First Drive: 911 GT2

[blue8]

Auto Express:

Porsche 911 GT2

It’s the ultimate Porsche 911. Lighter, more powerful and even faster than the standard Turbo model on which it’s based, the stunning GT2 is about to change the way the world thinks about high-performance cars.

And Auto Express was first behind the wheel of the newcomer, which offers 530bhp from its 3.6-litre twin-turbo engine – as well as a 0-60mph sprint time of only 3.7 seconds.

Top speed is 204mph, but thanks to a series of aerodynamic and suspension modifications, Porsche is now claiming that the car will be among the most stable it has ever developed, particularly at cruising speeds.

Weighing only 1,440kg – that’s 145kg lighter than the entry-level ver-
sion of the Turbo – the GT2 features a number of unique adjustments to improve its straight-line pace and res*ponsiveness. Yet unlike some high-performance specials, there’s no mis*taking this version for the standard model. As well as a distinctive rear wing, it gets special front and back bumpers to improve cooling.

Inside, there’s a choice of two different interiors. The first offers luxurious trim including Alcantara headlining and leather seats, while the second is competition-inspired, with the cabin stripped out to save weight.


Our model had the latter option, with figure-hugging race seats, plus a roll cage. The set-up is uncompromising, but is still comfortable, and ensures the driver is safely secured behind the wheel. Radical changes have also been made under the skin, with the GT2 ditching the 4WD found in the standard Turbo in favour of a rear-wheel-drive layout.

To compensate for its huge power output, the Porsche has 325-section tyres at the back. These are some of the largest fitted to a road car, but are not the only distinctive feature. The GT2 is the first non-racing model to boast a titanium exhaust system – which is not only much lighter than standard, but more resilient, too.


On the move, the GT2 provides simply staggering pace, particularly in third and fourth gears, so overtaking is easy. Steering feel is first rate, too, helped by the fact that the comparatively narrow front tyres offer a delicate grip on the road.

Performance through the gears is devastating, and will leave you in no doubt that the top speed of 204mph is easily accessible. With 680Nm of torque, the car’s pace barely tails off as you work through the gears. Such speed comes at a high price, though – when the GT2 goes on sale in Feb*ruary, it will cost £131,070.

Rival: Ferrari F430 Scuderia
Developed with the help of Michael Schumacher, the F430 Scuderia is Ferrari’s answer to the 911 GT2. Its high-revving, mid-mounted V8 and unmistakable exhaust note provide it with plenty of character, but it doesn’t have the 911’s supremely balanced feel.

First Opinion:

The GT2 is a racing car for the road. Yet Porsche has managed to ensure it is not only great fun to drive, but also surprisingly reassuring. With such massive performance available from the turbocharged engine, the throttle demands respect, although that doesn’t mean this 911 is intimidating. Wide tyres at the rear offer masses of grip, while the steering is incredibly accurate. A smooth-acting traction control system provides a further safety net, particularly in lower gears. Frankly, we can think of few more capable road cars.

Rating: 5 out of 5


-- I'm already looking forward to the 430 Scuderia / Gallardo Superleggera / 911 GT2 comparo!!!

[sentra_dude]

Awesome car and a very nice first drive review of the GT2. 8) I can't wait to see some more reviews and comparison tests of this serious Porsche. Thanks!

[Schwalbe]

Thanks mate for this 997 GT2 article. The power of the new GT2 is simply outstanding. :good:

[Zot09]

Thanks for the review, the GT2 is such a sick car!!! But I still wouldn't take it over a Scuderia.

I saw my first one on the streets a week or two ago, and it looks pretty nice. A bit too subtle though if you ask me, I had to think for a couple seconds as to what it was because it looked like a plain 911 just with a more aggressive body. But if you're going for that look, it accomplishes it pretty well.

[Schwalbe]

Originally Posted by Zot09 I saw my first one on the streets a week or two ago, and it looks pretty nice. A bit too subtle though if you ask me, I had to think for a couple seconds as to what it was because it looked like a plain 911 just with a more aggressive body.

Are you really sure it was not a modified 997 turbo ?

Because the 997 GT2 was just to be unveiled only 2 weeks ago at IAA Frankfurt, so expect to see a real new 997 GT2 in North America only in March 2008.

[Zot09]

Originally Posted by Schwalbe Originally Posted by Zot09 I saw my first one on the streets a week or two ago, and it looks pretty nice. A bit too subtle though if you ask me, I had to think for a couple seconds as to what it was because it looked like a plain 911 just with a more aggressive body. Are you really sure it was not a modified 997 turbo ? Because the 997 GT2 was just to be unveiled only 2 weeks ago at IAA Frankfurt, so expect to see a real new 997 GT2 in North America only in March 2008.

haha maybe maybe, the only reason I thought it was a GT2 was b/c of the wing and the "gills" in the rear bumper. Come to think of it, it also had GT2 like rims...so either that turbo owner spent a lot of cash to make a wanna-be gt2, or maybe I saw a test-mule?

