Ludic Builds a Sweet 996 911 Restomod Stocking Stuffer

Reverse Restomod

Porsche restomods are all the rage these days, and more than a couple of folks are happy to line up and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a 911 built by the likes of Singer or Guntherwerks. But an outfit dubbed Porsche by Ludic is doing things a bit different, making the somewhat unloved 996-gen 911 look like an older model. It may sound strange, but we must admit, this recent build actually looks pretty good.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic

Perfect Candidate

Mostly because of its runny egg headlights and the introduction of water-cooled engines, the 996 just hasn't gotten much love from Porsche enthusiasts over the years. But that has also made them extremely cheap, and the perfect candidate for an extensive redo like the ones performed by Ludic.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic

>>Join the conversation about this 996 restomod right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Some Problems

The Spanish builder takes regular old run-of-the-mill 996s and transforms them into widebody 911s with vintage styling. There are problems with this kind of build, of course, and little details are sure to bother some. Just take the roofline, for example, which doesn't quite match up with the otherwise vintage lines.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic

>>Join the conversation about this 996 restomod right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Road Presence

The little round headlights look a little out of place on the larger modern Porsche, which is also quite a bit bigger than the early 911 models. But out back, the car actually looks really good, especially sporting a ducktail spoiler like this one. That wide stance carries quite a bit of road presence, too.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic

>>Join the conversation about this 996 restomod right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Retro Evolution

This particular 996, fitted with Ludic's Retroevolution kit, is finished in a rather attractive shade of dark gray/blue, which fits the lines of the car perfectly. It's clear from these progress photos that Ludic's work is top-notch as well, something that's critical in the world of Porsche restomods.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic

>>Join the conversation about this 996 restomod right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Best of Both Worlds?

Ludic says that converting the aesthetics of a newer car into a classic is a "best of both worlds" scenario, which is basically the premise behind a traditional restomod, too. And while we imagine these reverse restomods will conjure up mixed feelings, it makes sense to give the unloved 996 a little bit of retro style.

Photos: Porsche by Ludic