Kalmar RS-6 2025 review – a Porsche 911 restomod that doesn’t cost the earth
Kalmar has created a 996-based safari car for £60k – it’s a 911 Dakar for a third of the price
Take a Porsche 911 (usually a 964), throw most of it away, install upgraded components, garnish it in ‘exquisite materials’ and charge a six or seven-figure sum. That’s the typical recipe for a 911 restomod, but Kalmar’s RS-6 is a little different. Firstly, it’s not based on a 964, but the less glamorous (and some would say unloved) 996 in either Carrera, Carrera 4 or Turbo forms. It’s not a car you’d expect to find on the lawn at the Quail or slinking through Monte Carlo either, with rough and ready body protection, bolt-on storage racks and skinny wheels with off-road tyres. Most importantly, though, it’s a restomod that normal people might actually be able to afford. Prices start from €40,000 (c£34,000) before options, plus taxes and a donor car.
The RS-6 comes from Kalmar’s ‘Beyond Adventure’ range of upgraded off-road 911s. The Danish firm was founded in 2018 and has become known for its ultra high end, highly bespoke 964 and 993-based restomods, but also builds safari cars under the Beyond Adventure banner. The RS-6 is the most accessible of these, sitting below a more heavily re-engineered 997-based model called the RS-7. The RS-R, which we’ve also driven, sits at the top of the tree as a kevlar-bodied 964 with a 4.1-litre flat-six and c£500k price tag.
Founder Jan Kalmar is a self-professed engineering nerd and long distance safari driving addict. He’s broken world records trekking across Africa, Asia and Australia, and his cars are designed for similar adventures. The 996 was chosen for a safari makeover partly due to cost (you can bag a tidy Carrera for £20k), but also the fact that the rear axle setup is similar to the 993s that form the basis of Kalmar’s top-line restomods. ‘Everyone knows the 996 isn’t the most beautiful creation. But it has the same rear suspension concept as the 993, yet you can build them much cheaper. 964s and 993s used to be €25,000, but they’ve suddenly become €60-70k cars, and you need to be brave to take those cars through the desert.’
We’re testing the RS-6 on an ice track in Lapland (but not on the road, sadly), and this example has clearly been through the wars with a few battle scars on its bodywork. The most obvious visual upgrades are the narrow-width magnesium wheels, protective shielding on the lower body plus an 80mm increase in ride height. The latter gives the RS-6 similar ground clearance to a Porsche Cayenne, and is achieved by lowering the subframe in relation to the body, with adjustable dampers and custom springs at each corner. New top mounts, bushes and a front strut brace complete the core chassis upgrades, with active TracTive dampers and a hydraulic lift system available at extra cost.
Upgraded driveshafts and a bespoke limited-slip differential are added too, although the engine is as you’ll find in a standard Carrera. That means you get a relatively modest 296bhp, but that should be plenty to go through two driven wheels on ice. Climb in and the cockpit is familiar 996, albeit with a deep dish Sparco wheel, half cage, plain door panels and a pair of Recaro buckets giving a pseudo GT3 vibe. Twist the key and there isn’t a flare of unsilenced revs but a gentle chunter from the M96 engine (Kalmar can fit a noisier exhaust system as an option). The six-speed manual ‘box slots into gear with a smooth slightly vague action and you’re away – it’s no less driveable than a normal Carrera.
Out on the ice it’s difficult to gradually work your way up to the limits of grip, because even on WRC-spec winter tyres you tend to find them without trying. Be smooth and steady and the RS-6 grumbles along and almost shrugs you off, struggling to bite into the surface. The trick is to add some aggression to get the weight moving around, at which point carrying speed becomes easier and progress becomes much more satisfying.
296bhp doesn’t sound like much but it’s plenty to work with in these conditions. Nothing much happens at low revs, but as soon as you climb beyond 4000rpm, power starts to overcome grip and the RS-6 comes alive, allowing you to adjust it on the throttle more easily. The engine note is still muted – we’d probably go for the upgraded exhaust for a bit more drama – but it pulls smoothly towards a mechanical howl at the top end, with sharp responses as long as you keep the revs up. More power would provide a bigger thrill, but there’s satisfaction to be had in carrying momentum as you slither between corners and pick smooth, precise lines.
The RS-6 feels very obviously rear-engined in a way that feels alien if you’re used to modern 911s, partly due to the high ride height and soft suspension amplifying the effects of weight transfer. It makes you feel clumsy if you don’t use that rearward mass to your advantage, but this adds more layers to the driving experience. With time you learn to manage the weight with the throttle and brakes, swinging the rear around to point the nose to the inside and set up for a straighter exit. Linking corners together is fantastically rewarding, too, with a tap of the brakes allowing you to change direction rapidly and pick up resulting slides with the throttle.
In these conditions, the 911’s sound fundamentals come to the surface and help you at every stage. Nailing the point home, we also tried Kalmar’s RS-C – a safari-converted Cayman R – on the same ice track, and it was nowhere near as biddable or friendly at the limit. With less weight over the rear it was trickier to pitch into corners yet switched into oversteer more sharply, with a much smaller sweet spot than the RS-6.
The question remains of how well the off-road setup would translate on the road. It wouldn’t be as sharp as a well setup standard Carrera, certainly, but the extra roll and compliance in the chassis could unlock new dimensions of fun, much like Porsche did with its own 911 Dakar. Enough fun to warrant the combined c£60k price tag? Very possibly, but it’s worth noting that the £34,000 conversion cost is a starting figure that doesn’t include options or any service work required on the donor car. On average, RS-6 customers spend more like £75,000 all in, which puts it in the ballpark of an Ariel Nomad 2 with a few options. Either would be a riot on a safari, but the RS-6 would at least keep you warm and dry.
