We’ve driven the stunning Kamm 912C

You hear the word restomod these days and you end up leaping straight to the Porsche 911, don’t ya? I can’t blame ya, it seems everyone and their mums are making old neun elfers new again. Sometimes even electric. But Hungary’s Kamm isn’t here to make the 911 all shiny. Instead, it’s making the previously unloved 912 the car that, perhaps, it always deserved to be. 

Kamm’s story

Kamm got its start during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the brainchild of Hungarian filmmaker Miklós Kázmér who wanted something he could teararse around in, but also take his daughter out in without making her feel like she was in a full on race car. The prototype Kamm 912C first appeared a few years ago. Raw, a little rough around the edges, but dripping with promise. It came with a 750kg kerbweight, lots of carbon, a heavily reworked 2.0-litre flat four engine, a dog leg ‘box, and a ‘drive me crazy’ mode for pops ‘n bangs ‘n such. It left a good impression. Light, easy to drive, but giving off the impression that it’d be tough to master, Kázmér’s baby was off to a good start. A while later, Kamm has cars on the road in the hands of keen fans. Each wanting to make their mark, have fun, and, perhaps, take their kids to school in something that isn’t an anonymous grey SUV. 

912C - Light on its feet

The most recent Kamm 912C is quite the thing. Bucket seats, wonderful upholstery, rear seats (that might be a bit tricky to get to thanks to the non-bendy buckets, but hey ho, they look good), a blue exterior with black details and gold accoutrements. The new generation of 912C can be as light as 700kgs, though this one is a touch over thanks to various options. In fact, it’s so light on its feet it’s almost easier to push it out of your garage than to hop in and turn it on. Tucked away on the dash is a small pull out switch marked ‘DMC,’ the Drive Me Crazy mode survived through to production. Excellent. 

Starting up isn't a lightning quick process. Make sure the dead man switch isn’t set to 'dead.' Pop the key in, twist, and wait until the car’s electronics have properly communicated with the 20th-century mechanicals they’ve been forced to accommodate. Once the dials have stabilised, give the key an extra twist. Then… noise. This ain’t your dad’s 912. It makes a joyous flat four noise, no hint of Beetle (or 365) anywhere in the range. That’ll be down to the carbon everything, and reworking so comprehensive it’s more a Kamm creation than anyone else’s. To look at (with the deck lid popped up on a carbon fibre stick, naturally), it’s a work of art worthy of your mantlepiece. Here it’s kicking out 182bhp and 180lb ft, which is plenty when you’ve got such little car to push along. 

‘Looks every inch a classic Porsche’

On the art front, the rest of the car is just stunning. It looks every inch a classic Porsche. Yes, there are details here ‘n there that’ll give it away - Kamm badging, a carbon fibre filler flap, the fact it’s immaculate…but you have to be eagle eyed to spot it’s anything other than a well kept 912. In fact, plenty of people may well assume it’s a 911. Because most people are heathens, and don’t know the difference. 

Kamm’s dogleg ‘box is a short throw delight. It’s a notchy affair, which means the difference between in gear and out can be a little tough to spot early on, but once you find its flow, you’ll delight in its dogleggy quirkiness. The clutch is light, with a narrow bite point. Luckily, it’s not hard to miss, and when you’re giving it the beans, the whole process is pleasingly addictive. Although it takes some time to put together properly, each aspect of the shift has its own intricacies and nuances to get right. Nailing the perfect shift gives you the warm ‘n fuzzies. 

‘Throttle response is instant’

The pedal box is an interesting one. The gas pedal comes with a sort of fence to keep your foot from slipping off it, but I found it rather got in the way of my right trotter - perhaps I wasn’t keeping my feet in the correct position enough of the time, but if it wasn’t there, I’d have been a bit happier. Guardrails aside, throttle response is instant, as you’d expect. Since the car weight naff all and comes with a decent chunk of power, a gentle prod on the throttle whips the car forward with an urgent delicacy you don’t really get in cars with airbags. 

Now, the brakes. They are unassisted and, as such, feel like you’re stepping on a rock. Decidedly old school, and wonderfully so, they take a while to dial into. Once you learn how much leg pressure’s needed for how much stopping power you’re all good. You might want to get on a leg press for a while before getting involved though. 

Driving experience

The drive itself is, frankly, magic. The 912C’s steering is melt in your mouth delicious, offering the perfect amount of feedback, guiding the car to just where you want it and no further. Now, this not being my car, and being worth more than a street of houses in The North, it wasn’t appropriate to go for any heroics, but some gentle pressing on was just fine. Kamm’s commitment to light weight shines through so clearly in the 912C. It’ll deftly change direction, almost floating from place to place as you go. There’s multi-stage TracTive damping in there, too, which goes from soft to ‘oh god, my spine.’ In the UK, the softest setting was just fine for me, though on track I imagine it’ll be fun with the dial all the way up.  With its gear shift requiring a touch of manhandling you feel like you’re in a car you need to DRIVE, not one that’ll do the hard bit for you. It’s refreshing, even if the £YOUCANNOTAFFORDTHISMORTAL price tag puts it out of reach for most. Kamm’s Drive Me Crazy mode is a giggle - offering sharper responses, pops and bangs, it’s a giggle, though in a car that offers so much already you probably won’t trouble it all too often. Unless you’re showing off. 

There are a couple of ‘day to day’ downsides to it. On the motorway, it tramlines a bit, and because it’s so light, a breeze will nudge it off course. The noise, while wonderful on a proper run, does drone a touch when you’re en route to the roads you can exploit the car on. 

Concluding thoughts

Kamm’s car has grown up since the prototype. It’s a far more rounded proposition for people who want to get out and drive. It’s light, agile, and wonderful, with a soundtrack that’ll rattle around your noggin for weeks after. While a 912 won’t be for everyone, the sort of purist who goes for a Kamm will be deliriously happy with it. Perhaps less so with the number of people shouting ‘nice 911’ at them.

words: Alex Goy
pictures: Dan Sherwood