The new 911 GT2 RS has to be Porsche’s worst kept secret. But not a lot can prepare you for a passenger seat blast in the maddest and most-powerful 911 ever built.

This is what we know: the new GT2 RS will have ‘in excess’ of 650bhp and 553lb ft, via a heavily revised 3.8-litre twin turbo flat-six pinched from the 911 Turbo S.

There’s water-injection intercooling, new internals, unique turbochargers, and more. It bins the Turbo’s four-wheel drive (driving only its rear wheels), adds a seven-speed PDK gearbox, and raids the GT department’s parts bin for all the best bits. It also adds some new ones for good measure.

Note those headline power and torque figures; Porsche is currently willing to communicate they are conservative. Each comes with the ‘greater than’ symbol, suggesting the final figures will be significantly more. Just think about that for a second.

It will, in the words of GT department boss Andreas Preuninger, shout “I’m the alpha animal”. That’s very deliberate, for the GT2 RS is a 911 that appeals to a rather different customer than other models. The prototype here might look like a GT3 RS with cladding, because that’s what it is. But visually the production car promises to be even more unhinged, with a huge front splitter, massive rear diffuser and plenty of exposed carbonfibre.

That’ll include two NACA ducts on the bonnet that feed air to cool the standard carbon-ceramic brakes. Choose the optional Weissach pack (like a Porsche 918 Spyder gets) and you’ll add titanium, magnesium and more carbon into the mix, and shave 30kg off the anticipated sub-1,500kg kerb weight.Preuninger says the GT2 RS “is all about competition”. By that, he means pummeling them into submission around that track. To better its rivals around the Nürburgring it’s got rose-jointed suspension, with upside down race dampers and spring rates equal to a Cup car’s ‘Ring setup. Even so, it rides with remarkable civility on the roads around Weissach.

And that lap time? It’ll need to start with a six if it’s to better the Lamborghini Huracan Performante’s recent efforts, which given the 911 GT3’s 7min 12sec, with a paltry 493bhp, isn’t so difficult to believe.

Certainly not from where we’re sitting. The 3.8-litre engine’s force is brutal, and we mean 918 Spyder ferocious. Forget any talk that turbocharging robs an engine of sound, too. Sat in the red Alcantara interior (a reverential, eye-straining nod to the design optioned by 60 per cent of previous-gen 997 GT2 RS owners) you’re not just physically stimulated by the engine’s ferocity and the chassis’ grip, but aurally, too.

The expectation is a top speed in excess of 211mph, a 0-62mph under three seconds and 0-124mph comfortably under nine. Yet – says Preuninger – it’ll have all the agility and poise of a 911 GT3 RS.

Job well done then? We’ll only know for sure when we’ve actually driven it. But on early evidence from the wrong seat, it looks to be a job very well done.

Surprisingly, the Porsche 911 Turbo S outnumbers the regular, non-S Turbo, at least in the States. Turbo buyers aren’t in the market to save money, so most walk in the dealership and simply request the best equipped, highest-marked 911 available, resulting in a set of keys to a Turbo S. Unfortunately for big spenders, outside of made-to-order paint and special order interior options, there weren’t many ways to differentiate their maxed-out, all-options-checked Turbo S from the rest of the Porsche crowd. Thankfully, Porsche has listened and offers a new limited Turbo S Exclusive Series that is unlike any other Turbo available.

Each Turbo S Exclusive Series arrives with the Aerokit, new rear fascia, black calipers, new exhaust, and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur fender plates. For maximum attention, the Exclusive Series can be had with a new, “exclusive” Golden Yellow Metallic paint that matches the new black wheels and interior accents. Of course, for those with subtler tastes, it’s offered in “other select exterior colors.”

Inside, the cockpit is designed with deviation in mind. Two stripes of Golden Yellow run the length of the cabin, matching the headrest and headliner design as well. The carbon fiber interior kit incorporates thin copper thread, providing a unique application not seen on any other Porsche.

All of this frill is nice, but we’re more interested in the mechanical changes. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six receives a power kit, boosting power from 580 hp to 607 hp, with a peak torque output of 553 lb-ft. Power is sent to all four wheels through Porsche’s wonderful PDK seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, allowing a stupendous 0-60 mph sprint of just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph. You’ll be inching ahead of “regular” Turbo S’ as well, with a 0-124 mph time of 9.6 seconds, cutting 0.3s off the normal S.

Once you park your car, aside from those who saw you get out, no one knows it’s yours. For when you want to one-up those inside the restaurant or equestrian club, Porsche will sell you a matching Porsche Design chronograph with the same color scheme as your car.

Pricing begins at $258,550, not much more than a maxed-out Turbo S. There are only going to be 500 of these built, however, so get in touch with Porsche soon.

Porsche unveils the most powerful 911 of all time

Stuttgart/Goodwood. The fastest and most powerful road-approved 911 is ready for launch: The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS will celebrate its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK (June 30 to July 2). At the heart of this high-performance sports car is a 515 kW (700 hp) biturbo flat engine. Weighing in at 1,470 kg with a full fuel tank, the lightweight two-seater accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. The rear-wheel drive Coupé has a top speed of 340 km/h, and with its near-motorsport drive technology, the new 911 GT2 RS trumps its 3.6-litre predecessor by 59 kW (80 hp) and achieves a torque of 750 Newton metres (an increase of 50 Nm).

