Manual Transmissions Are Getting Rare, So Singer Is Sourcing Them From F1 Supplier

Singer, which reimagines old Porsches to extremely elite specs in small batches, has inked a deal with powerhouse engineering firm Ricardo to design and manufacture new manual transmissions for some of its cars. So the good news is that new, old-school H-pattern manual transmissions are still being turned out somewhere. The bad news is that, at least in this case, the price of the cars they’re in will put them well beyond the reach of the average driving enthusiast.

I’m sure most of you reading this are already familiar with Singer’s Porsche 911s. The company’s projects are pretentiously (but deservedly) referred to as “reimaginings” rather than “restomods” because they’re built to an outrageously comprehensive and exceptional standard. These treatments are a lot more serious than the typical engine swap, LED light, and brake upgrade you sometimes see in old cars. As such, Singers were selling for half a million bucks last decade and I think you’d be hard-pressed to get one under $750,000 or even a million now.

Ricardo might be lesser-known as a brand name among casual car enthusiasts but it’s a well-established, high-tier engineering outfit. The company works in a huge range of transportation and energy-related industries in various capacities. Most relevant to this announcement with Singer: Ricardo’s resume in making high-performance transmissions is particularly impressive.

The company has made racing transmissions that compete in the World Rally Championship, LeMans, and Formula 1—as far as car-based motorsport goes, it doesn’t get more pro than that. Ricardo states it has “many ex-Formula 1 engineers within the team” which designs and builds transmissions at its facility in Leamington Spa (central England).

Singer will be getting unique and exclusive transmissions, so it doesn’t look like anybody will be able to buy one for their own shadetree project. Bummer—here I was about to put this on my wishlist for the dune buggy build I’ve been dreaming about lately. Initial offerings will only be for people buying Singer’s Classic Turbo or DLS Turbo restoration services for a 964 Porsche 911. The 964 is already the rarest 911 generation, with less than 64,000 sold between 1989-1994. Singer-modded ones will be mega money.

As for the rest of the powertrain, Singer has historically sourced some engines from Ed Pink—which makes Porsche’s flat 4.0-liter sixes into wild high-revving monsters.

Ricardo has not published specifications or details on what it’s doing for Singer; the company’s statement has typical press-release vagueness but I’ll drop it in wholesale all the same:

“Ricardo’s design team will ensure that the transmissions meets the exacting, high performance needs of Singer’s clients. The focus is on delivering an H-pattern transmission able to accommodate the additional demands that a turbocharged car places on the drivetrain. Designed to seamlessly integrate into the existing chassis, the transmission will enable smooth, engaging gear shift operations despite the increased torque and power demands.”

Have some high-end automotive cottage industry insights? Drop the author a line at andrew.collins@thedrive.com.

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