At the beginning of the 2010s, the Porsche 911 Backdate was still in its infancy. There were conversions here and there on private initiatives. But there was still no real market, let alone internationally renowned manufacturers. The first person to take the risk of tackling this topic as a business case in Porsche’s home country was Dirk Sadlowski. In his company PS Automobile, the motorsport veteran created the blueprint for his 964 ST in 2011.
We were recently guests in Lippstadt and were able to take a look behind the scenes at the 964 ST Manufactur and see for ourselves what more than 15 years of experience in the backdate segment can achieve. Dirk and his son Roman Sadlowski talked about their beginnings in motorsport and how they managed to go from being pioneers in the German scene to becoming one of the market leaders in the backdate cosmos.
A warm welcome to the family business
When you enter the PS Automobile showroom in Lippstadt, it feels like you’ve landed in a completely different world. Behind the glass façade are Porsche 964s in various stages of development – well-maintained originals, beautiful 964 ST backdates or even base cars for upcoming projects. Directly behind them are treasures with illustrious names such as 908, 935 or even 917. The entire exhibition hall is peppered with details from many decades of motorsport and later backdate development. Engines, plastic hoods, racing helmets, trophies, fabric samples and seats offer plenty to discover.
“Hey, nice to see you!” Roman Sadlowski greets us. The young managing director is warm, engaging and open – just typically Westphalian. The budding industrial engineer recently took over the business from his father Dirk. “PS Automobile has been around since the 90s. We started here in 2011 with the first 964 ST backdates,” explains Roman. Originally, the focus was on restoring and servicing classic Porsche racing cars. In the meantime, the day-to-day business is largely filled with the construction of 964 ST backdates.
From carspotting near the Autobahn to racing on the Nürburgring – Dirk Sadlowski was already crazy about cars as a child
Even as a ten-year-old, Dirk Sadlowski was fascinated by the Porsche legend. Together with his brother Frank and his friend Toni, he rode his bike to the newly opened Autobahn 44 in 1972, where the boys lay down on the grass by a bridge to admire the passing cars. There they saw a Porsche 911 driving past them at full speed in the left-hand lane. These impressions are deeply engraved in the Westphalian’s memory.
You can’t imagine what it meant to a ten-year-old boy to see a blood-red Porsche 911 speeding down the Autobahn in 1972 and hear that incomparable rumble of the six-cylinder boxer engine for the first time.
From then on, it was clear that Dirk Sadlowski would do everything in his power to drive around the Nürburgring in one of these cars himself. Dirk Sadlowski has been a racing driver since the 1980s. After a few years in a Peugeot 205 and some BMWs he quickly switched exclusively to Porsche – dream come true!
Sadlowski thus became a true specialist in historic motorsport. Hardly anyone other than the Porsche works drivers drove so many sports prototypes from Zuffenhausen. The father of two raced in Porsche 911s, 904s, 908s, 935s and even the legendary 917, engaging in wheel-to-wheel duels on all the world’s famous race tracks – including Daytona, Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Monza, Spa, Imola, Goodwood and, of course, the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Even today, he still drives the prototypes of the wild 70s at classic car events.
Dirk Sadlowski even drove numerous races in the legendary Porsche 917. Hardly any other company in the world has as much expertise in the field of historic sports prototypes as PS Automobile.
Motorsport experience as the foundation of the company
In over 40 years of motorsport, Dirk Sadlowski learned a lot for life, often the hard way. He survived serious accidents, such as a crash in his beloved 1974 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR at over 200 km/h in the infamous Eau Rouge corner at Spa-Francorchamps. Sadlowski is aware of the risks of the sport and therefore leaves nothing to chance.
A well-rehearsed team – Dirk and Roman Sadlowski know that they can always rely on each other, whether at work or in the pit lane.
“Conscientiousness and perfect preparation are the be-all and end-all. Otherwise, risks quickly become incalculable,” the experienced racing driver sums up. His top priority is therefore: “Every single component must be up to the task and work flawlessly. There’s simply no room for debate.” This maxim forms the foundation for all work at PS Automobile.
