Serial supercar enhancer Litchfield has unleashed an impressive enhancement package for the Porsche 991 that offers, more power, less weight and even more visceral handling. Where do we sign?
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Following an evolution period that makes many glaciers look velocious, many might argue that Porsche’s 911 has long been the dictionary definition of the ultimate everyday supercar. A range of far-reaching abilities slowly honed over many decades has created a platform that, these days, offers confidence inspiring thrills and predictable excellence in the most shapely of packages. When you examine the quality, integrity and ability of the latest 991 in particular, the whole car is pretty much an object lesson in the art of offering the unwashed masses a (relatively) achievable ticket to the kind of performance stats previously only reserved for professional racers.
While the car may be the perfect confection for many, to certain discerning enthusiasts however, there is still a little wiggle room to shave a few pounds, add a few ponies and enhance the inherent charms of this fabulous car. And, when those owners discover that there is more to come, Litchfield is often their first port of call…
Based in Gloucestershire and founded almost two decades ago by eponymous founder Iain Litchfield, the firm has long been known as the ‘go to’ outlet for owners and collectors of rare exotica and sporting machinery. As custodian of some of the rarest and most valuable cars in the UK, Litchfield’s raison d'être has always been to create unique conveyances for its clientele – whether their preference be aesthetic, dynamic, or both. A visit to the company’s clinical environs usually proffers a plethora of Maranello’s, Stuttgarts and Bologna’s finest, racked up in the expansive and clinical workshops, ready to receive some level of steroid enhancement. Comically, these so called ‘supercars’ are actually the slowest machinery that Litchfield’s team work on, having made its name and proved its engineering prowess by creating a range of turnkey 1200bhp packages for Nissan’s eminently tuneable GT-R. “Having taken that car way beyond hypercar performance, and taking on board the lessons that those conversions have taught us along the way, always stands us in great stead for developing anything in the relatively sensible ‘500-800bhp’ bracket,” smiles Iain.
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Although the company can re-engineer any car’s output into the stratosphere, most of its Porsche customers are looking for something far more sensible for their daily drivers. “In most cases, our 991 customers simply crave a little more of what’s already there,” Iain continues. “The car already has a wonderful balance and delicacy, so when we set out to enhance it, we wanted to ensure that we kept the essential essence of the 991 – which really is a wonderful platform. All of our enhancements have been designed to allow you to turn up that inherent character to ‘11’ and achieve more as a driver – wherever you choose to enjoy the car.”
The backbone of this new package centres around a beautifully finished exhaust system, which has been designed and hand-finished in house by Litchfield’s own experienced race technicians. And, when I say ‘race’… I mean the kind that Mr. Ecclestone likes to watch. Indeed, when Litchfield’s titanium fabricator isn’t making these mobile works of art, he is furnishing half of the F1 grid with their needs instead. Quite the CV then, really…
Having clearly found the right talent to create the system – and using the same grade of material as for his ‘other job’, a design was created using precision mandrel bending for optimum flow and the perfect soundtrack. Keen to keep emissions levels within the realms of full road legality in all markets, the system was also equipped with high flow motorsport-spec catalytic converters from Germany, which come helpfully coated with the latest active polymers to ensure full compatibility with the engine management system – and a warm welcome at your next ‘Friends of the Earth’ drinks gathering. Well, perhaps not, but you get the idea… It’s much cleaner than a Porsche sports exhaust has any right to be.
This system is not only cleaner, but lighter too. Thanks to its titanium construction, Litchfield’s bespoke 991 exhaust has reduces the weight of the car by approximately 16kg and, perhaps more pertinently, liberates an extra 45bhp and 36lbft over the standard system. That leaves the final scores on the doors somewhere in the region of 600bhp without the need for any further ECU programming. A great place to start.
So that’s the power and weight boxes happily ticked, but how about noise and response? Thankfully, this system doesn’t disappoint here either. The throttle response and turbo spool are greatly improved due to the impressive reduction in back pressure, with the exhaust note being transformed - a more aggressive bark under full throttle, crackling and popping on the over run for added theatre yet without being intrusive or droning when on partial throttle. Totally in-keeping with the ethos of the car and something that can truly be used every single day.
