Porsche 911 reimagined: the SPICA project
From scan to road: the technology, craftsmanship and ambition behind Poland's most extraordinary automotive build
In 2022, a Polish car collector decided to restore a Porsche 911 and convert it to electric drive. At first, he had a few minor visual changes in mind. Over time, however, the vision grew, eventually transforming into something far greater – the creation of an absolutely unique model that exists nowhere else in the world.
In search of someone to carry out the project, he turned to CadXpert, one of the largest and longest-established AM companies in Poland. CadXpert is also a leading distributor of industrial 3D printers, including as a Stratasys platinum reseller, as well as Formlabs and BLT.
The lead designer was Fryderyk Zyska. Already during the first meetings, the client spoke about himself, his passions and lifestyle, as well as his car collection. These conversations were no coincidence. Every detail of the project was meant to reflect the owner’s personality – not merely an impressive body.
The first step was the use of a 3D scanner. The car was scanned multiple times, allowing for a perfect mapping of its structure and dimensions. It was on this basis that the designs for the new body components were created. Three scanning devices were used in the project: FreeScan Trak Nova, FreeScan Combo Plus and AutoScan Inspec.
The client initially had doubts about the feasibility of the entire undertaking. The turning point came with the first test wheel arch. When he saw it, his doubts vanished. From that moment on, he placed his full trust in the CadXpert team.
The engineers’ task was clear, but demanding. The surface models created by the car designers had to be transformed into parts that could be manufactured using available technologies and were ready to be fitted to the car. The components to be designed included bumpers, panels and interior elements.
The design work alone took 750 hours, while production consumed a further 4,500. The process made use of five different 3D printing technologies, each for a different application. FDM technology was used to produce the entire external bodykit – including bumpers, diffusers, splitters, sills and wheel arches – as well as the dashboard, centre tunnel, seat housings and boot liner.
SLA technology was used for vent housings and grilles, the SPICA emblem, decorative trims and centre tunnel components. SAF technology covered mirror housings, mounts, hooks, clips, wheel cap covers and structural components. PolyJet technology was used to produce the gear knob, key fob and dashboard frames, while DMLS technology was used to print the vent mechanisms.
Smaller components were produced on standard printers, while larger and more demanding ones – such as wheel arches, sills and bumper elements – were handled by a large-format printer. This kept the need for bonding to a minimum. Seven devices were used in total: Stratasys F770 FDM, Stratasys Fortus 450mc FDM, Stratasys F370 FDM, Stratasys J55 Polyjet, Formlabs Form4L SLA, Stratasys H350 SAF and Formlabs Fuse 1+ SLS.
The load-bearing structures were made from aluminium, with individual components cut and welded. The precision of the 3D printing was critical here, as every millimetre had to be exact.
A major advantage of the entire process was the ability to carry it out in a single location, by a single team. This shortened the time needed to pass information between stages and ensured consistency throughout the project from start to finish.
From the very beginning, the SPICA project was something more than just a car modification. Every detail was intentional, every form contributed to the whole. It is the result of an expert team’s work and the experience gained through similar projects.
Looking at SPICA today, it is hard to pass by indifferently. This is a car that stays in the memory, thanks to the originality of its design and the precision of its execution – proof that 3D printing combined with good design can turn even the boldest vision into reality.
