Maxxd.com – Modified and Performance Car News

  • Porsche 914 restomod hides Cayman S flat-6

    At the end of the 1960s, Porsche was on the hunt for a model that could slot into the family lineup below the 911. Working with Volkswagen to make this happen, it came up with the 914, a car that proved to be quite popular.

    Despite this popularity, the 914 today isn’t exactly lighting up the classic car market like other Porsches of the era, though that could change if we see more companies like the United Kingdom’s Fifteen Eleven Design spring up.

    The company is a division of World Rally Championship team Mellors Elliot Motorsport and is focused on the classic car side of things. While it traditionally performs restorations, it has also dabbled in the world of restomods, and its latest is based on a 1975 Porsche 914.

    1975 Porsche 914 restomod by Fifteen Eleven Design

    1975 Porsche 914 restomod by Fifteen Eleven Design

    The design features several tweaks inside and out but the biggest changes will be in the areas you can see. We’re told extensive chassis updates are planned, including for the suspension and brakes.

    Fifteen Eleven will also install a modern engine, in this case a 3.4-liter flat-6 from a Porsche Cayman S. It will be mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, Porsche originally offered a flat-6 in the 914/6 model, though it didn’t sell well, with most customers preferring a flat-4.

    Fifteen Eleven plans to show its first completed 914 restomod later this year. The company is currently accepting orders, for both left- and right-hand-drive cars, and it hasn’t said if build slots are limited. It also hasn’t said how much the restomod will cost.

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  • ALPINE AND LOTUS FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP

    As part of a wider restructuring strategy, Renault is set to replace the Alpine A110 with an electric sports car co-developed with Lotus.

    We already know that Renault is keen to plaster the Alpine nameplate on anything performance-orientated going forward. This restructuring started with the Renault Sport F1 team namesake being replaced by Alpine.

    We also know that when it comes to road cars, the famous Renault Sport badging will also be replaced and instead with Alpine. This looks likely to start with a reimagined Renault 5 hot-hatch that would come under the Alpine bannering. This car is penned to be fully-electric. The next piece of the puzzle comes in the form of a new partnership with none other than Lotus, with the two planning to co-develop a new electric sports car to replace the Alpine A110.

    Alpine Lotus

    First look at the Alpine F1 car. This is an interim winter livery before the official look is revealed.

    Laurent Rossie, CEO of Alpine, spoke on the collaboration: “The signing of this MoU with Lotus shows the lean and smart approach we’re implementing as part of the new Alpine brand strategy. Both brands have an amazing legacy and we are most excited to start this work together, from engineering tailored solutions to developing a next-generation EV sports car. This collaboration along with our transformation mark the beginning of a new era in which we’ll be taking the Alpine name and line-up to the future. We’re putting F1 at the heart of our business, leveraging our in-house expertise and best-in-class partners such as Lotus to inject our cars with leading-edge performance, technology and motorisation”.

    Lotus CEO, Phil Popham, also commented on the new partnership: “Today’s announcement is the first step in what is set to be a hugely rewarding collaboration between our iconic brands. We are proud to be working with Groupe Renault in this collaboration – sharing Lotus’ technical expertise and abilities, and leveraging our long track record of successful collaborations.  Our companies have much in common – from a pioneering pedigree in light-weighting, to championship-winning sportscars which perform as impressively on the road as they do in the motorsports arena. It is a natural fit in many ways and the co-development of an EV sportscar is hugely exciting for our companies, our fans and customers around the world.  The joint-services element of our agreement will additionally make our engineering expertise available to those wishing to engage our innovations.”

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  • Bentley picks Audi designer as new design chief

    Bentley on Tuesday named Andreas Mindt as its new design chief.

    Mindt is currently head of exterior design at fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi and starts his new role on March 1.

    He replaces Stefan Sielaff, himself an ex-Audi designer, who is leaving Bentley after a six-year stint to pursue other opportunities.

    In his new role, Mindt will be in charge of a team of 50 designers and report to Matthias Rabe, head of engineering at Bentley. One of the first models he is likely to be tasked with designing is Bentley’s first electric vehicle, which is due in 2025.

    Fortunately, Mindt has plenty of experience with EVs as the 25-year VW Group veteran was pivotal in devising the design direction for Audi’s expanding EV portfolio, including the E-Tron and upcoming E-Tron GT. Now he will do the same at Bentley which is committed to offering a full-EV lineup by 2030.

    “Designing a car, and a future, is always a process based on the performance of many, not one, and so I look forward to working with my colleagues to help define the next phase for Bentley, into an electrified future,” Mindt said in a statement.

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