Most hardcore 911 variant adopts hybrid system to make at least 750bhp
REPORT IN AUTOCAR BY GREG KABLE
The most extreme road-going Porsche 911 model yet is edging closer to production – and it’s being honed with one clear and uncompromising target in mind: to reclaim the Nürburgring lap record for a production car. Since the first 911 GT2 RS arrived in 2010, the model has marked the outer edge of the 911’s performance capabilities – and this third-generation one looks set to raise the bar once again.
Prototypes seen testing in Germany feature aggressive new bodywork, including a drastically widened rear wing that gives it an even more dramatic, race car-like stance than earlier incarnations. Power for the new GT2 RS will come from a new hybrid drivetrain derived from Porsche’s Le Mans racers. Compared with the 691bhp pure-ICE Mk2, this will give the new GT2 RS a performance lift that will be vital for setting a lap record on the Nordschleife. The drivetrain will be centred around the 3.6-litre flat-six engine from the GTS T-Hybrid, the most powerful 911 on sale today, but it will be pushed further.
In that car, the engine is supplemented by a single electronic turbocharger and a gearbox-mounted electric motor to deliver 534bhp and 450lb ft of torque. The GT2 RS will receive a second e-turbo and a more powerful motor to target a combined output of at least 750bhp. One Porsche insider has suggested to Autocar that more than 800bhp is possible, and torque is expected to comfortably exceed the 590lb ft of today’s 911 Turbo S. Power will be sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
In line with other variants of the 992 911, the new range-topper will be heavier than its 1470kg predecessor. Sources suggest a gain of around 60kg is likely, even with extensive weight saving.
The new model’s aerodynamic package is set to be even more dramatic than that of today’s 911 GT3 RS. A more aggressive active rear wing will help to improve on its naturally aspirated sibling’s 860kg of downforce at 177mph. It will also offer DRS-style wing stalling. To boost downforce further, the GT2 RS will sport a lower front diffuser and a host of air-channelling features. Underneath, its ball-jointed suspension will build on the current GT3 RS’s adjustable arrangement.
To hit Porsche’s target, the GT2 RS will need to beat the Mercedes-AMG One’s 6min 29.09sec Nordschleife record. That means shaving almost 10sec off the previous GT2 RS’s best time.
