---
title: "Lanzante Is Putting Race-Run McLaren Formula 1 Engines Into Old Porsche 911 Turbos"
description: "Can a Porsche 930 ever count as a sleeper? Anything's possible with a Formula 1 engine."
date: "2018-10-15"
modified: "2018-10-16"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/24225/lanzante-is-putting-race-run-mclaren-f1-engines-into-old-porsche-911-turbos"
categories:
  - "Builds"
  - "Culture"
  - "McLaren News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Porsche News"
tags:
  - "911"
  - "Coupe"
  - "Engine Swap"
  - "Formula 1"
  - "luxury"
  - "porsche"
  - "Rennsport Reunion"
  - "sports car"
  - "Tag"
  - "Tuner"
---

# Lanzante Is Putting Race-Run McLaren Formula 1 Engines Into Old Porsche 911 Turbos

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/10/img_8309.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The stratospherically popular [Porsche 930](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/22999/nfl-legend-walter-paytons-porsche-930-turbo-is-going-to-auction>)—externally known as the Porsche 911 Turbo, or [the widowmaker](<https://www.thedrive.com/porsche/11596/what-does-it-feel-like-to-drive-a-g50-911-turbo>) of Eighties Wall Street—is already one of the car's most desirable vintages. Now legendary tuning company Lanzante Limited has decided to one-up near perfection by building a limited run of restomod 930s with period Porsche-built Formula 1 engines that are good for up to 1,000 horsepower. *Achtung.*

Porsche might be one of the more conspicuous absences from modern F1, but back in the mid-1980s it supplied the [TAG-branded 1.5-liter twin-turbo V6s](<https://www.turnology.com/features/developing-porsches-greatest-f1-engine/>) that propelled McLaren Racing to the pinnacle of the sport. Drivers Niki Lauda and Alain Prost combined for three consecutive driver's championships between 1984 and 1986, with McLaren itself taking the constructor's crown in '84 and '85. It was one of the lightest and most compact engines in the world to put out that kind of power while also being more efficient and more reliable than its contemporaries.

![message-editor%2F1539633311772-img\_8307.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1539633311772-img_8307.jpg>)
**Instagram | @the\_real\_lanzante**

The Porsche-McLaren marriage was brief as it was brilliant, ending in 1987. But sometime during that period a truly wild child was born: a single Porsche 911 Turbo with the company's race-spec F1 engine out back for McLaren to use as a test mule. That's the stuff of dreams right there—which also happens to be Lanzante's speciality.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoOQLtkB0uv

The British racing and restoration shop has a longstanding relationship with McLaren, dating back to managing its impressive victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. More recently, it's been realizing rich-guy fantasies [by building road-legal versions of McLaren race cars](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/22677/the-first-mclaren-p1-gtr-ever-built-is-for-sale-and-its-street-legal>) like the P1 GTR, [including one with an extended rear end](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/22159/long-tailed-mclaren-p1-gt-by-lanzante-debuts-at-goodwood-festival-of-speed>) to pay homage to the legendary F1 Longtail. So really, this Porsche project isn't too crazy a leap for Lanzante.

With McLaren's blessing, the company will be building 11 Porsche 930 restomods that use actual race-run Formula 1 engines, with the first one debuting at Rennsport Reunion VI at the end of September. That screaming V6 was good for between 700 and 1,000 horsepower depending on the tune, and even with the assumption that Lanzante will keep it reasonable and add in a host of chassis and suspension upgrades, these 911 Turbos will be even more formidable than their old nickname suggests.

But on the outside, the company will be preserving the stock appearance as much as possible. The vertically-oriented engine fits reasonably well where the old flat-six used to reside, though a different rear deck is required to accommodate the comically-large intercooler. Ruf wheels and a unique bumper are the only other visual clues that these 911s are not your average collector's car.

![message-editor%2F1539633342774-img\_8308.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1539633342774-img_8308.jpg>)
**Instagram | @the\_real\_lanzante**

Of course, the sound—[*that sound*](<https://youtu.be/A-NSK_-zlx4?t=134>)*—*will be a dead giveaway, as will the way this thing moves. Each example comes with engine bay plaques detailing the history of the individual engine and the victories it piled up, so there's likely to be some jousting for the one with the most impressive past. No word on pricing just yet, but expect it to be very not cheap. We'll be listening with open ears for more information.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)