Porsche has begun prepping the next high performance version of the 991-generation 911, the new GT2. We spotted this prototype undergoing testing at the Nürburgring.
Under the skin of the new Porsche 911 GT2
The next GT2 is expected to use the 911 Turbo S’s 552bhp twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat six, potentially with a slight power increase. And as is tradition, it’ll ditch the front driveshafts of the four-wheel drive Turbo for rear-drive. Like the new Turbo and GT3, there’ll be no manual gearbox, just a seven-speed twin-clutch PDK.
The GT2 will also adopt the Turbo and GT3’s rear-wheel steering for improved stability and agility, and this test mule’s front wheelarch extensions (previously seen on RS-spec GT2s and GT3s) suggest a wider front track for improved turn-in and handling.
How much will the new Porsche 911 GT2 cost?
In the past, 911 GT2s have always sat between the 911 Turbo and Turbo S models (currently £118k and £141k in the Porsche price list) so this new model should retail for around £130,000. A new GT3 costs £100,540.
Aren’t there some GT3 details present here too?
True, the gaping intakes ahead of the rear wheels usually denote twin-turbocharged 911s, but GT2s have also traditionally had snorkel-style intakes integrated into their enormous rear wings, yet they’re absent here. If this is a GT2, the twin central exhausts are a departure too, as turbocharged 911s (including the last GT2 and current Turbo) have widely spaced pipes.
It could be a simple change in styling direction, or it might be a clever ruse by Porsche to disguise a GT3 RS prototype (which we know is arriving in 2014) as a GT2 mule. Especially as the GT2 is not quite a dead-cert for production – yet.
The marketing department, tuning community and enthusiasts are all hungry for it, but there are rumours the new GT3 RS, wrapping up all the GT3’s trick chassis technology with over 500bhp and even less weight, could be mind-blowing enough to make the GT2 redundant.
And, if you really crave a turbocharged kick in the back, the latest PDK-only 911 Turbo and Turbo S will be faster off the line than the rear-drive GT2, thanks to their all-wheel drive traction.
>> Should Porsche build a new 911 GT2, or is there no place for a rear-drive turbo 911 these days? Tell us your opinion by clicking ‘Add your comment’ below