Everrati impresses with past 911 tales of future perfect
The subtle melding of both old and new technology might be little more than car crash potential, considers Iain Robertson, as he gets to grips with the eco-potential Everratification of an aged but £250,000 classic Porsche 911 for an electrified future.
There has always been something edgy, quirky and mildly discombobulating about the iconic 911. Porsche’s rear-engined creation, with its roots planted firmly in world wartime automotive history, has always led from the rear…well, it would do, with such a pendulous mass slung behind the rear axle line.
Even renowned wheel twirlers can recount their early adventures in 911s, if they admit to them, which usually involved viewing an oncoming hedgerow through the sloping rear glass (mine was Knockhill Circuit ‘catch-fencing’). Rallyist Roger Clark used to relate about his on-the-limit, gravel handling joys of the Mark Two Escort, by describing amusingly the forwards view through the side windows of the competition Ford, with the notable difference being that legendary Roger Albert was ‘in control’ of the lateral slip.
Despite what sounds like hypercriticism, the broadly affordable nature of a classic 911, which places my other dream machines, Dino 246GT and Bugatti Type 35, in the realms of the totally unattainable, means that had I not coughed through 30 years of gaspers, I could have bought one. It is a personal regret. I still long for one (911, not ciggy). To be totally fair to Porsche, or unfair, if living ‘on edge’, or being able to master its ragged dynamic envelope would be your bag, the past three decades of electronic analgesia (chassis tech) have made the supercar much less of a handful, which ensures that footballers are kept out of body repair shops.
However, in the case of Everrati, we are remaining with the more wayward end of the breed, mostly because the 1980s variants have assumed both stratospheric auction values and immense desirability on their own merits. Messrs Justin Lunny and Nick Williams, enthusiasts both, shared their common passion for the electrification of sportscar icons, when ruminating over the environmental impact of the ICE. According to customer demand, Everrati will renovate your classic thoroughly but would prefer to repackage its power unit in a glass display case, replacing it with a BEV alternative.
There was something wholly evocative about the ‘nodding donkey’ and easy-on-the-loud-pedal progress of the original machine. Intrinsic to the 911 of that era’s character, I am not so sure that original owners will ever become familiar with a better weight distribution, or the significant increase in bulk designated by battery packs and weighty electric motors, despite extensive proving by race veteran, Tim Harvey. The 911’s signature strength always lay in its lightweight and nimble specification. Electrifying chucks that out of the same window as baby’s bathwater.
Everrati retains the car’s aluminium rear trailing arm suspension, which is refurbished to an as-new specification, with all bushes and drop-links comprehensively uprated. Customers are offered a choice of two suspension settings: ‘standard’ featuring fully adjustable, motorsport-grade, coil-over spring and damper units. They do provide a compliant, quiet and comfortable ride on the road, while offering enhanced control when indulging in a more energetic driving style. The optional, fully adjustable suspension alternative features adaptive dampers by Tractive, which provide even more focussed levels of control and driver feedback. The system includes a fully programmable and customisable five-driver-mode set-up that can be adjusted from within the cockpit, using a touchscreen.
As might be expected, the car’s EV powertrain provides regenerative braking, when the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. The driver can also adjust the level of braking force available to achieve one-pedal driving, if so desired. The uprated mechanical braking system features fully renewed Brembo Porsche callipers, complete with new drilled, ventilated discs all around. An optional, even more powerful braking system is also offered by the company, featuring larger Brembo callipers both fore and aft.
Having mentioned the inevitably altered weight distribution brought about by the 53kWh battery pack and its associated management system, Everrati’s engineering team believes that it has tried and succeeded to retain as much of the 911’s character as possible. However, like horses for courses, the radical transformation to electric power also involves the optimisation of weight distribution, which Tim Harvey assures us improves both chassis response and inherent safety, to enhance the performance envelope of the original, to reinvigorate its character and soul. I warrant that had you not experienced the original tail-happy 911, the changes might not be a bridge too far.
Yet, there is something else, the elephant, if you wish, in the room and it lies with the repurposing of a valuable classic car, where the prices are rising consistently for low mileage, immaculate original examples. Remember that Everrati 911 prices start at a far from wieldy £250k. While Messrs Lunny and Williams declare that their renditions are completely reversible (to factory specification), they are still tampering with and modernising an older car’s engineering, which can raise elements that will wipe out several areas of the much craved for originality. Besides, being wealthy is an important aspect of transacting with Everrati.
Naturally, the obverse side of the equation means that a prized Porsche can remain usable in a world of accelerated electrification, which can be perceived as better than being a museum piece. The car pictured here is based upon a fully restored 1991 Porsche 911 964. It features Everrati’s own carbon fibre body elements, to reduce the potential weight penalty, and a state-of-the-art EV powertrain that is capable of delivering an electric, emission-free driving range of more than 150 miles allied to a sub-4.0s 0-60mph acceleration time.
Buying into the Everrati proposition, apart from needing access to large pots of cash, also places conscience searching into perspective. Believe the PR and the reversible shift from ICE to EV might provide the consummate answer to future propulsion for a treasured classic car.
