- Jan Kalmar speaks openly on his frustrations with the classic 911 chassis.
- Kalmar Automotive is currently re-engineering a 993-chassis as a 959 homage.
- Kalmar and his company have already created a 964-inspired supercar, the 7-97.
By and large, the Porsche 911 has become a seminal example of enduring automotive culture. While the design has evolved over the years, the classic models are revered as having birthed an iconic symbol of driving perfection. Its distinctive design and the engine’s placement behind the rear axle have inspired generations of envy among lovers and enthusiasts.
Well, by and large, so it seems. Because clearly, the same veneration is not employed by all. Beetle jokes aside, the most recent criticism comes from an individual who is deeply involved in the redevelopment of these cars.
Jan Kalmar, the founder of Kalmar Automotive, has built his reputation on restoring and rebuilding vintage Porsches. His business began by restoring early 911s, but has expanded to making rally-ready cars and custom restomods that take these machines well beyond their original specifications.
Read: Every Inch Of This AWD 993 Turbo Tribute Was Engineered To Be Trouble
Speaking to Evo, Kalmar has no qualms about sharing his thoughts on classic 911s and why he thinks they’re not quite all they’re cracked up to be – at least in stock form. The interview with him is rather fascinating, but his bold claims about the 911, particularly the 964 generation, are so quote-worthy.
“The Classic 911 Is a Piece Of S***”
“When my generation was young, we all dreamt about owning a 911,” says Kalmar. “We couldn’t afford one then, but now more and more can. But when they buy the car they used to dream about, they drive it, and realize it’s a piece of s***. It drives like a broken bone. A Golf drives better, and the 911’s headlight costs the same as a Golf.”
Right then. Granted, his argument that those who have a love affair with the air-cooled 911s are more inclined to overlook the shortcomings, may indeed have legs. Modern cars are far sharper tools than even the best supercars of the day, and it’s perhaps easy for someone who’s not clued up on matters to be deceived by nostalgia, only to realize that early 911s were not capable of delivering the balanced, modern driving experience they had envisioned.
See Also: Kalmar Makes Its Own Wild Porsche 911 Safari
It is not a condemnation of the dismissal of the heritage of Porsche. Kalmar has the first-hand experience to underlie his argument: restoring and modernizing the classics has provided him with the view of how difficult it is to make them really pleasant as judged by the standards of today.
Kalmar’s Creations
His first commission, a 964, was ordered for none other than legendary endurance racer Tom Kristensen. Named the 7-97, it wasn’t long before Kalmar couldn’t work past the shortcomings on the chassis. So he did what any unhinged but gifted madman would: grafted 964 panels onto a 993, before realizing it still had too much aerodynamic lift at speeds over 300 km/h while testing it on the Autobahn.
The solution was to optimize each panel aerodynamically. Kalmar’s company then created its take on a modern 959: a 917 hp, 993-based creation with high downforce and the running gear from a 992. The 9×9 hypercar is still in development, will have only 27 examples made, and is targeting a sub-7:00 Nurburgring laptime.
So while Kalmar’s blunt statements may be a bit, well, blunt, he’s able to back up his opinions. And yes, he’s quick to point out that the majority of the consumers are chasing a dream and not a realistic driving experience. Plus, there’s no denying that the creations he’s come up with are truly impressive.
