On the picturesque edge of the Cotswolds is the epicentre of driving Porsche 911s quickly and sideways in the Arctic. The same place knows how to make a Porsche fly in the opposite extreme, the baking heat of East Africa.
That place, bonafide Local Hero and therefore heading to the celebratory lawn at the Scramble on Sunday 23 April, is Tuthill Porsche.
Based in Wardington, just north of Banbury, Tuthill is certainly no stranger to Bicester Heritage, whether paying tribute to the late Ken Block at the Scramble in January, days after his tragic accident, or visiting Sports Purpose in the MT Yard to talk 2.0L Cup and more.
The Tuthill family has a long history with rallying, and with Wardington. Francis Tuthill opened in 1977, initially working on Volkswagens, four-cylinder Porsches and 911s.
In the intervening near-50 years, Tuthill has grown to a position where any 911 ground-up build that rolls out of its doors has been worked on entirely at Tuthill. Mechanical, exterior, interior, set-up – the lot. The expertise can also be called upon for ongoing work, whether servicing or maintenance.
Tuthill has created a niche in for special 911s. The Safari Rally 911 is a Tuthill development, the 2.0L Cup classic race car, too. The Singer All-terrain Competition Study, an homage to the Porsche 959 Dakar car using a 964, was undertaken directly and explicitly in partnership with Tuthill.
Francis’ son Richard is now director of the family firm, having been a promising rally driver in his youth. And he drives every car before it’s handed over, giving them a sort of seal of approval.
That competitive spirit lives on with dedicated Tuthill-run rallies, plus on-event support all over the world and even help with gaining a competition licence on track or rally stage.
You’ll find a Tuthill Porsche on the Local Heroes lawn beneath Building 123 at the Scramble on Sunday 23 April
