And now for something completely different. We thought we had the measure of US firm Rezvani by now—bold rebodies of all-American action heroes, the Chevy Corvette and the Jeep Wrangler, respectively, underpinning the brashly named Beast, Tank, and Hercules. This new offering pulls the rug from right under us, however.
Called the Rezvani Retro RR1, it’s the first product of Rezvani Retro, “a new design house” that “effortlessly merges the timeless charm of classic automotive legends with contemporary design elements, all while incorporating modern technology and comforts by using modern platforms,” apparently.
So far, so restomod. Not least when it uses a Porsche 911 as its base. This is a fresh take, though, so long as you can ignore Porsche’s own 935 special of five years ago. That was a mad track-only special that called for fireproof gloves and a steely gaze, whereas the RR1 favors a slightly calmer and street-legal soul beneath its racy skin.
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While it appears to take its inspiration from the same race car, Rezvani knows it must limbo under lawsuits and doesn’t drop a single brand name in its bumf. Nevertheless, the company is clear about what it wants from you, the buyer, as a donor car: “Clients will provide us with their current-generation 992 models (2020-present) such as the Carrera S, GTS, GT3, and Turbo S.”
Rezvani is right at home with wild customization options, so what happens next is up to you; either way, expect a build time between three and six months at its California base as the new carbon body panels (doors excluded) give your car a proper glow-up.
And a power-up. Donate a 3.0-liter turbo Carrera derivative and you’ll end up with an RR1-550 boasting up to 550hp and a 3.1sec sprint to 60mph (97kph). The RR1-565 sees a nat-asp 4.0-liter GT3 or GT3 RS tuned up to 565hp with a 3sec claim, while the RR1-750 takes a 992 Turbo and winds its twin-turbo flat-six up to...well, we’ll let you work that out for yourself. What you might not guess is that it’ll hit sixty in 2sec dead.
RR1 mods can accommodate a manual or PDK gearbox, while you’ll get suspension tuned with either a road or track focus—your call. Rezvani will make 50 cars to bespoke order, with the first five priced at $149,000 (around P8.6 million before taxes) minus your donor car and any options. The wheels are standard (20-inch front, 21-inch rear), while the retro livery is $2,500 (P144,130), a steel roll cage adds $5,500 (P317,100), fancier coilovers cost $6,500 (P375,000), and upgraded Brembo brakes put in another $7,500 (P432,400).
Not sold? Well, expect a lot more from Rezvani Retro, whose creative minds clearly ordered a sepia tint for their latest specs. “The dynamic eras of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s heralded the peak of raw powerplants, delivering adrenaline-pumping performance before stringent government regulations began to curtail their untamed capabilities,” the firm tells us.
“Rezvani Retro embodies the timeless allure of a bygone era, exuding an essence that harks back to the classic designs and sophistication of yesteryears.”
What should they do next?
More photos of the Rezvani Retro RR1:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
