The Porsche 911 is an an automotive legend. The Porsche 911 GT2 is the top variant of the 911 available. This is a complete guide to the Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche has produced several high performance iterations of its legendary 911 over its 50 plus years. While the GT3 is one of the better-known derivations, the most powerful is the GT2.
The base model Porsche 911 has had a normally aspirated flat-6 boxer engine up until 2016. Thereafter, it was turbocharged. For those wanting substantially more performance, there is the Porsche 911 turbo.
First released in 1975, the Turbo offered a turbocharged version of Porsche’s flat-6 boxer engine that offered significantly greater performance than the normally aspirated engine.
Early examples of the Turbo were easily distinguishable from the normally aspirated Porsche 911 because of significantly widened fender flares, front and rear and the signature ‘whale tail’.
What is the history of the Porsche Turbo?
Primarily a sports car, the early Porsche 911 Turbo was called the 930 Turbo. It was initially built to satisfy homologation requirements for the Porsche 934, a racing legend in its own right. ‘Streetability’ was not a top priority at the time. As a result, several driving characteristics went into production of the 930 Turbo that was not the most ‘user-friendly’. Once such characteristic is “turbo lag”, the lag time between hitting the throttle and when the turbochargers spool up and kick in.
What Porsche 911s are turbocharged?
Since 2017, the entire Porsche 911 line-up is turbocharged. The exception is the Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS.
Next in the hierarchy is the base model Porsche Turbo, followed by the Porsche Turbo S. The Turbo S has a higher performing version of the base Turbo that makes generous use of carbon fiber and lighter rims, which translate into much better performance than the base Turbo.
What is the best Porsche 911? The 911 GT2 and GT2 RS
At the top of the pecking order is the 911 GT2 RS. It was built to homologate the 911 GT2 RSR so that it could compete for the GT2 class title (FIA regulations). It is essentially a racing version of the Porsche Turbo for the street having a higher performance twin-turbocharged flat-6 boxer engine. It has rear wheel drive and makes extensive use of carbon fiber.
The last iteration of the GT2 that saw production, produced over 700 horsepower and could accelerate from from 0 to 60mph in a whopping 2.3 seconds. Performance was sufficient to lap the Nurburgring in a lightning fast 6 minutes and 47 seconds.
What years were the GT2 produced?
The GT2 was produced from 1993 to 2009. In 2010, it was produced as the GT2 RS. The GT2 was available in a 993, 996, and 997 variant and as a GT2 RS, also as a 997 variant and a 991 variant.
What are special turbos that led up to the 911 GT2 and GT2 RS?
There were a couple of special 964 Turbos that can be considered predecessors to the 911 GTS and GT2 RS. They include:
The Porsche 964 Turbo S “Leichtbau”
In stock form, the Porsche 964 Turbo had a 3.3 liter turbocharged flat-six engine. Of the “special” turbos, only the Turbo S “Leichtbau”, or “lightweight” used the 3.3 liter turbocharged engine. The other special turbos, the 964 Turbo 3.6, and Turbo S 3.6 had the turbocharged 3.6 liter flat-six engine.
Of the three, the “Leichtbau” was the closest predecessor to the GT2. It weighed 400 pounds less than the regular 3.3 liter Turbo. Weight savings were possible by eliminating air conditioning, power steering, sound insulation, rear seats and radio. It also had thinner glass and aluminum doors, as opposed to steel doors, and a carbon fiber hood and trunk.
The Porsche 964 Turbo S LM-GT
Porsche Motorsports developed a race car based on the 964 Turbo that was essentially the foundation of the 993 GT2. The 964 Turbo S LM-GT debuted in 1993 powered by a 3.2 liter turbocharged flat-six engine producing 475 horsepower. After lackluster performance, it was upgraded with a 3.6 liter turbo engine, which was sufficient to secure the results needed. It went on to win just about every single race it entered.
What is the recipe for the Porsche 911 GT2?
The Porsche 911 GT2 is essentially a race Porsche Turbo using the same twin-turbo engine, albeit with several engine upgrades. It also has larger brakes and a stiffer suspension. Several interior components are removed along with the all-wheel drive system. The result is a significant weight reduction over the Turbo on which it is based. Thus, it follows the time-honored recipe for racing success: a powerful, race-inspired, high-performance engine combined with a low-weight body.
Where does the Porsche 911 GT2 stand relative to the 911 GT3?
The Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, the 911 GT2 and GT2 RS are essentially road going homologated variants of Porsche’s GT2-spec race cars. Like the GT3, the GT2 is rear-wheel driven with the flat-6 boxer engine. Whereas the GT3 and GT3 RS have a normally-aspirated engine, the GT2 and GT2 RS feature a high performance turbocharged flat-six boxer engine.
What is homologation?
