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Porsche 911 GT2: the definitive history

GT2. Fairly anonymous characters in isolation, but very special indeed when applied to the rump of a 911 – special enough, in fact, to have Porschephiles dribbling with anticipation at their very mention.

It’s a moniker that stemmed from Porsche’s desire to homologate the 911 for racing, and has since gone some way to creating a legacy of being the most ferocious Porsche 911 to grace the public road.

The introduction of the 993 was already something of a sea-change in the 911’s evolution compared to the outgoing 964, and it would also be the first sports car to sport the GT2 badge.

993 GT2 front

First sold in 1995, what you had here was a thinly disguised racer that took the already phenomenal Turbo model, junked the four-wheel-drive hardware, added yet more power and was then put on a weight diet.

The result was a twin-turbocharged and intercooled motor that, shorn of its catalytic convertors, managed a heady 430bhp and 540Nm of torque.

Performance figures varied depending on the source, but think 190mph and a four-second dash to 60mph, and you’d be close; terrifyingly quick in a car that was as raw as 911s came. Make no mistake, the GT2 took skill and concentration to get the best from.

Porsche 911 GT2 Evo

The rest of the mechanical specification was equally tasty, the GT2 receiving the gearbox and brakes from the Turbo and tweaked suspension that made more use of solid bushings and added adjustability.

But it was the exterior that perhaps drew the most gasps at launch, Porsche ditching any pretence of subtlety. Adorning the new car was a body kit that verged on the brutal, adding a ground-scraping front air dam, a bi-plane rear spoiler and bolted-on wheel arch extensions.

To read the full history of the Porsche 911 GT2, including its later water-cooled years, Total 911 issue 113 is available to order online for half price. Alternatively, download it straight to your digital device now.

993 GT2 rear

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