Porsche 911 GT2 RS – fast facts

REJOICE, for Porsche’s Widowmaker returneth. The 911 GT2 RS is making a comeback after a seven-year hiatus and, if our first ride-along in a GT2 RS development mule is any indication, it will be the most mega Porsche 911 ever.

A local arrival isn’t likely to happen until early next year – and we’ve still yet to see the mighty GT2 RS in all of its production-spec glory – but there are still more than a few facts and figures to tide us over until Porsche unleashes all of the official details. Here are a few of the more noteworthy GT2 RS factoids to impress your mates at the pub:

The last 911 GT2 RS was manual-only, but its replacement will be the polar opposite. With the new GT2’s promise of massive power and speed, the only transmission deemed capable of keeping up with the rest of the car is Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch PDK auto.

The move to an auto-only offering isn’t surprising when you look at the numbers. Until official homologation papers are in, Porsche can’t actually state precisely how much power the new GT2 RS will boast - it can only say it has more than 480kW and more than 750Nm. That’s the barest minimum we can expect it to have, which puts it 24kW and 50Nm up on the last 911 GT2 RS. Porsche won’t specify weight just yet, except to say that it tips the scales below the 1500kg mark.

Unlike the all-wheel drive 911 Turbo S that it is based on, the GT2 RS will only send power to the rear wheels. More power, less traction – launching from zero to 100km/h should be a wild ride indeed.

Helping the GT2 RS’ twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre engine generate its prodigious power is a “water-injected” system, although specific details are yet to be made public. Possibilities include a port injection approach similar to the BMW M4 GTS or an intercooler spray similar to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

Compared with the twin-turbo 3.8 used by the 911 Turbo S, the GT2 RS’s donk features bigger turbos, unique internal components and a titanium exhaust. That titanium exhaust, by the way, has valves that flip open to flow more gas when the engine is at full noise. Nothing new there, but when they’re open the valves will give those behind you a clear view of the GT2’s glowing catalytic converters. Neato.

Porsche will offer an optional Weissach package, which may as well be called the “track junkie special”. With a host of weight-saving measures, the Weissach option is no sticker pack – it bundles hard-core mods like a titanium roll cage, ultra-light magnesium wheels, a carbon-fibre roof and even carbon fibre suspension components. All up, 30kg is shaved from the kerb weight with the Weissach package – a significant amount for a performance car.

Even without ticking the Weissach box, the GT2 RS flaunts plenty of serious hardware. Carbon-ceramic brakes are cooled by bonnet-mounted NACA ducts, grippy track-spec Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber sheaths each wheel, active engine mounts improve power transfer and an electronic limited-slip differential regulates wheel slippage under acceleration.

The rear windscreen is made from the same stuff as your phone screen, which gives it toughness and optical clarity that Perspex can’t match, while still being lighter than conventional glass.