The idea of “re-imagining” Porsche 911s is something of A Thing now, with companies like Singer hand-crafting some genuinely beautiful machines that capture the essence of what the 911 is while concentrating and intensifying it to remarkable degrees. But these rarified Porsches can get almost too intense and serious, trading some of the car’s fun for gravitas or presence or something serious like that. But there is one company that has been re-imagining 911s longer than anyone else, and they do it with a playful glee that incorporates technology and engineering with just enough fun. That company is bb, and at this year’s Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge at the Werks Reunion, Monterey, Galpin Motors has a re-creation of one of the best of these, a 1986 Porsche bb-Auto Targa Hybrid.
The 1986 bb-Auto Targa Hybrid is a re-creation of a fascinating car, one originally crafted in collaboration with Polaroid for the 1976 Photokina photography show. That’s why the car is covered in those rainbows; the rainbow was a key part of Polaroid’s logo and identity.
As you may have expected, bb Auto didn’t just slap some rainbows on it and knock off early; there’s actual Polaroid technology in this thing, in the form of ultrasonic back-up sensors taken from a Polaroid SX-70 camera, something I’ve written about before.
This modern re-creation also incorporates some pretty advanced and unexpected tech as well; here’s how the press release explains it:
The 1986 Porsche bb-Auto Targa Hybrid seamlessly blends heritage with cutting-edge technology. Under the hood, the precisely engineered Ed Pink Racing engine enhanced with Vonnen hybrid technology delivers an exhilarating 550 horsepower. The Vonnen technology provides rapid bursts of power to the engine and is lighter and more compact than traditional EV batteries. It features a 110-kilowatt electric motor-generator positioned between the engine and transmission. To manage heat, Vonnen includes two cooling circuits with bumper-mounted heat exchangers.
It’s a vintage 911 hybrid! Based on the description, this sounds a bit more like a KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) than a traditional hybrid setup – that motor-generator provides a nice, nearly-150 horsepower! That’s no joke.
The suspension setup is also interesting, with an Active Suspension Management system, custom 18-inch Titan 7 wheels, and Brembo brakes.
View this post on Instagram
Of course, the easiest part of this re-re-imagined 911 is the striking rainbow stripes over the gloss black base, a combination that, should it fail to make you smile, might suggest that you should have a doctor confirm you have a functioning metabolism.
I especially like the hidden detail of the vivid pink fan shroud on the air-cooled flat-six. Look how it pops in the sea of chrome and black and gray! And it’s sort of an arc, visually, like a rainbow!
The interior is a special treat, with upholstery in a blue velour (I think?) that, in person, is one of those vivid sorts of colors that feels like it’s on the edge of overloading either the rods or cones (whichever ones of those sense color, I don’t feel like looking it up) in your eyes.
This is a really charming and engaging car with a surprising amount of history; bb Auto isn’t that well known in America just yet, but Galpin is bringing the brand to America, so expect to see more bb Auto goodness soon.
I’ve seen this car in person, and it’s one of those cars that you feel happy to be around, and feel drawn to. It’s technically impressive and fast and an overall Serious Machine, but somehow is still approachable and joyful. It’s a good time.
The reasons are likely because of some effects seeing a rainbow has on the human visual cortex; sure, it’s there because of a once-powerful camera company, but that doesn’t change the fact that it just works.
Since we’re talking about rainbows, I’m going to include Kermit singing about them here, because why not, right?
What If Famous Porsche Customizer bb-Auto Worked On Some Everyday Fords Like The Maverick?
The First Parking Sensor Used Parts Nabbed From Polaroid Cameras
The 532-Horsepower Hybrid Porsche 911 GTS Is An Electrified Monster That Doesn’t Need A Wastegate
In terms of quality journalism and your own guidelines I think you should be a bit more transparent about your (or Beaus to be precise) affiliation with this project. Hell, you’re all walking around Monterey in bb-jackets.
If this is true, who cares? It’s not a review.
Is this still a genuine 3-pedal manual? I can’t tell from the interior shot and I didn’t see it mentioned.
