The Porsche 911 GT2 is a high-performance, track-focused sports car built by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1993 to 2009, and since 2010 as the GT2 RS. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine enhancements, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration. The GT2 is significantly lighter than the Turbo due to its use of rear-wheel-drive instead of an all-wheel-drive system and the reduction or removal of interior components. As a result, the GT2 (now GT2 RS) is the most expensive and fastest model among the 911 lineup.
993 generation
The 993 GT2 was initially built in order to meet homologation requirements for GT2 class racing. Because the cars were built to meet the GT2 class regulations, the road cars were named accordingly (but badged as the 911 GT).[1] The 993 GT2 featured widened plastic fenders and a larger rear wing with air scoops in the struts for improved engine cooling. The 993 GT2's original 3.6 L engine generated a maximum power output of 316 kW; in 1998 it was upgraded to 331 kW. 57 road cars were built (thirteen of which were right-hand drive).[2]
Technical specifications
- Configuration: Air-cooled twin-turbocharged 2 valves per cylinder Porsche flat-six engine
- Displacement: 3600 cc
- Bore × stroke: 100 mm × 76.4 mm
- Maximum power: 316-331 kW at 6,000 rpm
- Specific power: 93.25 kW/L
- Maximum torque: 586 Nm at 3,500 rpm (1998 MY)
- Specific torque: 162.7 N.m/L
- Length: 4245 mm
- Width: 1855 mm
- Height: 1270 mm
- Wheelbase: 2272 mm
- Front track: 1475 mm
- Rear track: 1550 mm
- Curb weight: 1295 kg
- Power-to-weight ratio
996 generation
In 1999, the 993 was replaced with the new 996 model. The new GT2 took two years to develop and during that time, Porsche decided to abandon the GT2 for motorsports use, instead concentrating on competing in Le Mans GT class racing with the new naturally aspirated 911 GT3.
Developed primarily as a road car in contrast to its predecessor, the new GT2 featured a twin-turbocharged version of the GT3's 3.6 L flat-six engine. It generated a maximum output of 340 kW, which was later increased to 355 kW. Like the 993 GT2, the body of the 996 GT2 differed significantly from those of other 996 variants; major differences included wider fenders, a more aggressively shaped nose, and a large rear wing.
According to road testing performed by Car and Driver magazine, the GT2 suffers from hardly any turbo lag. Despite a 10-millimeter reduction in ride height from the 911 Turbo, the drag coefficient is slightly higher — vs. the Turbo's 0.33 — due to the fixed rear wing.[3]
Technical specifications
997 generation
The 996 GT2 was superseded by the 997 GT2 in 2007 after a brief hiatus, with cars arriving at dealerships in November 2007[7] after an official launch at the 62nd Frankfurt Motor Show.
The GT2's engine was based on the 3.6 L flat-6 engine as seen on the Turbo, but featured two variable geometry turbochargers. The engine generated a maximum power output of 390 kW at 6,500 rpm and 680 Nm of torque at 2,200 rpm. The GT2 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and on to 200 km/h in 10.6 seconds, and had a maximum top speed of 204 mph. This made it the third Porsche production road car to exceed the 322 km/h barrier, with the exception of the 1998 911 GT1 (of which only 20 units were produced for street use,[8] solely to satisfy ACO homologation requirements for racing).
The American automotive magazine Motor Trend tested a 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 and achieved a 0 - 60 mph acceleration time of 3.4 seconds,[9] and a quarter mile time of 11.4 seconds at 127.9 mi/h. The GT2 also recorded a braking distance from 60 to 0 mph of 98 ft, and 1.10g of lateral grip.
991 generation
The 991 GT2 RS was initially unveiled at the Xbox 2017 E3 briefing along with the announcement of the Forza Motorsport 7 video game where it was revealed as the cover car as well as being included as a playable vehicle.[14]
The car was officially launched by Porsche at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed along with the introduction of the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. The 991 GT2 RS is powered by a 3.8 L twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine that has a maximum power output of 515 kW at 7,000 rpm and 750 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful production 911 variant ever built. Unlike the previous GT2 versions, this car is fitted with a 7-speed PDK transmission to handle the excessive torque produced from the engine. Porsche claims that the car will accelerate from 0 - 97 km/h in 2.7 seconds, and has a top speed of 340 km/h.
The car has a roof made of magnesium, front lid, front and rear wings and boot lid made of carbon-fibre, front and rear apron made of lightweight polyurethane, rear and side windows made of polycarbonate and an exhaust system made of titanium. Porsche claims that the car has a wet weight of 1470 kg.
A Weissach package option is available, which reduces weight by 30 kg, courtesy of the additional use of carbon-fibre and titanium parts. This includes the roof, the anti-roll bars, and the coupling rods on both axles being made out of carbon-fibre, while the roll cage is made from titanium. The package also includes a set of magnesium wheels specially made by BBS. The car was available in the United States from early 2018.
Motorsports
The Porsche GT2 comes from a long line of 911 Porsche Turbo racing cars in international motorsports. Starting with the 1974 911 Carrera turbo for Group 5 racing, followed by the 934 (a racing version of the 930) for Group 4 racing, then the famous Porsche 935 which dominated Group 5 and IMSA racing through 1984. In 1986 a Porsche 961 (racing version of the 959) would be created with little racing success but a leap forward in technology and development such as AWD, 4 valves per cylinder and water-cooled heads (which first appeared in the 1978 Porsche 935 Moby-Dick, used in the Porsche 956/962 GroupC prototypes and then in the 959/961). In 1993, Porsche had experimented with the extensively modified turbo 964, named the Turbo S LM-GT. Seeing the car's potential to be fast and reliable, as well as customer demand for a car to replace the 964 Carrera RSRs, Porsche chose to develop the turbocharged 993 for customer use.
The 993 GT2 race car featured a stripped interior, integrated rollcage for safety, minor adjustments to the bodywork and wings in order to decrease weight as well as increase downforce, and wider fenders to handle racing slicks. The suspension was modified to improve racing performance, while the engine was slightly tweaked for endurance. Twin KKK turbochargers, fitted with required air restrictors, allowed for 335.7 kW.[1]
At the same time, Porsche also developed a GT2 Evo, able to race in the GT1 category. The Evo saw an increase in power to 447.6 kW through the use of larger turbochargers. Other modifications included a new, higher-mounted rear wing, larger fenders to house the wider tires allowed in the GT1 class, and a decrease in weight to 1100 kg.[40]
External links
- Porsche Cars North America - Porsche 997 GT2 microsite
- Porsche Cars North America - 1995 Porsche 911 GT2
- Porsche Cars North America - 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 Evo
References
- 1995 Porsche 911 GT2 Porsche Cars North America, retrieved 13 December 2007^
- Paul Hardiman. 1996 Porsche 911S GT2 Sports Car Market, February 2013^
- Tony Swan. 2002 Porsche 911 GT2 - A Hardcore 911 Turbo Car and Driver, May 2001, retrieved 24 April 2009