Theon Design just unveiled their latest bespoke commission. BEL001, a fully restored and enhanced Porsche 911 (964) that brings together Theon’s core values of world-class design and engineering with a number of innovative developments from the company.
Created for an esteemed client in Belgium, BEL001 is Theon’s first commission to be equipped with its 400 bhp supercharged flat-six cylinder engine. It also features semi-active suspension, resulting in a redefined 911 that pushes the boundaries of the air-cooled experience to new and exciting heights.
Like all the Porsche 911s that were redesigned by Theon Design, BEL001 is defined by purity of purpose. It was the perfect balance between OEM-level design, quality, manufacturing techniques, matched with an obsessive approach to detail that is perfect for the bespoke package tailored to the specific desires of the client. Each Theon Design commission is the embodiment of the client’s Porsche 911 fantasy.
Theon Design co-founder Adam Hawley shared, “For BEL001, the customer wanted a highly-usable, modernized, air-cooled 911, one that combined classic Porsche driving dynamics with real grand touring ability. With BEL001 we’ve certainly delivered on the brief; it’s a car that’s just as at home dissecting a British B-road as it is blasting across the open roads of Europe.”
Led By Design
Theon Design was founded in 2016 by Adam Hawley, and is currently based in Oxfordshire, UK. Hawley is a car designer with more than 20 years of experience to his name. He has worked for renowned OEMs like BLW, Lexus, Lotus, and Jaguar. The Theon Design team which comprises of experts in the field of automotive design, engine and chassis development, engineering, and even trim and vehicle manufacturing, are united in their objective of creating the ultimate air-cooled 911.
The company grew from Hawley’s single obsessive desire to create the perfect 911, a car that perfectly blends the looks and driver experience of an analogue classic with modern comfort, performance, and driveability. Hawley explains, “At Theon our goal is to enhance the classic Porsche 911 formula, applying an OEM-like approach with Computer Aided Design (CAD) and manufacture to ensure the highest possible quality and finish.”
Like the other meticulously developed and sympathetically enhanced commissions from Theon, the BEL001 was first stripped to bare metal shell before it was rebuilt from the ground up to its exacting ‘OEM+’ standards. With much respect to the Porsche marque, Theon gave the BEL001 a CAD assisted, complete lightweight workup. This resulted in the BEL001 having an enhanced and distilled essence of the air-cooled 911 as it also incorporates modern innovations that brings its performance in a whole different new level.
Supercharged Power
The supercharged air-cooled flat-six engine was one of the first areas that Theon Design set their sights on. Built and expertly calibrated, the 3.6-liter engine ensures that it not only meets, but even surpasses the demanding performance and driveability requirements of the company’s discerning client. Even with the new innovative configuration of the flat-six, Theon Design ensured that the feel of the ‘Porsche’ motor is kept and unchanged. As the revs rise, power builds in a linear fashion, and the supercharger spins faster pushing it further with ever increasing force, with an additional kick in the higher rev numbers.
With 400 bhp and 367 lb-ft of torque, the supercharged motor of the BEL001 brings together total tractability with accessible, lag-free supercharged torque while keeping the impressive top-end surge of a motorsport-honed, naturally aspirated Porsche flat-six. Its bespoke, switchable, stainless steel exhaust system have equal length headers, giving the motor a unique soundtrack with a subtle aural hint of forced induction.
Like with all the powerplants from Theon, the supercharged flat-six of the BEL001 was completely rebuilt and reengineered, giving it independent throttle bodies, flowed and ported heads, motorsport grade Mahle barrels and pistons, lightened bottom end, custom profile camshafts, and Carillo rods.
In keeping with the standards of the ‘OEM+’, the supercharger is simply elegant, placed just to the right of the engine; they installed the Rotrex Supercharger in the position where the original air-conditioning unit used to be. It made use of the existing mounting points which they have heavily reinforced to ensure that there is neither movement nor flex, even in the most extreme driving situations. Working closely with Rotrex, the supercharger is equipped with a Rotrex centrifugal unit which uses a patented traction drive technology which delivers superior efficiency, exceptional responsiveness, and reduced emissions.
It also has twin charge coolers placed on the opposite side of the motor to the supercharger so that the symmetry of the engine bay is kept. It works with a nearly integrated water-methanol injection system which is another innovation from Theon Design, it delivers all the additional cooling that the car needs, while also increasing engine performance.
Hawley shared, “We opted for the charge coolers as they negate the need for an intercooler – challenging to package in a 964’s compact engine bay. This setup means we can avoid adding air intake apertures to the bodywork, retain the super-clean, distinctly ‘Theon’ look that’s so important to us, both in the engine bay, and externally. The water-methanol solution adds an additional source of cooling, whilst also upping the octane rating of the fuel from 98 to 110+, providing a significant increase in power, too.”
Weighing only 1265 kg with all fluids and a full tank of fuel, it is packed with power and accessible torque that guarantees a muscular drive, and a visceral, highly-responsive performance.
Using its original 911 (964) G50 five-speed manual gearbox which Theon Design fully rebuilt so that it can give a perfect shift quality, and matched it with a new limited-slip differential so that the driver has complete control of the powerful air-cooled engine.
Theon Design also has a range of high-performance naturally-aspirated engine options starting from a 3.6-liter, a 3.8-liter, and a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated configurations. They also have turbocharged solutions, so the client is not limited in his options.
Total Control. On or Off Track.