Homologation is the approval process that a race car must go through in order to be certified to race in a specific racing league or series. Since many racing series are based upon production cars, homologation requires a minimum number of sales of production vehicles to ensure that vehicles are not designed and produced exclusively for racing in that series.
The Porsche 993 GT2 -The Holy Grail of 911s
The first iteration of the GT2 was based on the 993-generation and badged as the 911 GT. It was the first to incorporate the winning recipe for the Porsche 911 GT2 class of vehicles: a high performance twin turbo flat-6 boxer engine, rear wheel drive, and significant weight reduction over the 911 Turbo on which it is based.
The rarest and most brutal GT2
Produced between 1993 and 1998, the 993 GT2 incorporated widened plastic fenders and a larger rear wing with air scoops in the struts. Features incorporated to minimize weight included aluminum doors and trunk lids as well as eliminating non-essential interior creature comforts such as the back seat. As a result, the 993 GT2 tipped the scales at 2,855 pounds, over 400 pounds lighter than the 993 Turbo on which it is based.
The reduced weight in combination with the turbo flat-6 boxer engine that produced 424 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque resulted in a 0 to 60mph time of 3.9 seconds with rocket-like acceleration all the way through 187mph. Keep in mind that this is 1995!
In 1998, the displacement of the twin-turbo flat-6 was increased from 3.6 liters to 3.8 liters. Performance was increased 20bhp to 444bhp.
Over its 5 year production run, only 57 units were produced making it one of the most rare and desirable version of the 993. It was also the last water cooled flat-6 boxer engine to be produced and had a six-speed manual transmission. Thereafter, Porsche switched to a water-cooled engine design for the 996.
The Porsche 993 GT2 reflects one of the most significant eras in Porsche motorsport history. Resale values for the 993 GT2 reflect this pedigree with the most recent sale having taken place for $2.4 million dollars.
Porsche 996 GT2
With a GT2 variant of Porsche’s new 996 emerging two years after the introduction of its water-cooled Porsche 911, the 996, the 996 GT2 was designed primarily as a road car. By this time, Porsche had given up pursuit of the GT2 title to mount a full attack on the GT3 class.
The twin-turbocharged 3.6 liter flat-6 engine produced 462bhp. The engine powering the 996 GT2 was same one powering the 996 Turbo, with a few modifications. It ran larger KKK24 turbos at 13.5 pounds of boost.
A mid-cycle refresh in 2004 saw output of the 996 GT2 bumped to 483bhp. This was largely accomplished with modifications to the turbochargers and motronic mapping. It was also during this time that carbon ceramic brakes were offered.
Like the 993 GT2, the 996 GT2 was rear-wheel driven, had widened fenders, an aggressively styled nose and larger rear wing.
The 996 GT2 tipped the scales at 3,131 pounds. Its light weight combined with a race-inspired engine resulted a car capable of neck-snapping acceleration rocketing from 0 to 60mph in under four seconds and topping out 195 mph.
500 units of the 996 GT2 were produced between 2001 and 2005, almost 10 times more than the 993 GT2.
The Porsche 997 GT2
The Porsche 997 GT2 appeared two years after the 996 GT2, in 2007 following the same recipe for success as its predecessors, a strict weight diet, a race-inspired twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine and rear wheel drive.
The 997 GT2 was powered by a 3.6 liter flat-6 boxer engine running twin variable geometry turbochargers producing 515bhp at 502 pound feet of torque. In a package weighing in at 3,170 pounds, the 997 GT2 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds thundering through to a top speed of 204 mph. These were the official numbers. However, Motor Trend recorded acceleration for the 997 GT2 in 2008 at 3.3 seconds.
The 997 GT2 differed from the 997 Turbo on which it is based in the design of its front lip and rear wing. The rear wing had two small air inlets. It also differed from the Turbo in that it had twin titanium exhaust outlets with shark fin openings on the side of the rear bumper.
What is the Porsche 911 GT2 RS?
In 2010, Porsche quietly introduced the 911 GT2 RS variant to its German dealers in Leipzig. The GT2 RS produced 620 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Weighing 154 pounds less than the GT2, the RS could rocket from zero to 60 mph in a scant 3.5 seconds, accelerating all the way to 205 mph. Porsche produced 500 copies of the 997-based GT2 RS globally.
How is the Porsche 911 GT2 different from the GT2 RS?
Only with the Porsche 997 was there both a GT and Porsche 911 GT2 RS. The RS was produced from 2010 onward. Its twin-turbocharged flat-six cylinder engine produced 620 horsepower, 90 more than the GT variant. It also weighed 154 pounds less. The GT2 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, accelerating through to 204 mph, while the GT2 Rs had a 0 to 60 mph run in 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 205 mph.
What is the Porsche 991 GT2 RS
The final generation of the the GT2 was the 991 GT2 RS that went into production in 2018. Powered by a 3.8 liter twin turbo flat-six boxer engine producing 700 bhp at 553 lb-ft of torque, it is the most powerful 911 ever built.