Wheels are too big, but I wish I knew more about the hybrid system. Looks like a generic aircooled 911 engine build, without any details to read about, but how did they fit a hybrid system in between that engine and the transmission? There really is not much free space, and if you pushed the trans forward, the rear axles wouldn’t line up. Would def appreciate any further information, as this is the first I’ve heard of an aircooled hybrid!
Related, sort of, my 77 911 Targa broke down last September and I am just getting to it. Figured you guys would appreciate this clip
https://youtube.com/shorts/ExpWQNlzt_s
Oh no! That does not look good. But at least it didn’t appear to mangle it too much.
That tech was interesting, so I dove into Vonnen’s site a bit. You give up your standard flywheel and the standard transmission position. What you get is a battery system that will give you no more range (1kw), but seems purely focused on providing an HP and torque boost.
This is wild… did you find any photos or videos?
I did find one on youtube with one of their engineers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moi_0YM1S3A
Dude this is really cool, it’s like a copy of honda’s IMA system in the insight, but for a 911! Want!
Apparently they’ve never met Roy G. Biv.
Thank you, this whole thing just looked wrong to me until I realized that; I bet there were Meetings about it and somebody probably stomped off.
And just like that I no longer lust for a Singer.
That is rad AF!!!!
Once again a reminder of how much I miss bright, colorful interiors and seats.
Porsche Pride!
Not really Pride. More a throwback to late seventies/early eighties rainbow graphic aesthetics that were popular at the time. You had to be there…
I was. But we’re here now.
What do you mean by that?
I mean I’ve been alive long enough to remember the mid 1970s and the rainbow graphics of that era. I get that.
That was then, this is now.
Today with those rainbow graphics this car, coincidentally or not, looks like an attention grabbing gimp suit, the codpiece of a Pride parade.
I think a lot of folks who don’t know the history of those graphics will simply assume the car and it’s occupants are happily out of the garage so to speak so, if you’re going for Pride this is your whip.
Kermit is always welcome!
I think he was just there to pay his respects to Cookie monster, who’s hide was used to cover the seats
Did they skin Grover for the door cards?
This is fun and the stripes are truly, excellently neon bright.
The best re-imagined 911 is clearly the Tuthill 911K. It seems bonkers in all the best ways and would be the first car I would try to buy if I had the money.
Cones.
This reminds me of a 911 Targa that sat, seemingly dead, in a small chainlink-bordered back yard in the general area I went car spotting as a kid that had rainbow striping something like this, but I don’t remember it going up the B-pillar. I think it was more like an ’80s Monte Carlo SS, but memory is fallible. Anyway, it stuck with me as I didn’t know if it was some kind of weird factory/tuner thing or just an odd aesthetic choice by the owner and it was strange that the car wasn’t that old at the time, but was covered in the kind of filth that accumulates on an abandoned car after a while of sitting. Did bb make a series of these?
I like the colours, but I’ll take mine without the unnecessary hybrid tech.
Didn’t know about this 911, but I remember the rainbow seats of the bb 928. Teenage me wanted a car with the ICE-laden t-bar of that 928.
I loved that interior too:
https://dyler.com/blog/398/the-forgotten-porsche-928-targa
More Rainbow Porsches:
https://www.elferspot.com/en/magazin/rainer-buchmann-bb-auto/?srsltid=AfmBOoo11_u-DVnBBUx3VFQ4oWqnjB4BvD3J8LODEJwxhcm3fWFpXv26
Thanks, appreciate the links! The row of cassette tape holders in the 911 is something else.
The targa 928 greenhouse i.e. from the base of the A pillar straight to the back is giving strong Honda Del Sol vibes
I realize there’s only so many ways to pull off a targa configuration, still can’t help but to wonder if a young Honda exterior designer was inspired by this design
Oh and that interior is ‘So Choice!’
Kesey does it. This looks like it should be a Merry Pranksters support vehicle for their tour bus ‘Further.’ I wonder if LSD is installed, and I don’t mean limited slip differential
bb-itchen !
Bachmann Tuner Overdrive!