This Diminutive Porsche 914 Restomod Boasts a Cayman’s Flat-Six Heart

The reworked 914 features a new front bumper design and carbon fibre body panels (Image: Fifteen Eleven Design)

The 911 might be the Porsche which typically gets all the attention, but one company has turned its attention to the smaller and older 914 as a platform to modify.

Derbyshire-based firm Fifteen Eleven Design – a subsidiary of WRC-winning Mellors Elliot Motorsport which specialises in bespoke builds and restorations – has taken this 914 and extensively updated it. Most notably, it has found a way to fit the running gear from a 987 Cayman under its diminutive targa-roofed body.

While the most potent 914 only put out a hair over 100hp (75kW) from the factory, this example now makes almost four times that, with the 987-derived flat-six turned up to 400hp (298kW).

It now rides on adjustable Reiger coilover suspension and 18-inch Fuchs alloys (Image: Fifteen Eleven Design)

Those power increases come courtesy of a Life Racing ECU, stainless steel exhaust system, and forged engine internals. To handle that power, a six-speed manual gearbox and Cayman-derived suspension system with Reiger adjustable coilovers has also been fitted.

Although it features quite a different lighting signature now the pop-up headlights are gone thanks to a redesigned front bumper, the rest of the 914’s looks have been tastefully enhanced despite its bodywork being widened and remade from carbon fibre.

In particular, its 18-inch Fuchs alloys look particularly fitting, and they come shod in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber to help channel its power to the ground. A set of Recaro seats feature in its redesigned and leather-trimmed cockpit to help keep the driver in place.

The interior has been thoroughly retrimmed and features Recaro bucket seats (Image: Fifteen Eleven Design)

 

 

Interested buyers can specify their version of the Fifteen Eleven 914 in either left- or right-hand drive, with the company’s order books now open.

This 914 is one of many restomods to pop up over recent months, with bespoke builders taking to everything from the Lancia Delta Integrale to the Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Thanks to its 987 Cayman engine, it now produces around four times as much power as the original (Image: Fifteen Eleven Design)

Sub-Editor & Writer

Patrick is an automotive journalist with nearly a decade’s experience across a range of online, print, and broadcast media titles, having road tested over 500 new and classic cars in that time.

After starting out with The Adelaide Hills Weekender Herald newspaper while still studying, he has since contributed to the likes of DriveTribe, Finder, Supercar Blondie, Exhaust Notes Australia, and WhichCar before joining the Retro Rides team. He also launched the car review website Drive Section in 2019 and automotive adventure site Essential Drives in 2024, and has experience in journalism education and academia.

At Retro Rides, Patrick oversees website publishing and content creation. If you have a story you think would be of interest to our audience, he’s your best point of contact at [email protected].

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