Craftsmanship at the highest level guarantees the long-term quality of PS Automobile’s 964 ST backdates
PS Automobile has been producing Porsche 911 backdates based on the Porsche 964 for more than 15 years. Over 50 cars have already been delivered. This figure alone makes it clear that the company has been refining at a high level for a long time, instead of following every trend or testing exotic technology on customers. The Sadlowskis were not only early adopters. Above all, they recognized early on what really makes a good 911 Backdate: classic looks, high quality as well as the convenience and reliability of a modern car.
That is why the 964 ST from Lippstadt are anti-dazzlers in the best sense of the word. Their appearance is close to the idea of the original 911 ST, without nostalgic kitsch or exaggerated motorsport references. The visual clarity is underpinned by outstanding craftsmanship, exemplary workmanship and maximum utility value. Customers do not become beta testers for half-baked solutions here. Buyers of a 964 ST from PS Automobile get a product that is exemplary on many levels thanks to years of refinement.
Decades of experience in the trade guarantee a perfect finish and the best possible quality.
It starts with things that you often don’t even see later. On a tour through the paint shop, Dirk Sadlowski explains: “We strip and preserve every body mechanically by hand. With CDP coatings, there is a certain risk of unnoticed chemical inclusion in cavities. Nobody yet knows what effects this will have in ten or fifteen years’ time.” The fender flares are made of metal instead of carbon or plastic for the same reason. “This prevents the paint from developing differently on different materials. It also allows us to guarantee the quality of our backdates in the long term,” adds Roman.
One of the best, if not the best engine configuration in the backdate segment
The Westphalian Porsche refiners also leave nothing to chance when it comes to the engine. They know exactly what their customers want: “Our customers are often self-employed and work a lot. For us, this means that their 964 ST must always work, without any ifs or buts. At the same time, they are not pure track cars but suitable for everyday use. That’s why we tune our engines for maximum usable torque,” explains Sadlowski senior.
With 3.8 liters and 375 hp, the 964 ST, which weighs just 1,230 kilograms, has the perfect amount of power for every use case. In terms of responsiveness and power delivery, it is probably the reference in the backdate segment.
Roman Sadlowski demonstrates how well this has been achieved with a cold start of the 3.8 liter, 375 hp 964 ST in the current G6 version. No smoke, no unusual noises, immediate and smooth idling as well as a finely dosed throttle response – this is where you notice the years of experience of the 964 ST Manufactur. “What good is an engine with 400 hp that only has an extremely narrow, usable rev range?” emphasizes Dirk. It would not be in line with his philosophy to chase after any values if it would lead to a lazy compromise.
What good is an engine with 400 hp that only has an extremely narrow, usable rev range?
This is also confirmed in the driving impression. Even with a stone-cold engine, throttle inputs are translated precisely, smoothly and immediately with vehemence, regardless of the engine load. Its turbine-like power delivery offers more power with every engine revolution before ending in super sports car-like propulsion at over 7,000 rpm in the limiter. This demonstrates the experience of the traditional Lippstadt-based company. Such mature, clean engine tuning is unparalleled in this performance class. The engine has manners, but certainly no lack of temperament.
The high level of sophistication of the PS Automobile 964 ST is also evident in the chassis, clutch and transmission
It should come as no surprise at this point that the other components in the 964 ST also function excellently on their own and result in an extremely harmonious package. The drivetrain raises no questions whatsoever. The shifting of the five-speed transmission is precise, not extremely short. “We can also realize even shorter shift travel, but we wanted a compromise as a basis that makes our 964 ST accessible to everyone,” Roman explains the decision.
With almost exactly 50 percent more power than standard, the clutch must of course also play its part. Anyone who thinks they will find a racing clutch that is difficult to use or hard to press is mistaken. Instead, it is easy to use, so that you can concentrate on the essentials when driving – line selection, braking points, gear selection, heel & toe downshifts… That’s what driving a sports car should feel like!
Chassis, engine, transmission – everything fits together in the 964 ST from PS Automobile.
