A thoroughbred sports car

(SUPPLIED)   

For all you diehard Porsche fans, the German company has come up with the ultimate sportscar, the 911 GT2. And that’s saying something coming from stable that has scored more than 28,000 victories in motorcar racing and holds the distinction of being the world’s largest race car manufacturer.

Priced at Dh645,800 this latest offering from Porsche is the fastest and most powerful 911 ever built for the road. Deesch Papke, managing director of Porsche Middle East and Africa, told Emirates Business: “The new Porsche 911 GT2 is the ultimate sportscar in the current 911 range of Porsche sports cars approved for the road.

This is a truly outstanding athlete throughout the entire segment of top-performance sports cars developed by Porsche’s Motorsport Division.

“The new top-of-the-range model combines all the features so crucial to a road-going sportscar. Like a race track thoroughbred its low weight is combined with supreme engine power, a chassis and suspension conceived for motorsport, exceptional brakes, and highly efficient aerody¬namics.

“As a result, the fastest and most powerful of all street-legal Porsche 911s ever built combines the supreme performance of the 911 Turbo with the exceptional sportiness of the 911 GT3.”

The low weight of 1,440kg, rear-wheel drive and a superior drag coefficient of Cd=0.32 ensure not only exceptional sportiness and performance, but also efficiency.

The Porsche 911 GT2 consumes just 12.5 litres of fuel per 100km, offering a standard of fuel economy exceptionally good for a car of this kind. Its 3.6-litre horizontally opposed six-cylinder power unit with bi-turbo technology develops maximum output of 530 bhp at a speed of 6,500 rpm.

With a top speed of 329kmph, this baby can touch 0 to 100kmph in 3.7 seconds, 0 to 160 kmph in 7.4 seconds and 0 to 300 kmph in 33 seconds. Giving an example of its performance Papke said: “No other road-going Porsche 911 has ever covered the Nordschleife of Nürburg¬ring faster than the new GT2. World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl completed the Northern Circuit in a lap time of 7.32 minutes at the wheel of the 911 GT2, a time comparable to the lap times achieved by the Porsche Carrera GT, which was nominated the fastest car of the year in 2005.”

Equipped with the world’s first innovative expansion-type intake system the new 911 GT2 offers an extra 50bhp over the already very powerful 911 Turbo. The GT2 comes with unusually powerful and effective ceramic brakes in the front and rear and the three-stage Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system has been featured in the 911 GT2 for the first time.

With the PSM the driver is able to deactivate lateral and longitudinal dynamic control, thus gearing the car’s driving behaviour to his needs. The new Launch Assistant the 911 GT2 is equipped with enables the driver to accelerate with optimum power from a standstill. The 911 GT2 is fitted with a titanium rear-end silencer and titanium tailpipes, which reduce the weight of the entire system by approximately 50 per cent. Another new feature in the 911 GT2 are the sports bucket seats with backrests that fold individually to any desired position, maintaining optimum lateral stability at all times.

Papke said: “The 911 GT2 shows right from the start that this is a thoroughbred sports car. At very first sight, the striking design of the car with its large air intake scoops at the front and the characteristic rear wing bears clear testimony to its performance potential. The new front end takes up the design language of the current 911 Turbo and integrates a number of further enhanced features of the GT2, such as the extra-large air scoops as well as the additional air outlets.”

And in keeping with its slogan “There is no substitute” Porsche does not care too much for customisation. Papke said:“Porsche does not recommend any form of customisation to any of its vehicles as the vehicles are designed to perform to specific criteria. With Porsche Tequipment, the customer can create his/her own personal interpretation with a range of exclusive and approved options. Subtly enhancing its individuality and charm, while maintaining its integrity as a Porsche.”