First Porsche 911 Backdate Cabrio from GS Manufaktur – GS964 Roadster

The father & son duo of Gerhard Stefan & Philipp Göller quickly made a name for itself in the Porsche scene with the Porsche 911 backdates from GS Manufaktur. The customised 911s from Baden-Baden impress with state-of-the-art technology, artistically designed carbon body panels and a very harmonious look. In 2024, GS Manufaktur takes the next step. For the first time, they are launching a Porsche 911 Backdate Cabrio called GS964 Roadster. During a detailed tour of the latest creation from GS Manufaktur, Philipp revealed what makes the GS16 Backdate so special and where the greatest difficulties lay.

GS964 Roadster – The vision of a customised Porsche 911 Cabriolet backdate

Vehicles from the GS Manufaktur have a very specific look and feel, as they say. Anyone who pays a little more attention to the Porsche Backdate/Restomod scene will probably recognise a ‘GS’ relatively unerringly. The swing of the hips, the front inspired by the 911 F model, wheel sizes, the choice of materials for the trim parts… Backdates from Baden-Baden stand out. It was precisely this special aesthetic of the GS Backdates that a customer wanted as a convertible.

The reasoning was conclusive. “Our customer said he would only drive the car in nice weather, when the sun was shining anyway. So he asked if we could also build him a convertible”, explains Philipp Göller, Managing Director of GS Manufaktur. His wish list was short and precise: It should be a GS, just as a convertible – classy, elegant yet sporty and a joy to look at even with the roof down. The challenge appealed to the experienced backdate designer Göller. However, there were also doubts: “We were sceptical at first, wondering whether a convertible roof would really fit in with the overall appearance of the car – after all, there had never been anything like it before”.

Renderings and designs provided an initial idea for the GS Manufaktur 911 Backdate Cabrio

The GS Manufaktur team first worked on a few drafts to get a feel for the aesthetics. “We naturally tried to get as accurate a picture as possible using renderings and various models”, explains Göller. The main question was how the existing body parts could be harmonised with a convertible top. After all, no well-known backdate manufacturer had yet produced a cabriolet. “At some point, we got to the point where we just had to go ahead and try it out”, recalls the man behind the GS backdates.

We originally set out with the aim of building a car exactly as we imagined it. Every customer who comes to us for a restoration should experience this ability and freedom in exactly the same way.

Philipp Göller, GS Manufaktur

As a base for the GS964, Göller obviously opted for a Porsche 964 Cabriolet, which was completely dismantled and stripped down to the body shell. The first challenge was also the biggest, as the existing carbon parts had to be adapted to the convertible body. This meant: side panels, wings, bonnets and spoilers. It was also clear that the cabriolet had to be more streamlined than the standard Porsche cabriolets of the time. Philipp remembers the first assembly with a beaming smile. “It went amazingly smoothly. After painting it in ‘Black 1010’, we were sure that the GS964 Roadster would be a visual success.”

A bespoke 991-style roof for GS Manufaktur’s 911 Backdate Cabrio

But one crucial point was still outstanding: the soft top. Here, GS Manufaktur worked closely with a master saddler to develop a fitting outer skin for the GS16. “We originally had a 993 soft top in mind. It looks slimmer than the 964’s because it doesn’t have a folding window and zips”, explains Göller. “We also wanted to fit an Alcantara headliner. That wasn’t possible with the 964 soft top.”

To this end, he put his heads together with Clemens Klein from CK-Cabrio. Together, the perfectionists adapted the all-electric soft top of a 993, using reduced seams and an even slimmer design to create a reduced, more streamlined appearance. “In my eyes, we were able to emphasise the beauty of the 993 soft top once again.”

The result resembles the style of the modern 991 soft top and gives the GS964 Roadster an unmistakable silhouette. The soft top is equipped with a new headliner that shines in cognac-coloured Alcantara – a detail that was not originally available on the 964.

Philipp Göller, GS Manufaktur

Combination of classic and modern also in the GS964 Roadster’s interior

In the segment of highly individualised Porsche 911 Backdates, the interior naturally plays an equally important role. And a harmonious overall composition is even more essential in a Porsche 911 Cabriolet Backdate. After all, an open top reveals the passenger compartment to its surroundings. Philipp’s approach with the GS16 was to offer an elegant contrast between the exterior and interior. Hence the color choice fell on a combination of black and cognac-coloured leather as a counterpoint to the black bodywork.

In the 964 Cabrio Backdate from GS Manufaktur, classic aesthetics meet modern craftsmanship. The bucket seats with retro headrests are characterised by a special mix of materials. Their center pieces are not simply made of woven leather, but a combination of woven leather and Alcantara. This results in a very interesting texture and feel. In addition, the door sills and the centre tunnel are also covered in leather for an even cleaner look.

