Silicon Valley-based hybridization shop Vonnen and Wisconsin custom builder Kelly-Moss celebrate a new partnership by unleashing the coolest Porsche 911 we've seen in some time. With Vonnen's plug-and-play hybrid kit, the already virile 2014 911 Turbo S gets a boost of immediate torque and power, all without any fuel economy losses or emissions gains. Sleek, safari-style updates add a rally-ready look to this unique thrill machine.
Founded in 2016, Vonnen has developed the Shadow Drive retrofit electric kit for Porsche 911, Boxster and Cayman. The 170-lb (77-kg) kit replaces the factory flywheel with a slim electric motor-generator hooked up to a liquid-cooled battery pack mounted ahead of the front axle. With help from the control unit monitoring driving conditions, the motor spins up to 9,000 rpm to augment the engine's power and torque, adding up to 150 hp and 150 lb-ft (203 Nm). The battery system is optimized for rapid charging and discharging, relying on regenerative braking to keep charged.
Actual performance numbers will vary by specific 911 model, but, citing Road & Track calculations, Vonnen estimates that a 350-hp 991 Series 911 will see its 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) cut by a second, down to 4 seconds flat, with the Shadow Drive dialed to street mode. When punching up to overdrive mode, that time drops to 3.6 seconds. Check out Vonnen's performance page for additional metrics.
For its part, respected Porsche restorer and builder Kelly-Moss Road and Race has signed on as a certified Shadow Drive reseller installer. It will serve customers in the US Midwest, meeting what Vonnen describes as a growing demand in the area.
"It’s like adding the instant torque of a Tesla to the raw driving excitement of a Porsche – the best of both worlds," Kelly-Moss director of operations Andy Kilcoyne says of the Shadow Drive. "The ability to boost power without trading off fuel economy, emissions and drivability really sets it apart from traditional power adders."
Recognizing that such a distribution announcement would be ho-hum business news glossed over by car publications and ignored by many a car fanatic, Kelly-Moss and Vonnen have given it some juice by revealing their first collaboration: the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S with electrified Shadow Drive boost and a dose of the safari treatment for which Kelly-Moss is known.
The most conspicuous part of the exterior kit is the custom tubular grille guard with integrated Baja Designs lighting, a more subtle off-road lighting upgrade than the big hood half-globes typically seen on 911 Safari cars. The car also gets a 2-in (50 mm) lift from its Motion Control Suspension system with adjustable coilovers and rides on white Braid Winrace T wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan Apex V601 ultra-high-performance tires.
Below the custom-wrapped skin, Kelly-Moss adds Xona rotor turbos, Tial wastegates, CSF intercoolers, intercooler charge pipes, Boost Logic headers, a fresh air intake and a titanium exhaust. The end result isn't quite as extreme as some of Kelly-Moss' other 911 Safari projects, like last year's US$375K 1984 911 Willy Safari all-terrain camper car below, but it's a pretty cool car, nonetheless, especially when you get back to that +150-hp hybridized powertrain.
Vonnen and Kelly-Moss are showing the new build at this week's Das Renn Treffen in South Florida and will take it to future events, including Amelia Concours Week and Caffeine and Octane in Atlanta. Kelly-Moss will also offer it for customer demos at its Wisconsin HQ. We're not sure the price of this specific electrified 911 Safari car, but the Shadow Drive itself is a pricy $75,000 upgrade, with installation.
Source: Vonnen