With the Type-991 generation of Porsche 911 now 5 years into its lifecycle, nearly all quadrants of the range have been filled, even playing host to a somewhat seismic shift as turbocharged engines took over all Carrera models.
The only remaining version is GT2, or as informed by the previous version nearly 8 years ago, the GT2 RS. But that’s about to change soon as EVO recently took a passenger ride in a pre-production prototype. From their impression, it’s every bit as unhinged as we were expecting.
For starters, it’s got big power and big traction - enough to launch it to 100km/h in less than 3 seconds, on past 200km/h in less than 9 seconds, and a top speed of around 340km/h. This is achieved, of course, by cherry picking the best components from their powerful Turbo and track-focused GT3.
The 3.8-litre flat-six is equipped larger turbochargers than in the Turbo S, and Porsche has asked it to deliver more boost pressure to achieve its ends of 480-ish kilo Watts and 750-ish Newton-metres, likely more. With this much stress placed on the cooling system, Porsche will introduce its first water injection system similar to that used by BMW in the M4 GTS. It uses a separate water tank to spray cool water on certain ‘hot points’ of the induction system and/or directly into cylinders in between combustion cycles. Cooler components mean higher operating loads and more power generated safely.
Upon its arrival, there’s little doubt that the 991-based GT2 will wear the performance crown. But where its 997 predecessor was a little brutal to drive, requiring the driver to really muscle the car to get the best out of it, head of Porsche’s GT cars Andreas Preuninger promises a more sophisticated beast this time around, and will use suspension tech lifted from the 911 Cup racing car.
For one thing, the usual GT2 staple of a manual transmission is eschewed in favour of a 7-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic. Porsche feels that the PDK is a better fit for a machine at this level of performance and power. Considering this car’s focus on speed and acceleration over ultimate driver involvement, the transmission seems fitting. After all, there’s always the sensational GT3.
In realm of the Porsche 911, the GT2 is the most bonkers. Combining all the attributes of the most powerful and dynamically focused of the range of the time into one car, a combination that has been deemed either dangerous or absolutely breathtaking.
Originally conceived to meet motorsport homologation standards, the GT2 lineage started with the 993 generation 911 from the 1990s and has appeared in every subsequent iteration since, each time sticking to a twin-turbocharged flat-six, manual transmission, a lightweight body, and rear-wheel drive.
Those three key elements usually fall into the purview of the GT3 - a lightweight, track focused thoroughbred - and the Turbo - which since the 993 used all-wheel drive to temper the torrent of power from overwhelming the rears tyres into breaking traction and spinning too easily.
Porsche is currently in the latter phases of testing their new GT2 RS, with rally legend and works driver Walter Rohrl spanking it around the Nurburgring. There are hints that the final car will be able to post a sub 7-minute lap.
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