Presenting the new Porsche 911 GT2 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is proudly launching the most powerful 911 so far homologated for road use. Through its striking design with large air intakes at the front and the rear wing so characteristic of this very special model, the new Porsche 911 GT2 expresses the power and performance potential of the fastest-ever 911 right from the start even at a standstill. Available exclusively with rear-wheel drive and a manual six-speed gearbox, this high-performance athlete accelerates to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 329 km/h (204 mph) on average fuel consumption
of just 12.5 litres/100 km (equal to 22.6 mpg imp) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), thus offering a level of fuel economy regarded as quite impossible in this performance class just a few years ago.

The power unit of the new Porsche 911 GT2 is based on the six-cylinder boxer engine of the 911 Turbo, with air supply by two exhaust gas turbochargers featuring variable turbine geometry (VTG). The 3.6-litre boxer engine achieves its maximum output of 530 bhp (390 kW) at 6500 rpm, with maximum torque of 680 Newton-metres maintained consistently between 2,200 and 4,500 rpm. With its unladen weight of 1,440 kg or 3,175 lb, finally, the 911 GT2 offers a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.72 kg/6.00 lb per horsepower.

The increase in engine power by 50 bhp over the ”regular“ power unit is provided in the new Porsche 911 GT2 by two turbochargers with a larger compressor wheel and a flow-optimised turbine housing raising turbocharger pressure to an even higher level. And for the first time Porsche’s engineers have combined the turbocharged engine with an expansion-type intake manifold – a genuine revolution on turbocharged power units.

The expansion intake manifold uses the principle of oscillating air in the intake manifold during the cooler expansion phase, keeping the temperature of the fuel/air mixture lower than in the 911 Turbo. This, in turn, means a significant increase in all-round efficiency, with fuel consumption down by up to 15 per cent under full load despite the increase in engine output.

The Porsche 911 GT2 offers new achievements also in terms of emission management and control: This is the first Porsche homologated for the road to feature a rear silencer and tailpipes made of titanium as standard equipment. This expensive material reduces weight by approximately 50 per cent versus a comparable component made of stainless steel to just 9 kg.

The new Porsche 911 GT2 comes as standard with PCCB brakes featuring brake discs made of a composite carbon fibre/ceramic compound ensuring maximum stopping power maintained with an extremely high level of consistency. A further advantage is that PCCB brakes reduce the weight of the unsprung masses versus comparable grey cast-iron discs by approximately 20 kg or 44 lb.

Yet another feature fitted as standard is the electronically controlled PASM Porsche Active Suspension Management. (PASM). The GT2 comes on 19-inch light-alloy wheels running at the front on 235/35 ZR 19, at the rear on 325/30 ZR 19 sports tyres.

The new 911 GT2 will be at the dealership in November 2007. The base price of the car in Germany is Euro 159,100.-, the market price including 19 per cent value-added tax Euro 189,496.-.

This whole green thing might be catching on. Exhibit A: a 911-based GTStreet from Techart.

Yes, it's another German tuning firm doing the modding thing on another supercar. But look at the sheer greenness of it all.

It really is very, very green. And in spite of ourselves, we think we like it.

Techart claims it started 'with a blank sheet of paper' when it created the GTStreet. Which isn't strictly true. It actually started with a 911 Turbo.

But the GTStreet gets a full bodykit with retractable carbon-fibre splitter, as well as a range of new and intriguing air inlets.

Techart has fiddled under the bonnet too, extracted another 150bhp from the Turbo's 3.6-litre flat six. That raises overall power to a scary 630bhp, while torque is up to 501lb ft. That knocks half a second off the Turbo's 0-60mph, which now comes up in just 3.2 seconds.

There's a fat new set of brakes as well, but all we can focus on is the hypnotic luridness of the paintjob.

If only we'd known going green was so easy, we wouldn't have had to worry about all that jatropha and hemp. And that poor G-Wiz.

Quickly following the leak of the official brochure for Porsche’s upcoming 911 GT2 yesterday, new official images have emerged ahead of the super-coupe’s unveiling at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show.

Official output figures for its twin-turbo 3.6L flat-six stand at 530hp at 6,500rpm and 505lb.-ft. (693Nm) of torque from as low as 2,200rpm and held steady all the way to 4,500rpm. The jump in power over the regular Turbo model on which the GT2 is based comes from the increased boost pressure supplied by the twin Variable-Turbine-Geometry blowers.

Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual as standard but there’s no word if Porsche’s new dual-clutch gearbox will be available. Top speed is a claimed 204mph, and acceleration to 60mph from rest takes just 3.6 seconds with 100mph passing in just 7.4 seconds.

New features include specific 19in GT2 wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a three-stage ‘PASM’ traction control system, where stage one removes stability control, stage two turns off traction control and the third stage leaves you to your own devices.