Jay Leno has had several Porsches in his garage over the years. Many of them were his, but a lot of them were brought in by companies such as Singer and Lab Eleven. For a variety of reasons, none were quite like this bb-Auto 1986 Porsche 911.
In the 1970s and ’80s, German tuner BB was known for its customized cars. One of the company’s most famous builds was the “Rainbow Car,” a 1976 Porsche 911 that combined the Targa body style with Turbo power and Polaroid’s color scheme as part of a display at the 1976 Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany. These days, Galpin Motors has the rights to bb-Auto in North America. To honor BB’s colorful creation, the company has developed a prototype of a 1986 Porsche 911 with a similar color scheme (with painted stripes!), but a very different engine.
As Galpin Motors president Beau Boeckmann explains, under the rear engine cover is a fuel-injected Ed Pink 4.0-liter flat-six. Between the 4.0 and the upgraded G50 five-speed manual gearbox is a lightweight electric motor that instantly adds 150 horsepower, raising the grand total to 550. An Elephant Racing 997 GT3-style adjustable suspension and custom Fuchs-style wheels made by Titan 7 for bb-Auto help all that reach the road or track. When the Brembo discs aren’t needed, a regenerative braking system puts juice back into the lithium-ion battery pack.
The cockpit is colorful in its own way: both Recaro buckets, the rear seats, and the door panel inserts are covered in a vibrant blue upholstery.
Like the Targa, the roof panel is removable, but now it’s transparent glass. Air conditioning keeps things cool while a TV in the dash keeps the shotgun passenger entertained.
What does Leno think of bb-Auto’s retro-inspired 911 build? Are all of the changes too much? Watch the video below to find out.
