Porsche 911: In the world of high-performance automobiles, few creations truly blur the line between road and racetrack the way the Porsche 911 TAG Turbo by Lanzante does. This machine isn’t just another restomod or tribute build it’s a genuine fusion of Formula 1 history and Porsche heritage, brought to life by the brilliant minds at Lanzante Limited, the same team known for their work with the McLaren F1 GTR.
What makes this car so extraordinary is simple it takes the soul of an F1 engine, one that powered McLaren to multiple world championships in the mid-1980s, and installs it inside an air-cooled Porsche 930 Turbo. The result is nothing short of breathtaking a car that looks like a classic 911 but hides the beating heart of a legend.
A Project Born from F1 Glory
Back in the 1980s, Porsche developed a 1.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine under the TAG-Porsche partnership for McLaren’s Formula 1 cars. This powerhouse, engineered by the great Hans Mezger, helped McLaren dominate the grid, winning three consecutive F1 championships between 1984 and 1986 with drivers Niki Lauda and Alain Prost.
Decades later, Lanzante managed to obtain 11 of these original race engines directly from McLaren’s archives. Instead of leaving them as museum pieces, they decided to do something truly wild build street-legal 911 Turbos powered by these very same F1 motors. Thus, the Porsche 911 TAG Turbo was born.
Engineering a Legend
Transforming a 1980s Porsche 930 Turbo into a road-legal F1 hybrid wasn’t a simple engine swap. Lanzante completely stripped down each car to its bare shell, rebuilt the chassis, and integrated modern reinforcements. The lightweight body panels were remade in carbon fibre, shedding more than 100 kilograms off the original weight.
The 1.5-litre twin-turbo V6, originally capable of over 1,000 horsepower in qualifying trim, was re-engineered for road use by Cosworth. With new pistons, rods, valves, turbochargers, and an entirely new ECU, the engine now delivers a manageable yet mind-blowing 500 to 625 horsepower, depending on the build. It screams to over 10,000 rpm, delivering a visceral experience few modern supercars can match.
Power is sent through a six-speed manual gearbox adapted from later-generation 911s, designed to handle the engine’s astronomical rev range. Every part of this car from suspension tuning to braking has been meticulously crafted for precision, balance, and raw excitement.
The TAG Championship Series
In 2024, Lanzante introduced the TAG Championship Edition, a special trio of builds celebrating McLaren’s championship wins from 1984, 1985, and 1986. Each car was uniquely finished to honour one of those historic seasons.
With 625 bhp, a redline soaring past 10,000 rpm, and a curb weight of just 920 kilograms, these are perhaps the most extreme air-cooled 911s ever built.
Each of these engines tells a story some were used in Prost’s and Lauda’s actual race cars. Imagine driving a 911 that once powered a McLaren to Grand Prix victory it’s not just a car; it’s rolling history.
Design That Respects the Classic
From the outside, the TAG Turbo retains the elegant lines of the original 930 Turbo wide arches, distinctive ducktail stance, and muscular proportions. Yet, subtle cues reveal its extraordinary nature: larger intakes, bespoke exhausts, and lightweight carbon components. Inside, simplicity reigns supreme manual windows, analog gauges, and stripped-back interiors reminiscent of classic racers.
There’s a purity here a perfect balance between nostalgia and cutting-edge performance.
Exclusivity Beyond Measure
Only 11 examples of the original TAG Turbo were made, followed by just 3 Championship Edition cars. That makes this one of the rarest Porsche projects ever conceived.
Each one is a handcrafted masterpiece that connects Porsche’s engineering excellence with McLaren’s championship-winning legacy. Unsurprisingly, collectors consider them multimillion-dollar treasures.
Why It Matters
The Lanzante TAG Turbo is more than an engineering experiment it’s a celebration of motorsport history, a demonstration of how craftsmanship and audacity can coexist in perfect harmony. It reminds the world that true performance isn’t just about numbers it’s about passion, heritage, and the sound of an F1 engine echoing through the streets.
In a world filled with electric supercars and digital driving aids, the Porsche 911 TAG Turbo stands as a timeless statement mechanical, analog, and utterly unrepeatable.
Final Verdict
The Porsche 911 TAG Turbo by Lanzante isn’t just another restomod; it’s the ultimate tribute to motorsport glory. A car that merges two worlds the spirit of Formula 1 and the legend of Porsche into one unforgettable masterpiece.