The engine builds on that 3.8-litre in the 911 Turbo S at 427 kW (580 hp). In order to increase performance, large turbochargers push an increased volume of process air into the combustion chambers. A new additional cooling system delivers optimum cooling at peak loads and, at very high temperatures, sprays the charge-air cooler with water. This causes the gas temperature to fall in the overpressure range and ensures optimum power output, even under extreme conditions. The customised GT seven-speed double-clutch transmission (PDK) in the new GT2 RS enables power to be transferred with uninterrupted traction. What's more, the specially developed exhaust system is made from extra-lightweight titanium, weighs around seven kilograms less than the system used in the 911 Turbo and delivers an emotional sound without precedent.

For the first time ever, Porsche Design is celebrating the debut of the high-performance sports car by releasing a special-issue watch. Offering a nod to the world of motorsport, the 911 GT2 RS watch is exclusively available to owners of the new vehicle and can only be ordered in conjunction with the new GT model at a Porsche Centre from June 30, 2017.

Racing chassis for outstanding dynamic cornering

Discipline in sport means mastering every detail. And in the world of super sports cars, cornering speeds are on another level. The 911 GT2 RS reaches these speeds thanks to its flawless racing chassis with rear-axle steering and Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyres. Like all GT sports cars, the new top model features a specially calibrated PSM with a Sport mode that is tailored to provide optimal driving dynamics. Powerful air intakes and outlets and the imposing rear wing emphasise that the vehicle’s aerodynamics have mastered both form and design. The large, wide wheels (265/35 ZR 20 at the front and 325/30 ZR 21 at the rear) ensure outstanding braking and cornering forces. The 911 GT2 RS features Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) as standard. The front wings, wheel housing vents, outer shells on the Sport Design exterior mirrors, air intakes on the rear side sections and parts of the rear end are made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFR), as are many of the interior components. The bonnet is also made from carbon to make the vehicle as lightweight as possible, while the standard trim roof is made from magnesium. Both body parts have a wide lateral swage line.

Optional Weissach package with 30-kg weight saving

Performance can always be cranked up a notch – even on the 911 GT2 RS. That’s why the Porsche engineers have developed the optional Weissach package, which provides a weight saving of around 30 kilograms. The package includes additional elements made from carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and titanium. For instance, the roof and the anti-roll bars are made of carbon, and so are the coupling rods on both axles. Magnesium wheels reduce both the gross weight and the unsprung weight, providing a greater wealth of impressive chassis properties. The luggage compartment lid and the carbon-weave finish roof are emblazoned with a central strip in the same colour as the car for a visually distinctive look.

A truly sporty interior

The passenger compartment of the 911 GT2 RS is dominated by red Alcantara, black leather and interior parts with a carbon-weave finish as standard. The GT2 RS sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles enables quick and sporty gear changes. Drivers and passengers experience the driving dynamics of the high-performance sports car in full bucket seats with a carbon-weave finish. As in every 911, the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) is the central control unit for audio, navigation and communication. The Connect Plus module and Porsche Track Precision app are also included as standard, enabling detailed recording, display and analysis of driving data on a smartphone.

The optional Chrono Package expands the PCM functions to include performance display, which can be used to display, save and evaluate track times. The package also includes a stopwatch on the switch panel with both analogue and digital display. What's more, the Chrono Package on the 911 GT2 RS comes with a lap trigger. Using the Porsche Track Precision app in conjunction with external markers on a start/finish straight, this lap trigger enables drivers to record lap times with a high level of precision.

Exclusive watch to accompany the car: Porsche Design 911 GT2 RS Chronograph

Porsche Design has teamed up with Porsche Motorsport to develop the 911 GT2 RS Chronograph for customers of the new super sports car. It is reserved exclusively for 911 GT2 RS drivers. At its heart is the first clock movement developed by Porsche Design, the product of three year’s work. The calibre 01.200 includes a flyback function, a load-path-optimised movement bridge and an official COSC certificate of authenticity. The timepiece housing is made of lightweight titanium.

The flyback function is inspired by motorsport and represents a special feature of the Porsche watch. On a traditional chronograph, the buttons must be pressed three times in order to measure consecutive time intervals: The first press stops the chronograph, the second resets it and the third restarts the measuring process. On chronographs with a flyback function, these processes happen automatically and in rapid succession. The stop function and the ongoing time display are clearly separated using yellow markings. Many of the details on the timepiece are based on the high-performance sports car. The tungsten winding rotor is modelled on the rims of the 911 GT2 RS. The clock face is made of carbon, while the design of the time display matches the instrument cluster and the tachometer. The 911 GT2 RS and its watch counterpart are exclusively available at Porsche Centres worldwide. The vehicle and watch are produced individually in line with customer wishes and delivered together.

Prices

The 911 GT2 RS will be available in Germany from EUR 285,220 including VAT and country-specific equipment. The Porsche Design 911 GT2 RS Chronograph is priced at EUR 9,450.