Two extensively modified air-cooled Porsche 911s from North Carolina restoration specialist Sonderwerks will be displayed at Luftgekühlt 12, which takes place October 10 at the Town at Trilith near Atlanta. The cars will appear at the Meguiar’s display as part of the car-care company’s six-year partnership with the Luftgekühlt event series. The pair includes a Fashion Grey 1991 Type 964 Porsche 911 powered by a 375-hp, 3.9-liter engine and a Porsche Magenta 1977 911 Coupe with a modified 3.0-liter engine.
Meguiar’s says its display will be located by the Town Stage next to the Shipyard. The company will also have car-care specialists on hand to discuss cleaning and maintaining the range of finishes found on air-cooled Porsche models.
375-HP 1991 Porsche 964 Gets RSR-Inspired Bodywork
The more extensively reworked of the two Sonderwerks cars is a 1991 Porsche 911 from the 964 generation. The Fashion Grey car underwent a two-year, nut-and-bolt restoration.
Its engine has been enlarged to 3.9 liters and was dyno-tested at 375 hp, according to the information supplied for the event. The release does not specify whether the figure represents output measured at the engine or wheels.
The transmission uses a shorter ring and pinion, while a Wavetrac limited-slip differential was installed as part of the performance upgrades.
Sonderwerks backdated the exterior to resemble a 1973 Porsche 911 RSR. The body incorporates a carbon-fiber splitter and hand-laid roof panel, with 17-inch Braid BZ wheels completing the exterior treatment.
Inside, seats sourced from GTS Classics are trimmed in Bourdeaux red, black and woven Carbon leather.
The project incorporates components from Kinsler Fuel Injection, Link Engine Management, Ohlins, Brembo, Elephant Racing, Tarett Engineering, BBI Performance Shocks and Pauter Machine Co., among other suppliers.
1977 Porsche 911 Gets 3.0-Liter Engine and RUF-Style Bodywork
The second Sonderwerks car takes a different approach to the classic 911 formula. The 1977 Porsche 911 Coupe is finished in Porsche Magenta, identified parenthetically as Karminrot in the supplied material. The owner specified the color to replace the car’s original black paint. The release states that the color was available from 1974 through 1977.
Performance modifications center on a Big Port 3.0-liter engine equipped with 9.8:1 pistons/cylinders and 964 camshafts. No horsepower or torque figures are provided. The chassis has also been upgraded with Bilstein B8 dampers, Elephant Racing torsion bars and Eibach sway bars.
Sonderwerks changed the exterior with RUF-style front and rear bumpers and a Vintage 911 RS-style ducktail. Recaro Pole Position seats upholstered in Pasha cloth and black leather complete the interior changes.
Sonderwerks Handles Porsche Restoration and Performance Work
Sonderwerks operates from a 15,000-square-foot facility in Cornelius, North Carolina, where the company offers repair, restoration and performance services. According to the release, its engine, transmission, paint, body and upholstery shops are located under one roof.
The two cars selected for Luftgekühlt 12 illustrate substantially different approaches to modifying an air-cooled 911. The 964 combines increased displacement and 375 hp with RSR-inspired bodywork, while the 1977 Coupe retains an earlier 911 foundation but adds a modified 3.0-liter engine, suspension upgrades and RUF-inspired styling.
Luftgekühlt 12 Takes Over the Town at Trilith
Luftgekühlt 12 is scheduled for October 10 at the Town at Trilith, a short distance from downtown Atlanta. The walkable community was designed to support adjacent Trilith Studios. For Luftgekühlt 12, designated areas of the town will be used to display classic air-cooled Porsche models throughout the venue.
The supplied release describes Trilith Studios as the largest purpose-built movie studio in North America and associates the facility with productions from several Marvel franchises. Because that is a superlative claim and is not central to the automotive story, it should be independently verified before publication.
Which one would you choose?
The two Sonderwerks cars provide contrasting examples of how builders and owners are approaching the increasingly prominent air-cooled Porsche 911 restoration and modification segment. The 1991 964 combines a 375-hp, 3.9-liter engine with styling modeled after the 1973 911 RSR, while the 1977 car pairs an upgraded 3.0-liter engine with RUF-style bodywork and period-influenced Pasha upholstery. Displaying the cars together at an event devoted to air-cooled Porsches gives enthusiasts an opportunity to compare two different interpretations of the classic 911 platform.
Comparison
| Specification | 1991 Porsche 911 Type 964 | 1977 Porsche 911 Coupe |
| Builder | Sonderwerks | Sonderwerks |
| Exterior color | Fashion Grey | Porsche Magenta (Karminrot) |
| Engine | 3.9-liter | Big Port 3.0-liter |
| Output | 375 hp, dyno-tested | Not stated |
| Engine details | Not specified | 9.8:1 pistons/cylinders, 964 camshafts |
| Differential | Wavetrac limited-slip | Not stated |
| Suspension | Suppliers include Öhlins, Elephant Racing, Tarett Engineering and BBI Performance Shocks; exact applications not specified | Bilstein B8 dampers, Elephant Racing torsion bars, Eibach sway bars |
| Exterior | 1973 911 RSR-inspired backdate, carbon-fiber splitter, hand-laid roof panel | RUF-style front/rear bumpers, Vintage 911 RS-style ducktail |
| Wheels | 17-inch Braid BZ | Not stated |
| Seats | GTS Classics | Recaro Pole Position |
| Upholstery | Bourdeaux red, black and woven Carbon leather | Pasha cloth and black leather |
| Event | Luftgekühlt 12 | Luftgekühlt 12 |
| Event date | October 10 | October 10 |
| Location | Town at Trilith, near Atlanta | Town at Trilith, near Atlanta |
#Porsche #Porsche 911 #Porsche 964 #Air-Cooled Porsche #Luftgekühlt #Luftgekühlt 12 #Sonderwerks #Meguiar’s #Porsche #Restoration #Porsche 911 RSR #RUF #Porsche Restomod
Above contents © 2026 Sonderwerks / Luftgekühlt / McGuires, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee 🏁
