Spied: Porsche 911-based Marc Philipp Gemballa sets off for the desert

When Marc Philipp Gemballa announced Project Sandbox a year ago, it advertised it as a rally supercar with iconic Porsche 959 looks and 911 chassis. The latest two photos and a video allegedly show the vehicle being tested in a desert somewhere in the UAE.

Marc Philipp Gemballa is starting a new era with his new company Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH (not associated with Gemballa GmbH) 10 years after the passing of his father Uwe Gemballa, a well-known Porsche specialist. The engine development of the off-road capable sportscar is being carried out by the RUF Automobile – now, just as back then, under the name ‘Powered by RUF’. RUF Automobile actually has a long history of cooperation with Uwe Gemballa which can be traced all the way back to 1980s.

But let’s get back to the Project Sandbox. The car draws its power from a 3.75-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six engine taken from a 911 (992) Turbo S. The mill has been boosted by around 100 hp to roughly 750 horsepower (560 kilowatts) and by 130 Nm of torque to 930 Nm (686 lb-ft).

Aftermarket additions included a Porsche 959-style rear wing, KW shock absorbers, an Akrapovic exhaust, Michelin & BF Goodrich tires, and a DS Fasertechnik carbon fiber body kit. The suspension has been reworked and the ground clearance raised considerably.

Marc Philipp Gemballa aims to produce only 40 such vehicles, including 10 First Edition ones. The official launch is expected in late spring.

NOTE: This news article has been edited to clarify that Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH is not associated with Gemballa GmbH. The FormaCar news team apologizes for the confusion.