Apex Daily · The Daily Edition

Apex
Daily.

Tuesday, 14 July 20263 storiesCurated by Haus of Apex

July 14 briefing: five stories you actually care about. SSR's Project Leo targets sub-7 minutes at the Ring with a twin-turbo flat-six and no hybrid nonsense. Theon Design's latest 964 restomod weighs 2,526 lbs with 421 hp, posting better power-to-weight than a modern GT3 without the aggression. Two Alpine passes locked in: Bernina GT September 11–13 with 70 cars (applications closed July 10), and Modena Cento Ore October 6–11 for Italy's finest roads and coachbuilding history. Czinger's gradient red carbon 21C adds bespoke finesse to the 3D-printed hypercar world. Rennlist is cautiously optimistic about SSR's approach; enthusiasts split on whether sub-7 via aero beats raw horsepower.

SSR's Turbo GT3 RS Eyes Sub-7. No Hybrid.

SSR Performance's Project Leo is a complete turbo reimagining of the 992 GT3 RS, targeting under seven minutes at the Nürburgring with 800+ hp and zero electric motors. Purists are intrigued; the 'Ring lap-time wars just got interesting again.

TTH twin-turbo flat-six, 800+ hp estimated, no hybridization, clean-sheet aero package, sub-7:00 Nürburgring target. Rennlist sentiment: cautiously optimistic that SSR is building something genuinely different, not just another carbon-addons tuner; discussion centers on whether forced induction abandons the GT3 RS's naturally-aspirated soul or perfects it.

SSR Performance, the German tuner based in Wuppertal with deep Porsche 911 expertise, has spent close to two years developing Project Leo as what it calls a 'complete, clean-sheet vehicle development' rather than a bolt-on modification. The car starts with the 992 GT3 RS platform but replaces the naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six with a twin-turbocharged version, fitted with TTH turbochargers and a bespoke intercooler setup. Power estimates put the engine at over 800 hp, though final figures remain unconfirmed. Critically, there is no electrification, no hybrid system, and no particulate filters — SSR is betting that raw mechanical simplicity combined with refined aerodynamics will deliver the goods at the circuit. The teaser material hints at aggressive aero derived from Manthey's work but with SSR's own philosophy: the car should be a pure driver's tool, not a marketing statement. Porsche's own GT2 RS successor (expected 2026/2027) is rumoured to feature hybridization, which positions SSR's approach as a counterpoint: what would a naturally-aspirated ultimate 911 look like? The target lap time of sub-7:00 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife would place Project Leo firmly in hypercar performance territory — territory traditionally reserved for cars that cost three times as much.

SSR's Turbo GT3 RS Eyes Sub-7. No Hybrid.
Source · Carscoops

Bernina Gran Turismo: Sept 11–13. 70 Cars. Sealed.

Bernina Gran Turismo: Sept 11–13. 70 Cars. Sealed.
Source · Bernina Gran Turismo

The Swiss pass hill climb is back for 2026 — 5.4 km, 52 bends, 450 metres of altitude. Applications closed July 10. The grid is locked. Better luck next year.

Poschiavo–St. Moritz pass road, September 11–13, 2026. 70-car limit, committee selection, applications now closed. The 2025 edition ran the Bugatti Bolide on a public road for the first time — the bar for 2026 is set high. r/classiccars is already swapping speculation about the Demonstration Class grid; word is a few 275 GTBs and a potential 250 LM are confirmed.

Bernina Gran Turismo returns to the legendary Valposchiavo mountain pass for its 2026 edition, September 11 to 13, headquartered between Poschiavo and St. Moritz in Switzerland. The course measures 5.4 kilometres with 52 bends and climbs 450 metres vertically — a technically demanding route that rewards precision and penalizes error with unforgiving alpine scenery. The grid is strictly capped at 70 cars, selected by committee across two application rounds (February and June), with the July 10 deadline now passed. Eligible vehicles span historic racing and grand touring cars from Period C onwards (pre-2000 cars predominantly), with a special Demonstration Class for exceptional post-2000 machines. Competition and Regularity categories both run; the latter rewards tactical driving and navigation precision over raw pace. The 2025 event fielded 51 cars, including a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB SEFAC, and a 1971 Porsche 908/10/03. The defining moment was the Bugatti Bolide's first public road run — driven by Mate Rimac, Andy Wallace, and collector Fritz Burkard — which elevated the event's profile considerably. For 2026, live Swiss Sport TV coverage adds media presence, and the Alpine driving community has shifted focus to the Demonstration Class lineup: which marque will lead? Will a 275 GTB take the line honours? Will the old-guard F1 cars run? Entry packages include hospitality, race management, and technical support. For the DACH and Alpine audience, Bernina GT is the crown jewel of September motorsport tourism.

BOUTIQUESource · Carscoops№ 03

Czinger's 21C Wears Gradient Red Carbon. Bespoke.

The 3D-printed American hypercar now ships with red-tinted carbon fading to bare — a two-tone finish that says Czinger is no longer just about technology, but tailoring.

1,250 hp combined (750 hp V8 + 500 hp electric motors), gradient red-to-clear carbon bodywork, delivered via new Salt Lake City dealership. Reddit r/supercars: 'colour work is now the story, not the lap times.' The personalisation angle elevates Czinger into Pagani/Koenigsegg territory where six-figure finish customisation matters.

Czinger Automotive, the Orange County, California-based builder of the 21C, continues to expand its footprint and deepen its customisation offerings. The 21C is built using proprietary additive manufacturing technology — 3D-printed titanium and composites — that has attracted OEM attention from BMW, McLaren, Bugatti, and others seeking to license the process. Each car is hand-assembled and tailored to customer specification. The latest example to leave the Gardena facility features an exterior split-finish: the front half of the bodywork (hood, front quarter panels, mirrors, door fronts) is clad in red-tinted carbon fibre, transitioning seamlessly to standard exposed carbon at the rear. This gradient approach, executed via precision masking and application, is the most visually distinctive customisation Czinger has offered to date. The car was delivered through Czinger's newly established Salt Lake City dealership, signalling a strategic shift toward higher retail visibility in the US market — traditionally dominated by Lamborghini, Ferrari, and McLaren dealers. Powertrain: the 2.88-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 750 hp, supplemented by two electric motors for 500 hp combined EV power, totalling 1,250 hp in the tandem two-seat layout. The 21C has set production-car lap records at Laguna Seca and multiple circuits globally. Production has been steady since 2023, with each car delivered to specific customer order. The gradient carbon finish represents a philosophical shift for Czinger — moving beyond pure technological novelty (additive manufacturing, hybrid architecture) toward bespoke aesthetic expression, territory traditionally occupied by haute-couture marques like Pagani and Koenigsegg.

Czinger's 21C Wears Gradient Red Carbon. Bespoke.
Source · Carscoops
Colophon — This edition was compiled with AI support and editorially curated by Haus of Apex. Figures as announced by the manufacturers; original sources linked per story.