Innovative, exclusive and Australian engineered: the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 – Created for Global Markets

There’s a certain type of driver who demands a level of individuality and emotional connection that’s getting harder to find in today’s showroom offerings. Even supposedly exclusive supercars may fail to deliver on a simple wish-list of manual transmission, analogue driving engagement and distinctive sports car style.

For those driven to be different, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 redefines the boundaries of premium retro-styled performance, advanced engineering and individualisation.

The Australian-engineered coupe, while based on the classic Porsche 911 ‘G-series’ models of 1975-’89, introduces an unprecedented amount of substitution of its platform and the components and systems within – including its unique, aluminium billet 4.4-litre air-cooled engine.

Created for global markets, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4’s innovative, symmetrical platform equalises the assembly of right- and left-hand drive versions and enables retrospective conversion within hours.

The brainchild of entrepreneur and classic Porsche collector John Zeigler Jr and automotive and mechatronics engineer, Greg Bailey, the Z/B 4.4 is proudly designed and assembled in Melbourne.

There are currently six pre-sold Z/B 4.4 cars at various stages of production.

Three cars are already at or near completion, with a further three of the highly modified body shells now ready for internal fit-out.

Production is planned at 10 cars per year for the Australian market.

The Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 coupe is priced at AU$1.6 million. Delivery from the time of order is approximately 12 months.

For the driven

The Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is built by, and for, those driven to challenge conventional thinking. While visually recalling one of Porsche’s most rare and revered air-cooled models, the 911 RS 2.7 of 1972 ’73, and based on readily attainable 911 ‘G-series’ cars from 1975-’89, the Z/B 4.4 takes its thinking back to first principles.

This philosophy is evident in the embrace of design, manufacturing and project management disciplines that are as revolutionary in 2025 as were those that created the original in 1963.

The Z/B 4.4 surpasses the current thinking of “restomod” engineering, which typically builds onto a dated platform of structural integrity, suspension geometry and driver positioning.

The “Think again …” philosophy of Zeigler/Bailey led engineer Greg Bailey to shun compromise and start again. This inevitably led to a new sheet steel platform for the car, from which to design all-new geometries and components that befit an utterly modern and exclusive performance car.

For the driver, that means an uncompromised seating position and alignment of controls, enhanced by the first height-and reach-adjustable steering wheel to be fitted in a car of this type.

It means rethinking performance expectations, with a bespoke, aluminium billet engine delivering the soul and sound of the air-cooled original – with claimed power and torque outputs that slightly surpass those of the current (992-series) Porsche 911 Carrera.

Roadholding for the 1325kg coupe is delivered by new suspension, including a strong aluminium billet rear crossmember housing a multi-link system with pushrod-actuated, inboard coil-over dampers, derived from Le Mans prototype design experience. At the front is a MacPherson strut type.

The Z/B 4.4 introduces a leading-edge electronic architecture of solid-state power control modules (PCMs) linked by CAN-bus technology, providing reliability, car-wide diagnostics and remote upgrading, and GPS tracking.

The $1.6m price is all-inclusive, with the only extra-cost options being specific requests for non-standard finishes.

The Z/B 4.4’s customer personalisation goes beyond the specification of interior equipment, colour and trim, to the ongoing adjustability of settings for its bespoke digital instrumentation, ride and handling settings for the suspension, and track-only tuneability for its engine.

Another saying with strong currency at Zeigler/Bailey is, “You don’t buy cool, you build it” (quoting Australian 1970s custom car legend and proud parent, John Zeigler Sr). Our customers may even choose to stamp their imprimatur on their car by participating in some phases of its build.

The Z/B 4.4 is beauty, brains and brawn.

It is no cars-and-coffee queen. It is for the driven.

From Australia to the world

The Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is truly an Australian automotive citizen of the world. With its unique, symmetrical architecture, this exclusive performance car may be bought, sold or may even be assembled under licence in overseas markets.

As Australia leaves behind its history of high-volume automotive manufacturing, Zeigler/Bailey is at the forefront of a new era in high-value Australian-made vehicles and components.

This has been made possible by mastery of advanced CAD design techniques and new low-volume manufacturing technologies that bring highly complex components to life within hours.

These ‘tool-less’ technologies include CNC machining from solid billets of aluminium, and the more recent breakthroughs in metal 3D printing that now extend to stainless steel components – as used for the Z/B 4.4’s tuned exhaust system.

No less, it is owed to an in-house production management software product created by Greg Bailey.

Zeigler/Bailey has expectations of producing only 10 cars annually in Australia, ensuring the car’s exclusivity.

One may think that Zeigler/Bailey has created a car. Think again…

It is vital to understand that Zeigler/Bailey has in fact created a complete business model for the international sale and production of engines, upgrade components, electronics packages and licensed car assembly.

It is quite possibly one of the most significant steps for the Australian automotive industry since 1948. 

Key Features:

1. Not a “restomod”, but a unique, Australian designed and up-to-the minute platform, engine, suspension, electronics and driver ergonomics, clothed in classic Porsche cool.
2. Designed and built to applicable Australian Design Rules.
3. Symmetrical platform design equalises production in either right- or left-hand drive; retrospective conversion in less than eight hours.
4. Australian 4.4-litre aluminium billet air-cooled six-cylinder engine.
5. Claimed power 300kW and torque 500NM; kerb weight 1325kg.
6. Le Mans prototype-derived multi-link, push-rod rear suspension.
7. Outer body panels in carbon-fibre (N.B. steel doors, trunk lid for ADR compliance)
8. Australian design, realised by ‘tool-less’ low-volume manufacturing: CNC billet machining, 3D printing in stainless steel and alloys.
9. AU$1.6m price is more than competitive with international “restomods” of comparable performance and style.

Enquiries: www.zeiglerbailey.com