Kalmar 7-97 Turbo Edition pays homage to Porsche 911

Kalmar 7-97 Turbo Edition

(Image credit: Kalmar)

The Porsche 911’s role as a basis for restorations, restomods and enhanced all-rounders continues with Kalmar’s new 7-97 Turbo Edition. Destined to be made in an edition of just 11 cars (split between coupé and cabriolet models depending on customer demand), the 7-97 Turbo pays homage to the Porsche 930, the original road-going turbo-charged variant of the 911, created back in the mid 1970s to grant the model race eligibility.

The Turbo has been a mainstay of the official 911 range ever since, but the Estonian company is delving into the archives with its recreation, adding subtle and not-so-subtle enhancements to the bodywork, interior and – most importantly – the drivetrain.

Despite the decidedly 1970s-style bodywork, the base car here is the 993 generation of the 911 (produced from 1994 to 1998). All the body panels are brand new, formed from carbon fibre, with the original’s prominent rain gutters removed in order to improve aerodynamics.

Everything you see is freshly revised, right down to the famous whale-tail spoiler, while the front end retains the unmistakable 911 form yet subtly combines design components from the car’s long and short nose variants, landing somewhere around the late 1960s in style.

The dash has been updated with a discrete digital display — The dash has been updated with a discreet digital display

One area that has been comprehensively modernised is in the engine bay. Working with its technical partner, French company Lorrtech Racing Engines, Kalmar has installed a tuned 3.2-litre Mezger engine equipped with high pressure modern turbo units and other bespoke elements. Power output is around 650hp.

Lorrtech's 3.2l engine in the 7-97 Turbo Edition

Deeper under the skin, the 7-97 includes adaptive suspension, four-wheel-drive and a modern traction control system yet still comes in at a featherweight (by modern standards) 1,200kg - today's 992.2 Porsche 911 Turbo S weighs in at 1,725kg.

Each of the eleven 7-97s will be completely bespoke

The five-dial 911 dashboard accommodates an ‘active dial’, a screen that can be switched between engine and suspension settings, a rear-view camera and Apple CarPlay. Every 7-97 Turbo will be unique, with customers encouraged to make it their own through colour, trim and special equipment.

KalmarAutomotive.com, @KalmarAutomotive

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Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.