With Porsche set to unveil the first members of the facelifted 992.2 911 generation within the next 9 months, we can now discuss what will be the fastest and more powerful Neunelfer ever, namely the 992.2 911 GT2 RS.
Given that the 911 range generally holds over 20 derivatives, multiple types of 992.2 prototypes have been spotted. However, the test car seen here only poses as a familiar face, namely the 992.2 911 GT3 RS—look at it closely and you’ll notice multiple clues that lead us to believe this is Porsche testing the 992.2 GT2 RS.
While die-hard Porschephiles have very specific definitions for this model, the GT2 RS is essentially a RWD-converted Turbo with more power, extra downforce and an overall setup that’s biased towards the track.
However, this model generally arrives late in a generation’s life cycle—there’s no such thing as a 992.1 GT2 RS—so you can expect the 992.2 GT2 RS to be launched after 2025, which would make the vehicle seen here a prototype in the early stages of testing.
This 992.2 Porsche 911 prototype holds bits and pieces that should define a GT2 RS
While the GT3 RS is the ultimate N/A 911, this test car (photographed here by Wesley Steenbergen aka @tekjgg) has been spotted lapping the Nurburgring before, as confirmed by its appearance and license plates. And while a video would help, those who witnessed the car blitzing the Green Hell mentioned the test vehicle sounded turbocharged.
As for the visual hints, the central exhaust is faux, with the actual tailpipes sitting on the sides, being squeezed between the rear bumper and the diffuser.
Then we have the altered air intakes on the rear quarter panels, which could accomodate the intercoolers of the Turbo’s 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six.
The new GT2 RS could be a hybrid
The wildest rumor around, which was started by British magazine autocar a few months ago, sees the 992 Porsche 911 GT2 RS adopting a mild-hybrid powertrain. The battery would sit behind the front seats (RS models feature a rear seat delete by default), while an electric motor would be integrated in the PDK dual-clutch transmission.
This would be the least electric propulsion-intensive solution, but also the one with the least added weight, which is something you want for a 911, especially one wearing the extrene RS badge.
Keeping the scale footprint in check is also why Porsche is expected to introduce a 400V system rather than the 800V hardware powering the Taycan or the 900V architecture recently showcased on the Mission X concept.
For the record, the outgoing Turbo S has a curb weight of over 3,600 lbs. And while the mild-hybrid system would add some weight, the RS treatment always shaves some of that, so the GT2 RS should only be some 220 lbs (100 kg) heavier than the Turbo. Plus, Porsche’s tradition dictates that a Weissach Package will be offered, with this further trimming the weight.
And while the outgoing 911 Turbo S makes 640 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm), the GT2 RS should bring the output to at least 700 hp and feature a significant torque boost.
Interestingly, while Porsche has confirmed the 992 generation will bring a hybrid 911, the carmaker has added no extra details. So they can always maintain the extreme track focus of the GT2 RS and reserve the electric assistance for something like a 911 Turbo S E Hybrid, with this designation already being present on the Cayenne and the Panamera. Of course, there’s also the possibility of a “civilian” 911 Hybrid, with this version being backed by the presence of some other prototypes.
Regardless, since pricing for the 991 model kicked off at $294,000, the 992 GT2 RS will have an MSRP of well over $300,000.
However, before the 992.2 arrives, Porsche will officially introduce the 992.1 911 ST, which we can arguably define as a GT3 RS Touring.
