We know, we know. The first thing you thought when you saw that headline was: “Oh dear, another restomod?” And yes, there have been quite a few in recent years. The trend of making old cars better or fully remaking them is definitely still going strong, and the latest addition to the field comes from France.
Instead of modding up something homegrown like an old Citroen or Renault, the people at Nardone Automotive looked toward their Teutonic neighbors to the east, and grabbed a Porsche 928 as the basis for their work. The result is a truly stunning-looking machine that brings this iconic GT car firmly into the present day, and into your garage if your bank account is big enough.
The 928 has always played second fiddle next to its famous brother, but it does have its fans. Over 60,000 of them were sold during the 17-year production run that started in 1978, and many are still around today.
Few will be looking as good as the one created by French car nut Thierry Nardone, however, who took the old German gentleman’s express and fitted it with new bodywork and an interior that you just have to love. Naturally, most of the new exterior bits are made from composite materials, and have carefully moved the over 40-year-old design into the present day.
The pop-up lights are still there, as are the muscular curves, but everything looks a bit fresher and frankly a lot better than the original, which is never a mean feat when it comes to iconic cars like this one.
Even the new 18-inch wheels are a careful interpretation of past rim designs, and it’s fair to say the team behind the project has done a sterling job in the looks department. For us, however, it’s the interior that really sells it. Beautifully redone to present a unique mixture of retro design and modern features, it just makes you want to jump in and drive off.
Underneath all these new bits sits an original 928. The car pictured here is still powered by the V8 you’d expect to find under its pretty hood. Nardone is targeting a power output of 400hp, and drivers will be able to tame those horses with the help of a six-speed manual gearbox, up one gear from the original it left the factory with. A new suspension setup, new brakes, and adaptive electric power steering have also been added to bring the car up to a more modern driving standard.
If, like us, you now really want one, then head over to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, where it will soon be on display. The price hasn’t been released yet, but if similar restomods are anything to go by, then an eye-watering six-figure dollar figure is almost a certainty.
0 Comments