Zeigler/Bailey has released first details of its Porsche 911-based Australian-designed and built sportscar.

Melbourne-based entrepreneur and Porsche collector John Zeigler Jr and mechatronics engineer Greg Bailey are behind the ambitious project with a price tag of AU$1.6 million, plus the donor Porsche 911.

Starting life as a G-series Porsche 911, in production from 1975-1989, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is designed and built entirely in-house in Melbourne and conforms to applicable Australian Design Rules.

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Far from a ‘restomod’, Ziegler/Bailey calls the Z/B 4.4 a “unique,Australian designed and up-to-the minute platform, engine, suspension, electronics and driver ergonomics, clothed in classic Porsche cool”.

The bespoke 4.4-litre engine adheres to Porsche’s flat-six, air-cooled architecture and makes around 300kW of power and 500Nm of torque. It’s matched to a Porsche-sourced Getrag five-speed manual transmission, complete with a single-plate clutch from a 993 Turbo.

Zeigler/Bailey has engineered the Z/B 4.4 with an eye on international markets, its in-house built platform allowing for both right- and left-hand drive versions to be manufactured quickly and easily. It claims the conversion from right- to left-hand drive can be completed in around eight hours.

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The Zeigler/Bailey designed 17-inch forged aluminium and carbon-fibre wheels have been engineered to AS 1638 standard and feature centrelock wheel nuts, including a safety lock clip.

The suspension has also been designed in-house and features aluminium MacPherson struts with height adjustment up front independent multi-link double-wishbones at rear with inboard height-adjustable coil-over dampers. Buyers can option four-way adjustable dampers.

Inside, the Z/B 4.4 utilises the Porsche catalogue with the German brand’s 14-way power adjustable seats as standard. Buyers can opt for Porsche GTS sports seats or the carbon-fibre buckets from a  911 GT3.

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The seats are trimmed in standard-fit Nappa leather, although buyers can personalise interiors with their own materials.

Cabin technology includes a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, inbuilt satellite navigation, live data logging, and a six-speed surround-sound audio system.

A Zeigler/Bailey-designed digital instrument display, mimics the look of analogue dials and can be customised to show any number of additional data, such as the temperature of the cylinder heads, a log of current engine hours, and GPS-based positioning.

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Zeigler/Bailey says it has already pre-sold six Z/B 4.4s, with three nearing completion and a further three body-shells ready for internal fit-out. The company says it plans to build 10 cars per year.