Sacrilege Motors to Debut its First EV-Conversion Porsche 911 at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The instant power of an EV and the familiarity of the analog Porsche 911 experience.

Sacrilege Motors, a bespoke performance, restoration and electric-conversion studio, will reveal its first Porsche 911 commission on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, August 20, 2023. Sacrilege Motors is the premier restoration and electric-conversion company devoted to evolving the classic Porsche 911 by preserving its analog driving feel and precise handling, while updating its performance and reducing its environmental impact.

Image Credit: Sacrilege Motors

Nicknamed BLACKBIRD by its owner, in honor of the supersonic Lockheed SR-71 aircraft, this triple black commission, a 1992 Porsche 911 America Roadster, is the first to be restored, performance-tuned and converted to an electric powertrain at Sacrilege Motors’ headquarters in Lakeville, CT. Housed in a former Skip Barber facility, Sacrilege Motors chose the location for its proximity to the historic Lime Rock Park racing circuit, where the BLACKBIRD commission Porsche 911’s development testing took place. The Porsche 911 America Roadster is a limited-edition, U.S. version of the Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet Turbo-look, one of 250 made. Originally equipped with a Tiptronic transmission, this car now has a single-gear, all-electric powertrain.

“Our passion for Porsche cars is paramount to this project,” said Bobby Singh, Sacrilege Motors’ president and technical lead. “We want to deliver an analog, air-cooled-era 911 with the reliability and instant power of an EV, while preserving an exhilarating driving experience that’s familiar to air-cooled 911 enthusiasts. Retaining the 911’s best handling characteristics, with added performance and upgraded components, all while reducing its environmental impact, was our ultimate goal. We’ve kept the same weight distribution, which is crucial to the car feeling like a Porsche 911 should.”

“Since 1997 I have owned a Porsche 911 993 Turbo…my dream car, maintained by Bobby [Singh] for almost 30 years,” Sacrilege Motors CEO Phil Wagenheim said. “For this commission, we set out to maintain the soul of a Porsche 911 and familiarity of its driving experience, while adding a low-maintenance, high-performance powerplant. I’m not telling anyone to give up internal combustion…I’m not. What we are doing at Sacrilege is we’re just adding an electric power option to your analog quiver of fun.”

The BLACKBIRD Commission

Model: 1992 Porsche 911 America Roadster (one of 250 Produced; 1992-1993)

0-60: Under 4 seconds

Horsepower: 500 hp

Torque: 369 lb-ft (500 Nm)

Weight: 3,200 lbs

Motor: Tesla Model S (Custom)

Battery Pack: 62 kWh

Range: Approx. 200 miles

Differential: Limited slip

Charging: CCS rapid charging

Suspension Front: Two-way inverted custom Penske race shocks

Suspension Rear: Three-way adjustable remote-reservoir custom Penske race shocks

Brakes: Brembo performance, slotted rotors, front and rear.

Wheels: Fiske three-piece custom forged

Tires Front: Michelin PS2 235/40ZR-18

Tires Rear: Michelin PS2 295/35ZR-18

Sacrilege Motors was founded in 2020 by finance entrepreneur and corporate CEO Phil Wagenheim and Porsche expert driver and tuner Bobby Singh, who brings three decades of experience race-tuning and maintaining elite Porsche sports cars, including the 959, Carrera GT, 918 Spyder, and Cup cars. Wagenheim and Singh, who are both passionate owners and drivers of air-cooled Porsche 911s, caught the Porsche bug early, enchanted by the analog feel and precise handling of a classic 911. Their mission is to create the most captivating EV-conversion Porsche 911s available. Some might call such conversion work heresy, but others welcome the act of retaining the classic 911’s uniquely enjoyable driving dynamics, while reducing its need for maintenance and environmental impact. Sacrilege Motors delivers a Porsche 911 with all the instant power of an EV, and the familiarity of the Porsche 911 driving experience. You have to drive it to believe it!

Sacrilege Motors restores 1974-1994 Porsche 911s to concours-grade quality, focusing on Porsche driving dynamics, breathtaking performance, exquisite interior design, and the most reliable conversion to all-electric power. Sacrilege Motors does not manufacture or sell automobiles. Sacrilege Motors is not sponsored, associated, approved, endorsed nor, in any way, affiliated with Porsche Cars North America, Inc., or Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche, AG. The Porsche® name and crest, 911® and TARGA® are trademarks of Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche AG, and any other products mentioned are the trademarks of their respective holders. Any mention of trademarked names or other marks is for purpose of reference only.

The product of Sacrilege Motors is a Porsche 911 that has been restored and EV-converted by Sacrilege. Out of respect for Porsche, and to respect Porsche’s trademark rights, these 911s should never under any circumstances be referred to or described as a “Sacrilege,” “Sacrilege911,” “Sacrilege Porsche 911” or a “Porsche Sacrilege 911,” or in any other manner that suggests that it is anything but a Porsche 911 that has been restored and converted to electric power by Sacrilege Motors.

…notes from SP