Unlike previous generations of the GT2, that may had a 6-speed manual transmission, the 991 GT2 RS has a 7-speed PDK transmission that Porsche claims can propel the 3,241 pound car from 0 60 mph in a lightning fast 2.7 seconds to a top speed of 211 mph.
To achieve such weight savings, the 997 GT2 RS has a magnesium roof and front and rear wings, hood and rear deck made of carbon fiber. Other body parts and the rear windows are also made of a lightweight polycarbonate reinforced plastic. It also features a lightweight titanium exhaust system.
A lighter weight Weissach package edition is also available that shaves an additional 66 pounds off of the weight of the car. This was accomplished through the use of lightweight carbon fiber and titanium parts including the roof, anti-roll bars, roll bars, and magnesium wheels.
In a car as fast as the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, stopping power is just as important as acceleration. The GT2 RS has 4-Wheel Disc Brakes w/4-Wheel ABS, Front And Rear Vented Discs, Brake Assist, Hill Hold Control, carbon ceramic Discs and Electric Parking Brake
Only 1,000 units of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS were expected to be produced, but a very large demand prompted the factory to produce more.
What is a Weissach package GT2 RS?
The Weissach Package is an optional feature package focused on reducing the weight of the GT2 RS. It includes a titanium roll-cage, as opposed to a steel cage, ultra-lightweight steering wheel trim, carbon fiber paddle shifts, and lightweight carpets.
The Weissach Package was available on not only the GT2 RS, but the GT3 RS and Porsche 918 as well.
What is the a Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR?
Manthey-Racing is a German company that garnered Worldwide attention as a result of their activities in the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nurburgring and other racing events. They have been running GT works competition for Porsche Motorsport since 2013. Porsche AG holds 51 percent of the shares outstanding of the company.
Manthey-Racing prepared a 2017 Porsche 911 GT2 RS that was set up to run the Nurburgring race track. Driven by Lars Kern, It ran the Ring on October 25, 2018 in a blistering 6:40.3, a new course record.
The GT2 RS MR run by Manthey-Racing was mechanically, a stock RS. The features used were in the form of aerodynamic aids and other accessories such as a thread chassis, magnesium wheel set, optimized brake system components, and an additional water kit.
In July 2021, Porsche and Manthey-Racing made all of the upgrades utilized in their record-setting run available to current GT2 RS owners. A lightened custom racing seat will be released in the near future along with the ability to order special seating customized to the driver.
What is the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport?
The GT2 RS Clubsport is a track-only variant of the GT2 RS. It utilizes a very large carbon fiber rear wing to produce a large of downforce, increasing handling of the car. It also makes extensive use weight-saving measures to further increase performance. All of the interior components have been removed with the exception of a lightened racing seat. It also has a FIA approved roll-cage and an escape hatch.
As testament to the quality of the engine and transmission, it has the same drivetrain found in the production version of the GT2 RS. Only 200 were built globally.
What course records does the Porsche 911 GT2 hold?
The GT2 and GT2 RS hold several course records in addition to the record for the Nurburgring set by Lars Kern. Some records include:
- In 2018, Warren Luff at the wheel of the GT2 RS (without the Weissach package) set the fastest production lap record at The Bend Motorsport Park with a lap time of 3:24.079 minutes around the 7.77 km GT layout.
- In 2019 Porsche set further production lap records with the car at various North American circuits – 1:24.88 minutes at Road Atlanta, 2:15.17 minutes at Road America and 1:22.36 minutes at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
What are some facts about the Porsche 911 GT2 and GT2 RS?
Whereas the GT3 is naturally aspirated, the GT2 is twin-turbocharged with power driven to the rear wheels. It is basically a racing version of Porsche’s legendary Turbo.
- First year of production: 1995
- Last year of production: 2019
- Least powerful: 993 GT2 – 424 hp
- Most powerful: 991 GT2 RS – 700 hp
Will there be another Porsche GT2?
When Porsche releases a new variant of the 911, they start with the base-model, then release the Turbo version, and finally the specialty models such as the GT2 and GT3. The last model to be released is alway the coveted Speedster model. As a result, I would say that there is a very strong possibility that we will see a version of the GT2 RS based on the 992.
Conclusion
Whereas the Porsche 911 and 911 Turbo is one of the most legendary of motor vehicles, the best of the best is the GT2 and GT2 RS variants of the 911. They are essentially the homologated racing versions of the Porsche 911 Turbo.
The GT2 and GT2 RS is defined by a race-inspired twin turbocharged version of the same engine powering the Turbo, a strict diet, and rear-wheel drive. The result is otherworldly performance that is years ahead of its competitors. The 991 GT2 was doing sub-four second 0-to-60 sprints over twenty years ago! This was over 20 years ago and a long time before other supercars were able to achieve such breathtaking performance.