Tuthill debuts stunning GT One in Monterey

When Tuthill Porsche has a car to show the world at this time of year, you know it’s going to be something special. Monterey Car Week was the launch location of the incredible 911K, after all. But even with that in mind, little could have prepared us for Tuthill’s latest dream machine: the GT One. Clearly inspired by the 911 GT1s that enjoyed success back in the ’90s but with a modern twist, the GT One is said to have come about after a discussion between Richard Tuthill and Elliot Ross (he produces films and collects cars, if you also weren’t sure), the latter presumably quite keen on a fresh take of such a famous sportscar racer. GT1 really did make for some spectacular racing and homologation cars – think Toyota GT-One, the Elise, the Diablo, the Panoz, before even thinking about the Germans – so the era is prime for a resurgence. If the McLaren F1 can get a (sort of) modern reincarnation as the GMA T.50, here’s a flat-six GT One that looks a bit like a 911…

It isn’t clear yet what underpins the car in terms of chassis, though it’s encouraging to note that this will be a road car, running a perfectly normal Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyre and with standard power rated at 500hp. This isn’t another 1,000hp mad thing that requires a private track day to drive. An aero kit for a racier look ‘may be developed for track use’ but this is a road car first and foremost, and that’s great – albeit one with carbon clams, carbon doors, a carbon roof with the scoop and roll-over protection incorporated into it. When Tuthill does a road car, it doesn’t mean it’ll be like other road cars.

Power for the GT One comes from a 4.0-litre flat six ‘inspired’ by the 11,000rpm 911K, which bodes extremely well, producing more than 500hp in naturally aspirated form. A forced induction option will be available (Tuthill hasn’t specified turbo or supercharged) for in excess of 600hp. Yikes. The car shown at The Quail is equipped with a seven-speed DCT, though a manual will be offered as well. The rest of the hardware is suitably high-grade: double wishbones, ceramic brakes with ‘bespoke’ calipers, Inconel exhaust and so on. Tuthill reckons the GT One will weigh 1,200kg. 

The design has come from California-based Florian Flatau; previous highlights of his CV include the Singer ACS (which Tuthill had a hand in), the E-Legend EL1, that fantastic Audi Quattro Concept of 2010 and some recent work with Lucid. So the GT One coming out this spectacular, almost in that Singer style of being recognisably Porsche but on another plane, should come as no surprise at all. When a grey coupe can hold your gaze like this, in a week chock full of silly supercars, it must be something very good indeed. Wheels have perhaps never sat in arches this perfectly on a road car. 

Tuthill Porsche will build 22 GT Ones. Presumably one is already going to Mr Ross, which really doesn’t leave very many remaining, particularly given the fondness for all things 911-shaped and flat six-powered in southern California. To have them all sell out over the next few days wouldn’t be a tremendous surprise; a price hasn’t been announced, though look at the carbon and think about the 3,500 hours that will go into each one. It’s going to be a substantial seven-figure sum, surely. 

Richard Tuthill said of the GT One: “At the heart of this piece of artwork is of course the constant pursuit of mechanical excellence. We have taken inspiration from all that we have done in the past and have been inspired by what others have done before us and continue to do. As usual, I sincerely hope those who wish to own one of these will also wish to drive them as often as they can and create memories that will last a lifetime. The FIA GT1 class enabled manufacturers to create stunning race cars. We have taken the best bits but focused on producing a wonderful road car… I hope you can all enjoy it with us!”