Although the engine sound plays first fiddle in this type of vehicle, the radio should also offer good sound on journeys or the way to work. To achieve this, GS Manufaktur opted for a four-way loudspeaker system with a high-end amplifier for their first Porsche 911 Backdate Cabrio.

Porsche 911 Backdate

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Many small details turn a beautiful car into something very special

The extremely harmonious overall appearance of the Porsche 911 Backdate Cabriolet from Baden-Baden is also the result of a skilful mix of materials. The aluminium cones of the instruments have the same surface finish as the gear knob, which is milled from solid aluminium. Looking past the Momo Prototipo steering wheel through the side window, the side mirror catches the eye alongside the windscreen frames. This is also a milled aluminium part with a matt surface coating.

And it is precisely this style that runs through the entire exterior of the vehicle. For example, the fuel filler cap fitted in the centre of the bonnet or the vents in the electrically extendable rear spoiler are made from the same material. Every decorative part, such as the windscreen frame, the windscreen wiper arms and even its nozzles, feature matt aluminium accents.

All these little details make a huge difference in the end. They are decisive for the car’s overall impression, the impression of quality and convey a special flair that only a few cars can. It is precisely this feeling that everything about the car has been customised that makes Porsche 911 Backdates so special. And this is where the GS964 Roadster scores across the board.

No compromises when it comes to technology – the 911 Backdate Cabrio drives as you would expect from a GS Manufaktur product

As was to be expected from the Baden-based company, no effort was spared to make the GS16 a genuine GS backdate, not only visually but also in terms of driving characteristics. Of course, all systems have been fundamentally overhauled or renewed. However, Göller particularly emphasises the newly developed suspension. “We have developed a completely new spring and damper setup with a new co-operation partner. This upgrade takes the driving dynamics of the GS16 to a whole new level”, Philipp reports.

Under the GS16’s bonnet of the GS16 is a lively 3.8-litre engine with around 330 hp. This represents the middle configuration level in the GS Manufaktur programme. Options with a displacement of 3.6 or 4.0 litres are also available on request in the GS964 Roadster. Göller chose the brake system from the 993 Carrera RS in order to cope with the increased power and lower weight. The combination of tried-and-tested parts and those specially developed for the 911 Backdate Cabrio also makes the GS16 a technically balanced composition – exactly as you would expect from a GS.

The delivery: a particularly emotional moment

For the customer, a British entrepreneur who spends a lot of time in Hong Kong, the GS16 was a very special project. With the exception of the color combination, he gave Göller almost free rein, although neither GS Manufaktur nor any other major player in the scene had ever built a Porsche 911 Backdate as a convertible before. And for the Manufaktur is was the first right-hand-drive car as well.

According to Göller, the trust went even further: “Our customer only saw the car for the first time after it had been completed”. And Philipp took the chance to deliver the car by himself. “We personally handed over the car to our customer in the south-west of England. It was standing in his driveway under a presentation cloth with a red bow. When I pulled off the cloth, he was totally overwhelmed”, says Göller.

Incidentally, the story before the order is also special. A friend and business partner told the customer about his plan to order a GS Backdate. ‘”he customer was immediately hooked by the idea and also contacted us”, recalls Philipp Göller. Around 18 months later, both vehicles, the GS16 and the GS17, were handed over.

GS Manufaktur’s first Backdate Cabriolet is an instant hit – The GS964 Roadster impresses across the board

“I only drive my car when the weather is nice anyway” – the motive for a convertible is as simple as it is obvious. Backdates or Restomods are usually only taken out of the garage for special occasions, provided the weather is suitable. So why not celebrate and enjoy the experience and the soundtrack with the roof down?

Our mission was to project the typical features of our previous GS Backdates onto a convertible. I think the result speaks for itself and we have opened a new chapter in the history of GS Manufaktur and created a new attraction in the backdate scene.

Philipp Göller, GS Manufaktur

With the GS16, GS Manufaktur succeeded in creating a very attractive Porsche 911 Backdate Cabriolet in its very first attempt. It immediately hits the mark from every angle. No line is too much, the proportions are balanced and the car is refined with numerous tasteful details. The feeling of experiencing a car like this is a feast for the senses anyway. If the wind blows through your hair while you intensely perceive the smells of the environment and hear the addictive intake noise from the carbon funnels, it takes the experience to an even higher level.

Its combination of timeless aesthetics, modern technology and craftsmanship makes the GS964 Roadster a real highlight in the highly competitive backdate segment. The attention to detail that has gone into every single element of this vehicle makes it an unparalleled experience – both for the driver and for anyone lucky enough to see this car on the road.

© images: domzeroto & nook_2m