Porsche 911 GT2 Set to Arrive in '08

911 GT2 Photos

This is the old GT2; looks like a Turbo, but with a different intake and bumper. (Photo: Porsche)

The GT2 will feature the same engine as the Turbo (pictured), but with more power, and with less weight. (Photo: Porsche)

A 911 GT3, Porsche's latest dream machine, was designed for corners. The GT2 will be for blasting supercars out of the water. (Photo: Porsche)

We here at Canadian Auto Press have a love for sports cars. We like lightweightones like the Lotus Elise, small ones like the Mazda MX-5, and of course, we love the really fast ones, like Ferraris and Lamborghinis. As far as brands go, we’re major fans of Porsche too, be it the absurdly powerful Cayenne Turbo SUV, the pure mid-engine Boxster and Cayman, or the legendary 911. And speaking of the 911, the rear-engine sports car family is about to see the return of the high-speed king, the GT2. As before, its basic formula is the same as it’s always been - it’s like a regular Turbo, but rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive; i.e. more power and less weight, perfect for blasting down straights at high speeds and carving up corners with a little throttle-induced oversteer.

No info has been released on the GT2 yet, but some little birds have told us what it might pack under its mighty rear spoiler. It’s essentially the same turbocharged 3.6-liter flat six as the Turbo, with the same variable geometry turbos no less, but with the boost dialed up and the internal components strengthened.

Putting out an estimated 525 horsepower, an impressive 45 horsepower jump from the regular 911 Turbo, the GT2 will need more durable connecting rods, pistons and crank shafts. The precious fluids that keep the engine alive will also need to be cooled; expect heavy-duty oil coolers to be a part of the package.

The other component to the GT2’s ultra high level of performance is the diet that Porsche put it on. By getting rid of the hardware that drives the front wheels, plus unnecessary luxuries (such as sound proofing), it’s expected that the GT2 will weigh about 220 lbs less than the Turbo. Other key modifications to the GT2 include the adaptation of the GT3’s suspension kit, which will give drivers a little extra control, while ceramic brakes are expected to be on the options list.

Because the GT2 lacks the all-wheel drive and the optional Tiptronic automatic that the Turbo model has, it’s not as quick to 60 mph, but when the scope of acceleration is broadened the GT2 will put a great deal of distance between it and any other Porsche currently for sale. Tighter packed ratios will ensure that in gear acceleration will be nothing short of phenomenal, though top speed won’t be compromised. Insiders reckon that this will be the first mass production 911 to top the magical 200 mph mark.

Already, spy shots of minimally disguised GT2s have popped up on the web, so it appears that testing is in its final stages. Expect the new 911 GT2 to be unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show this September, and on the streets and race tracks terrorizing Ferraris and Lamborghinis starting early 2008.