Alpine's all-electric A110 replacement in prototype form, Toyota's twin-turbo V8 GR GT road car alongside its race variant, the Bentley Continental Supersports rear-wheel-drive hybrid-free statement, GMA T.50s Niki Lauda customer cars, and BMW's Vision M Concept previewing next-gen M3 with quad-motor EV powertrain. Friday features Monster Energy ambassadors Lando Norris and Valentino Rossi on the Hill, while Saturday brings Lando Norris and F1 legend Gerhard Berger. The event attracts over 200,000 visitors across four days, making it the UK's biggest automotive gathering and the bellwether for what's driving enthusiasm in 2026: niche restomods (Singer), EV sportscars (Alpine), Japanese performance renewal (Toyota), and OEM performance credibility (BMW, Bentley).
RESTOMOD · N°02
N°03
RESTOMOD
RUF Tribute: 543hp Air-Cooled Lives.
<cite index="22-2,22-7">RUF's 3.6-liter air-cooled flat-six makes 543 hp paired solely with a seven-speed manual, with first deliveries arriving in 2026</cite>.
<cite index="22-4,22-5">The Tribute meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and recently passed emissions testing</cite>. <cite index="22-12">RUF expects to build 50-100 Tributes over five years at ~$1.7 million each</cite>. Enthusiasts on Rennlist and Porsche forums are electrified: RUF proved what Porsche abandoned—modern air-cooling with dual-overhead cams, variable valve timing/lift, and three-valve-per-cylinder design that passes real-world emissions while honoring the 964 DNA that obsessive collectors worship.
RUF's Tribute represents a watershed moment in restomod philosophy: not a 964 replica, not a water-cooled transplant, but a ground-up air-cooled 3.6L flat-six engineered by RUF itself and certified to modern safety/emissions standards. The dry-sump aluminum engine uses dual overhead cams and variable valve timing—modern tech wrapped around a three-valve-per-cylinder architecture that RUF's Alois Ruf credits with heat dissipation around exhaust valve areas. The chassis is RUF's modular carbon-fiber platform with pushrod suspension front and rear, familiar from the CTR Anniversary and SCR models. Curb weight sits under 1,300 kg, positioning it well below most modern supercars. Visually, the Tribute echoes 964 proportions—clean surfaces, upright glass, purposeful stance—while integrating carbon-fiber panels and contemporary aerodynamics. The car is neither retro-fake nor futuristic abstraction; it occupies the intentional space where 911 heritage meets 2026 engineering. Production caps at 30 cars per year across three models (Tribute, Rodeo, SCR), ensuring scarcity and 2-3-year delivery lead times. By 9:30 am at The Quail event, two attendees had already placed orders, validating the collector appetite for hand-built, naturally-aspirated, manual-only air-cooled cars in an era of electrification.
RESTOMOD · N°03
N°04
BOUTIQUE
McLaren WEC Hypercar Fires Up. Vanthoor Signs.
<cite index="29-6">McLaren's MCL-HY FIA Hypercar combines a lightweight carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with an in-house twin-turbocharged V6 and hybrid MGU system for 2027 WEC debut</cite>.
<cite index="37-3,37-5">2024 FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Champion Laurens Vanthoor joins McLaren Hypercar Team alongside Mikkel Jensen for competitive racing from 2027</cite>. <cite index="33-4,33-5">30-35 MCL-HY GTR track-only variants will be built for VIP clients, powered solely by the 2.9L twin-turbo engine without hybrid system, focused on drivability</cite>. Enthusiasts on Reddit r/WEC and Pistonheads celebrate: McLaren's commitment to Le Mans with a world champion driver signals seriousness; the track-car variant without hybrid complexity offers driver-first engagement missing from road hypercars chasing lap times over feel.
McLaren Racing's MCL-HY represents the manufacturer's return to international endurance racing for the first time in nearly three decades, underpinned by the F1 GTR's 1995 Le Mans victory legacy. The race car meets LMDh regulations with Dallara carbon-fiber monocoque and McLaren's in-house twin-turbo V6 mated to a hybrid MGU system, targeting 2027 WEC debut and 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans entry. The parallel MCL-HY GTR track-car variant (30-35 units) eschews hybrid complexity, retaining only the 2.9L twin-turbo V6 for ~730 PS and lower dry weight, enabling pure driver experience on track days. Vanthoor's signature—coming off a 2024 hypercar championship with Porsche and a runner-up 2025 Le Mans finish—adds credibility and speed to the driver roster alongside works driver Mikkel Jensen. The Project: Endurance initiative offers VIP owners unprecedented access to McLaren Racing's WEC operation, including a two-year, six-event track driving program at premier circuits with professional coaching. McLaren's 2026 test program, led by Jensen with LMP2 specialists Grégoire Saucy, Richard Verschoor, and Ben Hanley, will refine both race car and track variant ahead of winter 2026 homologation. The test livery—inspired by the 1960s McLaren M6A Can-Am car that won the 1967 championship and first bore 'Papaya Orange'—signals a return to McLaren's sportscar DNA and Bruce McLaren's unfulfilled dream of taking a Can-Am car to La Sarthe.
BOUTIQUE · N°04
N°05
EVENT
Bentley Supersports: RWD, Hybrid-Free. Finally.
<cite index="12-3,12-4">The new Bentley Continental Supersports debuts at Goodwood as a rear-wheel-drive, hybrid-free model signalling the brand's turn to high-performance heritage</cite>.
<cite index="13-4">The 657 bhp lightened Continental Supersports may be the most hardcore Bentley of all time</cite>. <cite index="12-16">The car will appear at Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 9-12</cite>. Pistonheads and motoring forums erupt: Bentley ditched the SUV obsession and hybrid-hybrid compromises to deliver a no-nonsense, RWD coupe that proves the marque remembers it once built some of the fastest, most uncompromising cars on Earth—a statement of intent that silences years of EV-strategy cynicism.
Bentley's Continental Supersports RWD arrival marks a strategic pivot toward driver-focused performance at a moment when luxury manufacturers pile resources into SUVs and electrification roadmaps. Positioned as the 'most raucous and aggressive Bentley in decades,' the Supersports rejects hybrid electrification entirely, relying on a 657 bhp powertrain sent solely to rear wheels—a decision that echoes traditional Bentley race-car ethos and contrasts sharply with the brand's recent PHEV-heavy lineup (Bentayga Hybrid, Continental GTC Speed Hybrid). The car's lightened structure and pure RWD dynamics target owners who prioritize driver engagement over green credentials, a demographic increasingly vocal on enthusiast forums about EV strategy fatigue at legacy marques. Goodwood's July 9-12 window means the Supersports captures the largest UK motoring audience of the year, amplifying Bentley's message that performance, not electrification theology, remains the core brand narrative. The model arrives amid industry chatter about EV adoption backlash among luxury buyers—a reversal that Bentley is signaling it understands. UK debut at Goodwood (not Geneva or Frankfurt) signals targeting of English/European enthusiasts prioritizing analog engagement. Expect waiting lists and strong resale demand from collectors who view RWD petrol Bentleys as the last of a dying breed.
EVENT · N°05