The 964 ST G6, as the Sadlowskis call the current version, is fitted with sports suspension from MCS. This specification is aimed at ambitious sports drivers and offers excellent balance, especially at a brisk pace. Even though the setup itself already offers a surprising amount of ride comfort, there is also a slightly more comfortable variant from Bilstein as an option. This makes the 964 ST the ideal everyday companion for all those who want to enjoy the beguilingly beautiful body as often as possible.
An interior to fall in love with, expertise in metalworking and surface coating as a game changer
No 911 backdate would be complete without the combination of classic design borrowings with state-of-the-art manufacturing processes. The 964 ST from PS Automobile is no exception. The generational change from father to son is evident here. Roman Sadlowski introduces new ideas that take the product even further. These include an individual speaker setup with a hidden subwoofer and Porsche Classic Communication Management as well as a USB charging socket designed in the style of the F model switchgear.
The interplay of the steering wheel in 911 ST design with modern seats and classic clocks works exceptionally well in the 964 ST.
“Roman really wanted to integrate a new sound system into the ST. I was always of the opinion that you don’t need a radio if the engine sounds great. But Roman got his way and I have to say the work was worth it,” admits Dirk today. Thanks to new production processes, the steering column switches and parts of the center console can also be coated in the color of the car – a very tasteful detail. The 964 ST Manufactur also significantly enhances the interior with milled parts in the doors, on the climate control panel, the center console as well as the shifter and handbrake lever. Most of the parts are produced in-house.
The configuration of each 964 ST is also visualized by hand. An illustrator creates designs for every single car. Loving details such as steering column switches coated to match the paintwork further enhance the interior.
The same coating technology as in the interior is also used on the exterior trim, headlight rings and even axle components. “It not only looks good, but also provides first-class corrosion protection,” explains Roman. This is where the materials expertise he gained during his studies comes into its own. So, despite the use of classic Porsche underbody protection, which looks a bit rough, but serves the purpose like no other, the car’s underbody still looks like a real work of art.
PS Automobile develops and manufactures turned and milled parts for the 964 ST mostly in-house. The coating of chassis parts is corrosion protection and refinement in one. In combination with classic underbody protection, the 964 ST is thus protected against rust for many years.
Quality and lasting value lead to a lively used market for the PS Automobile 964 ST
“We now have 30 years of experience in the restoration sector and have been building Porsche backdates for 15 years. During this time, we have continuously invested in development and have become more and more specialized,” explains Roman. “We have deliberately decided against large marketing budgets and short-term return on investment, but have always thought long-term,” adds Dirk.
There are parallels between the development of an airplane and a 911 backdate. Everything has to serve a specific purpose and there is no room for error.
“Our Porsche 964 STs stand for lasting value and continuous evolution, rather than innovation at any price. All new developments must offer real advantages. That’s why our cars don’t have to refinance huge R&D budgets or marketing overheads. Above all, our customers benefit from this focus on the product with a consistent focus on quality,” summarizes the new head of PS Automobile. Instead of major losses in value on sale, there is therefore “a lively second-hand market with high demand for 964 STs” from the ST Manufactur.
Like father like son
It is therefore no coincidence that the pioneers have now become one of the market leaders in the scene. The Sadlowksis recognized early on what really matters in this segment and helped build it themselves: “A 911 Backdate doesn’t just have to look good on Instagram, it also has to impress years later,” Roman makes clear.
“A 911 Backdate doesn’t just have to look good on Instagram, it also has to impress years later!”
Roman Sadlowski, PS Automobile
Roman Sadlowski already has a clear idea of how he would like to develop PS Automobile in the future. “We have created a healthy foundation over the last few decades. In addition to the consistent further development of our products, I would like to strengthen the PS Automobile brand in the future and make it even better known around the world.” As he stands for the same values as his father Dirk, we can definitely see that happening.
By the way: PS Automobile also offers some of the parts designed for the 964 ST individually. The specially developed convertible roof and the exquisite interior parts enhance every 964.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree at PS Automobile either. Roman Sadlowski is just like his father Dirk. They combine know-how with commitment, cordiality and typical racing driver humor. This father-son duo shows how a generational change can succeed when both share the same values.
