The magic of an air-cooled Porsche 911 and the controllable speed of a 4WD rally car, with a stylish design and an exclusive finish. That is the Raph. LW1 in a nutshell, a remarkable Dutch project to which leading specialists of the industry contributed their expertise. And the very first of only 22 specimens is already hammering around.

How cool would it be, to drive a blisteringly fast Porsche 964 safely through the Scottish Highlands or over Col de Turini? The Raph. LW1 was build with exactly that in mind. And the result is a true sports car that weighs a mere 1075 kilogram, linking the DNA of an air-cooled 911 to a number of outstanding modifications, developped by a specialized team of engineers. All under the supervision of concept maker Raphaël Gianotten, who was inspired by the 964 Carrera 4 Leichtbau from Weissach. A car of wich also only 22 were ever built.

The Raph. LW1 maintains its standard width, effortlessly carving the perfect racing line on mountain roads, with all the grip you’ll ever wish for. It’s very nimble, due to the use of 25 handmade carbon parts, including the bucket seats, the floorpan protection and the housing for the fuel cell, which was modelled on F1 technology. The body parts remained their original shape, in order to preserve the iconic silhouette. Controlled drifting or fooling around a track is a piece of cake, thanks to the hydraulic parking brake and the lightning-fast sequential close ratio six-speed gearbox with automatic double-clutch. This transmission took 18 months to develop by Australian company Holinger, that made it match flawlessly with the Carrera 4 powertrain.

Other high-quality technologies can be found in the air-cooled 3.8-liter boxer engine with 450 hp and 490 Nm. One-piece, 3D-printed airboxes for example, give the engine bay a futuristic look and the programmable Motec M130 computer communicates via an ultra-light canbus system.

Experienced rally car constructors and drivers were responsible for the design of the chassis. They installed titanium drive shafts and special coil springs, equipped with Proflex shock absorbers, to name but a few. The ground clearance was increased by two centimeters and the travel is ten centimeters, so bumps and potholes are hardly obstacles anymore. Exclusive and original 17-inch Porsche Magnesium Cup 1 wheels cover the 2.1-kilogram lightweight Brembo WRC monoblock calipers with brake discs that are larger than life. Various materials and constructions are influenced by WRC technology and the meticulously engineered Raph. LW1 is thus capable of things that might seem impossible. During tests on the Niederrhein race track (Germany) it turned out to be even faster than an R5 Rally car from the world championship.

The clear focus on performance, however, does not mean drivers find themselves in a spartan interior though. On the contrary, the cockpit is characterized by a generous and padded roll cage and a very high-end finish with soft leather that is even applied to the pillars. 18-carat gold details in the rev counter and emblems on the dashboard give the interior a touch of luxury and customers also receive a set of customized, handmade, matching leather bags. Yes, the Raph. LW1 is for sale and available for connoisseurs that appreciate more than 2,000 hours of craftsmanship and are eager to discover the staggering potential of this 911 with rally qualities.