[Schwalbe]

Originally Posted by Zot09 Originally Posted by Schwalbe Originally Posted by Zot09 I saw my first one on the streets a week or two ago, and it looks pretty nice. A bit too subtle though if you ask me, I had to think for a couple seconds as to what it was because it looked like a plain 911 just with a more aggressive body. Are you really sure it was not a modified 997 turbo ? Because the 997 GT2 was just to be unveiled only 2 weeks ago at IAA Frankfurt, so expect to see a real new 997 GT2 in North America only in March 2008. haha maybe maybe, the only reason I thought it was a GT2 was b/c of the wing and the "gills" in the rear bumper. Come to think of it, it also had GT2 like rims...so either that turbo owner spent a lot of cash to make a wanna-be gt2, or maybe I saw a test-mule?

You live in California, so all is possible there.

It's very common to modify a 996 turbo with the 996 GT2 look, therefore that will be the same thing with the 997 turbo one.

[blue8]

From CAR:


Another yawnworthy 911? Or a yee-hah one?
Definitely the latter. 911 Turbo not hard enough? Then how about removing the four-wheel drive, sir? Want to smash the magical 200mph barrier? Soak in the GT2's 204mph v-max and quake in your boots. Oh, and it has semi-slick Cup tyres too. Make no mistake, the GT2 isn't for fools.

You won't miss the GT2, either. Beside the Turbo's LED look-at-me lights sit new extra-large air intakes to cool the brakes, a reprofiled spoiler, rear diffuser and sills. It's a lesson in Teutonic purposefulness.

Enough cosmetics, does it drive as hard as it looks?
Inevitably, the answer is yes. The explosiveness of the package is matched by an explosion of the senses. The minute you start driving the GT2, it comes alive. Turn-in is instant and the wheel jitters with feel and road detail, letting you know exactly what's what. This much power in a physics-defying 911 is a lesson in trepidation and a test of the nerves.

Why? Well, the noise is intense for starters, but it's mainly because you are always - and I mean always - aware that the rear wheels are doing the work and that blown flat six is only a mistimed prod away from wreaking carnage with those shaved Cup tyres.

So it's a bit of a handful then?
You could say that. Those bald-as-a-coot Pirellis are fine in the dry, sticky and secure, but the moment the heavens open (and they do that rather a lot in the UK, in case you'd forgotten), so does your mouth. Water-skiers might enjoy the sensation of carving across puddles, but we don't.

And did we mention just how fast the GT2 was? A muscular 523bhp propelling 1440kg of 911 is never going to be tardy, but the sheer visceral blast of the flat six is something else. It demolishes the 62mph benchmark in a frankly suicidal 3.7sec - the same as the regular Turbo Tiptronic - but by the upper reaches of 185mph, it's eight seconds faster.

Whoever at Porsche calculates such things must have had a right old laugh the day they worked that out. We can't imagine many customers testing that particular statistic...

'Wheelspin in second gear'
And the rest. During our damp test, the GT2 spun its rear wheels in the first two gears anywhere up to 4500rpm, the rubber playing second fiddle to a monstrous 501lb ft of shove. There is a limited slip diff to help channel all those forces into forward motion though.

And the flat six loves to rev. There's a new gearshift indicator on the GT2, flashing a red arrow at 6000rpm to give you just enough warning to change up before hitting the limiter if you're really pushing on. And it's only at the top end that this motor feels ferociously fast, as opposed to merely oh-my-gawd rapid. Thank the extra boost the GT2 runs.

At 1440kg, the GT2 is 145kg lighter than the Turbo, and only 45kg more than the lightweight GT3. As well as the lack of bulky 4wd hardware, a glass-reinforced plastic engine cover, titanium exhaust system and standard Porsche Carbon Composite Brakes (PCCB) complete the diet. The brakes alone are 50 percent lighter than equally-sized steel discs, Porsche claim.


So you're telling me the new GT2 is basically £30k more than a Turbo, and scarier?
That's what this boils down to. The GT2 will cost £131,070, so it's no bargain. But what did you expect? Is it worth that premium over the accomplished Turbo? That's open to debate. For the buyer who has to have the ultimate, the collector who loves Porsches, they will merely write the cheque before they've even got this far through CAR's review.

Many will dismiss the GT2 as rich man's plaything, and there's little doubt that on paper this is the case. Edgy handling and red-alert dynamics don't make everyday driving an appealing prospect. And yet... for the driver who appreciates the rear-drive sharpness, the thrills of driving a potent device like the GT2, it will be worth the cost just for the uncompromising, sharp, undiluted thrill of the challenge.

Rating: 4 out of 5

[sentra_dude]

Fucking badass.