Who are Theon Design Theon Design is a UK-based restoration modification company founded in 2016 by car designer Adam Hawley. Due to his passion for all things Stuttgart, Theon Design have spent the last 8 years designing, what they believe, are the ultimate restored 964-based 911s. Their most recent design, the R, promises to be not only the ultimate resto-mod 911 but also a serious alternative to the new 992.2 GT3. With allocations hard to get for the new GT3 would you be better off purchasing the Theon R? Exclusive Design and Customization Options Visually, the Theon R 964 Resto-mod blends modern performance with a classic Porsche aesthetic. The R features retro design elements like the whale tail spoiler and Minilite-style wheels. Inside, Theon Design combines premium leather and carbon fibre, offering single-piece seats and an array of carbon-fibre touchpoints. Buyers can further customize their Theon R with unique colour options and interior materials, adding to the bespoke nature of this model. Lightweight Construction and Handling To make the 964 R as light as possible, Theon Design has utilised Formula 1-grade carbon fibre for both the chassis and the body panels. The wheels are milled from a combination of magnesium and carbon fibre, the brakes are carbon ceramic and the windows are built of specialised lightweight RS-spec materials. The result is that the Theon R weighs less than a tonne, almost half a tonne less than the new GT3. But despite its lightweight construction, the R is equipped with features to make it excellent at handling. It features a Wavetrac limited-slip differential to ensure responsive handling in the bends. In addition, it features a Motion Control Suspension (MCS) system developed by Porsche’s racing programs. This advanced suspension setup is fully adjustable, allowing the driver to dial in settings for aggressive track use or softer configurations for touring. All of this is designed to contain the powerhouse that, like with all 911s, is nestled behind the rear axle. Performance and Price The Theon R features an air-cooled, 4.0l flat-6 which features bespoke components like drive-by-wire throttle, an intake plenum from the 997 GT3 RS, and a high-performance Inconel exhaust. The result is a lovely roar near your ears, 500 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Couple this with the lightweight construction, and the results are blistering. This car rockets from 0-62mph in a claimed 3 seconds and it will keep on accelerating all the way to 200mph. Much faster than the new GT3. And with all that power going through a six-speed manual with drive solely to the rear wheels creates quite a raw experience. Theon plans to build only 24 of these road-going rocket ships, each costing $1 million. However, each of these 24 require the buyer to source their own 964 and buyers will have to wait 18 months for their bespoke R. Around about the same time it takes to buy a new GT3. Theon R 964 or 992.2 GT3 So the big question, is the Theon R a better buy than the new GT3? Well, there is a lot to consider, you could have five GT3s for the price of one R. Not to mention the GT3 is more usable, easier to exploit and in the real world faster, despite the R’s higher performance. But sports cars are more than just about facts, figures and usage. They are about thrills and excitement, and there’s no denying on that front the Theon R runs rings around its modern-day counterpart. Even in Touring form, the GT3 just won’t excite or invoke drive involvement like the R. Not to mention the R is just that much more special and bespoke. The GT3 may be a wicked car but the Theon R is a truly special car. And sometimes special is more important than wicked. F1rstMotors Facts and FiguresManufacturerTheon DesignModel964 RYear of Release2024Engine4.0l Air Cooled Flat-6Horsepower500 horsepowerTorque295 lb–ft0–62mph (100km/h)3.0 seconds (predicted)Top Speed200mph (322 km/h)Weight995 kg (1 tonnes)Power to Weight503 hp per tonneGearbox6–speed manualDriven WheelsRear Wheel Drive Source: Top Speed