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Although the exhaust would be a fine addition in itself, it’s nobly augmented by Litchfield’s addition of the Cobb Accessport software to allow the wick to be turned up even more. If you’re not familiar with this ingenious device, the Cobb Accessport provides a simple way to transform the way the 991 drives by changing the standard ECU calibrations. The Accessport comes with 2 "Off-The-Shelf" maps pre-loaded for stage 1 and 2 upgrades, but for all of its customer builds. Litchfield always uses the custom map option to allow it to hone and smooth the power and torque delivery in its own impressive in-house dyno. The Cobb set-up is a very tuner friendly tool, with the V3 display unit showing customisable gauges, allowing up to 6 different parameters to be shown on screen as mapping is finalised. All of which makes for a wonderfully linear delivery in every gear – and a total power output in conjunction with the exhaust of some 630bhp and 640ftlb of torque. This system also scores by virtue of the fact that it allows the user to toggle between standard and modified maps in an instant, as well as being fully removable and transferrable in the future, too.
Additional power requires greater poise – a need ably met by the deft provision of a few dynamics tweaks beneath the Porsche’s couth coachwork. Litchfield’s own spring upgrade kit endows the 991 with a subtly lowered stance and a lower centre of gravity. A cleverly configured progressive spring rate allows for something akin to factory ride quality in the straights, with a stiffer spring rate coming into play as the car is hustled through the turns, reducing load transfer and accentuating available grip. Whilst we’re on that subject, you might also notice that the Litchfield package offers a little more in that department thanks to the fitment of a full complement of super-sticky Michelin Cup 2 rubber, wrapped around a frankly gorgeous set of HRE Centre Lock P103 wheels, measuring 9x20 12 x20 . Not only do these exquisite rims assist with the quest for the weight reduction, they also add a welcome air of additional aggression to the 991, when combined with the new lower attitude. It’s always great when the desire to improve handling ends up improving aesthetics, isn’t it?
As with all Litchfield fast-road or track conversions, the resulting package has undergone a full alignment session on the firm’s literally laser-accurate Hunter race rig, ensuring that every tiny amount of adjustment available in terms of toe, caster and camber is perfect to the precise degree and minute. This latter operation is one that is often overlooked, but one that really can make the biggest difference to the car’s character and neutrality on the limit.
It’s a compelling package, for sure. While a standard 991 is rarely found wanting in any department, Litchfield’s sympathetic honing of the car’s many fine attributes has resulted in a very accomplished all-rounder that doesn’t really feel as if it’s had the often ‘heavy hand’ of an aftermarket tuner upon it. Instead, here, the overwhelming effect is that of a car that feels like one big factory upgrade package. Each and every modification augments the original car and adds a little incremental ability, rather than smothering the finesse that Stuttgart so brilliantly engineered in to begin with. It’s faster, smoother, crisper, louder, more visceral in every regard - yet it manages to still feel like the same car you started with… Only a great deal more capable in every regard. Never happy to sit still, Litchfield is also already working on a pair of heavily uprated intercoolers to replace the standard items which become rapidly swamped when the power heads skywards. Perhaps something to look forward too when this package gets too mundane? Can one ever really tire of those sort of numbers, though?
The good news is that Litchfield offers each of these stages as separate options, allowing owners to apply the upgrades piecemeal if preferred, either to allow cost to be spread, or for those that like to see where their money has gone, to allow each enhancement to be evaluated in isolation. My advice though, if your budget can stretch to the whole lot, is to go mad and fit it all together. Litchfield’s upgrade package for the 991 is a little like applying make-up to Scarlett Johansson. You know what’s there already is plenty good enough to start with – but a little extra oomph never hurt anyone, did it?
Contacts
www.litchfieldimports.co.uk
Spec Sheet and Prices (all exclude VAT)
- Litchfield spring kit £316.00
- HRE Brushed Clear P103 Centre Lock wheels £8340.00 Set
- Michelin Cup 2 Tyres £1,690.00
- Alignment Session £130.00
- Goodridge lines £75.00
- Litchfield 991 Titanium Exhaust £4,995.00
- Custom Cobb Remap Package £1,590.00
- Labour to Fit £995.00
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Images via Litchfield
