Latvian Engineers Dare to Revive the Spirit of the Porsche 917
Few cars transcend their mechanical purpose to become pure legend. The Porsche 917 is one of those rare machines, etched in motorsport history in golden script. Now a small Latvian firm, D Zug, is attempting the impossible: bringing that legacy back, not as a nostalgic replica, but as a modern supercar that might make even hardened collectors nod with respect.
Latvia’s D Zug has announced it is now accepting orders for its upcoming supercar, the DZ12, a project that has been quietly in development since 2019. The company insists this is not a clone of the 917 but a contemporary reimagining with a base price of 2.1 million dollars. The bodywork and panels are almost entirely carbon fibre, the chassis is a lattice of tubular steel, while adjustable dampers and carbon-ceramic brakes promise track-honed precision.
Where the original Porsche 917 dominated endurance racing in the 1970s, the DZ12 seeks to impress with craftsmanship and technology. At its core is a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 built from aluminium alloys and titanium. Power figures remain undisclosed, but the engine revs to an astonishing 9,000 rpm. Purists will be pleased to learn it comes paired with a six-speed manual gearbox and a raw exhaust system designed to deliver an authentic, visceral soundtrack.
Production will be as exclusive as the car itself: no more than 100 units will ever be built. That makes it rarer than many of the most coveted Porsches. For perspective, one particularly scarce 917K recently turned down an offer exceeding 25 million dollars.
The DZ12 is both homage and manifesto, a declaration that past glory can be a springboard into something new, compelling and profoundly ambitious. The Porsche 917 will always remain a motorsport legend, but it may be the first Latvian kilometres of the DZ12 that determine whether a new chapter in supercar history is about to be written.