With the power that the BEL001 has, the team went the extra mile to provide total dynamic control. They equipped the BEL001 a sophisticated suspension setup in the form of a switchable adaptive dampers.
Developed with the help of renowned experts in TracTive, BEL001’s damping has been meticulously honed for numerous hours on the undulating roads around Oxfordshire, and even on track. The system provides excellent dynamic composure as the five switchable modes provides a broad operating bandwidth which can be adjusted instantly through a bespoke, metal rotary switch, which was developed and elegantly integrated in the interior to preserve the minimalist and pared back design.
Theon’s development engineers worked closely with Centre Gravity’s geometry experts to carefully define the five damping modes in TracTive’s system to provide the BEL001 its dynamic capability, allowing it to be able to drive in any road surface, be it a bumpy b-road, cobbled street, and even the smooth, flat tarmac of a race track.
Precision and Beauty
Theon Design did not just stop at the engine. They also gave attention to the body and construction of BEL001. It has a beautiful shade of ‘Aquamarine’ which was based on the historic 1950s Porsche 356 color. The classic 911 shape was deftly upgraded by the team to give it a signature Theon Design look. Its lustrous finish is complemented by subtle tonal stripes, with a yellow PORSCHE script can be seen on the lower sides of the doors and the engine lid, giving a motorsport inspired design to the exterior.
The CAD modeled body brings together the ‘long hood’ seen in the earlier 911s and the wider arches of the later ST or G-Series (964) to give it a perfectly proportioned 911 shape is both delicate and purposeful.
Carbon fiber was liberally used for the bodywork, which was sourced from a leading F1 supplier, one of the many technological partnerships that was due to the prime location of the company which was in the heart of the ‘Motorsport Valley’ in Britain. As with all the components on the car, the carbon panels are digitized and modeled in 3D design software to give it an OEM-grade fit.
The improvements continue even under the carbon fiber skin. They replaced the wiring loom with a simplified, modern solution, and they also replaced the original air conditioning with a new, efficient, and more lightweight unit. When new, these were mounted up on the back of the engine. Theon Design replaced them with new, more power-efficient units and they were now positioned low in the front of the car, helping it achieve its almost ideal 50:50 weight distribution. Even with a full tank of fuel, the Theon Design BEL001 weights only 1265 kg.
Hawley shared, “Attention to, or even obsession with, detail is central to everything we do at Theon. Our team go to extreme lengths to ensure that each commission delivers an exceptional driving experience; every component scrutinized and assessed with a laser-like focus, then tweaked to deliver optimal performance, quality, and refinement – it’s how we deliver on our ‘OEM+’ philosophy.”
“With our use of 3D modelling we can apply a forensic approach to enhancements throughout the car – even with components hidden far from view – they’re all equally important to us. The carefully considered, incremental changes made throughout the car add up to make a significant difference, delivering an ultra-responsive, highly sophisticated driving experience. It’s the manifestation of our ‘purity of purpose’ approach, which really does set us apart, and elevate the cars we build.”
Bespoke interior
The digital, ground-up design and modeling process allows Theon Design to create each unique commission by working closely with the customer to deliver a completely personalized creation. Theon’s personalization capability grows with each bespoke creation, from mechanical specification, exterior details, and even the beautifully appointed interiors.
For the BEL001, it has ‘touring’ front seats which were based on the Porsche Recaro frames and mechanisms, though it has been updated with custom shaped foams, increasing both the comfort and support in equal measure. The seats are wrapped in soft tan leather. It matches perfectly with the rest of the interior which is also trimmed in tan leather, with black accents, which is complemented by body color matched elements on the doors, dash, and rear quarter panels.
In front of the driver sits the unique, easy to read gauges which feature numerals from the classic Porsche green with black backing. The whole center console of the BEL001 is made from carbon fiber and wrapped in leather, bringing together lightweight construction and hand trimmed elegance.
Nardi custom stitched the steering wheel to match the interior. Even the famous ‘frunk’ of the Porsche is finished in the same exquisite detail as the rest of the BEL001. It is wrapped in black leather, with matching carbon fiber fuel tank which was also wrapped in leather. Even the 964 RS strut-brace has been wrapped in tan leather that matches the interior.
Subtle Comfort Features
Inside the BEL001 are numerous comfort features that have been subtly added. There is a magnetic wireless charger that was been mounted behind the dashboard, enabling a smartphone to be seamlessly connected to provide control for the sound system and satellite navigation.
There are also cable operated heater controls which has adapted the beautiful, manual, tactile feel of those in the 1970s Porsche 911. A heater has also been fitted to provide a modern and highly efficient heating and air conditioning unit.
Hawley concludes, stating, “We really are excited to be revealing BEL001 to the world – our most ambitious, technologically-advanced project yet. We are once again delivering on a specific client specification, instilling the car with thrilling visceral performance while using our design and engineering expertise to hone and evolve the 911’s distinct, captivating character, all to our exacting ‘OEM+’ standards.
“BEL001’s innovations, both in terms of its thrilling supercharged motor and sophisticated adaptive damping setup, showcase Theon Design at its best; delivering beautifully resolved, exquisitely engineered enhancements that – in terms of both outright performance and pure driving enjoyment – elevate the air-cooled Porsche 911 experience to a whole new level.
Theon Design commissions start at £380,000. Each commission is a completely unique collaboration between Theon Design and the client, and it takes around 18 months to complete. Price does not include the donor car and applicable local taxes.
