This Carbon-Bodied Porsche 912 Weighs Less Than 700kg But Costs A Fortune

Carbon-bodied Porsche 911s are no new thing. British-based Theon Design is well underway with production on its lightweight takes on the 964, while Singer’s DLS is packed with exotic material. But what if, for some reason, you’d prefer your bespoke Porsche with a flat-four over a flat-six?

KAMManufaktur has just the thing for you – a full carbon kit for the often-overlooked 912. In case you’re not familiar, let's wind back to 1965 when the Stuttgart firm wanted to bridge the gap between the ageing 356 and the spanking-new 911.

It blended the two, using the chassis and bodywork of the 911 but packing it with the 356 SC’s 1.6-litre flat-four. Power was reduced from 95bhp to 90bhp though, apparently to give it more low-end torque, with the unit hooked to a four-speed manual.

Sure, it wasn’t as quick as a contemporary 911 but dropping two cylinders did cut weight back to around 1,000kg.

It was never a portly thing, but KAMManufaktur’s carbon package is said to shave an additional 300kg, cutting the 912’s heft to just 699kg. That’s not surprising when you consider every one of the original steel panels is swapped out for the motorsport’s favourite weave.

The Hungarian firm can clear-coat the bodywork to leave that fabulous intertwine exposed, or they can paint it so nobody is any the wiser. Of course, that’ll add a few extra kilos back.

As well as cutting weight from the car, the work will cut a load from your wallet too, with the conversion coming in at €400,000 (around £340,000) with a donor car included. Alternatively you can save €40,000 (around £34,500) by offering your own 912 up. Equally, you can knock another €40k off by going for a semi-carbon kit which keeps the original steel roof and rear quarter panels. Granted, it’s 50kg heavier than the full package, but that’s still a big saving.