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Porsche 997 GT2 versus Porsche 997 Turbo

Posted on 15. Aug, 2009 by PB in 911

We all know that Porsche has been putting out the hottest cars recently with their improvements to the 997 line. If you're here, we know you've already chosen a Porsche as an option, but now it's time to make the ultimate decision: which Porsche is for you? Would you go for a high specced Turbo, or add some extra cash and go for the GT2? Both cars are so similar, yet so different in many ways. I know which one I would go for, but first, let's get some of the specs out of the way.

Porsche debuted the 997 Turbo in 2006 to the widespread, excited adulation of the car world. Most of its unique superficial details are well known by now to car lovers, most notably the retractable rear wing and the large air intakes in front of and behind the rear wheels. The Turbo's engine is a proprietary re-design of Porsche's groundbreaking 964 GT1 engine, which was noted for its ruggedness and reliability and exceptional power. In addition, the engine comes with a turbocharger that uses a two stage resonance intake system, the world's first non-diesel variable geometry turbines with Borg Warner's Variable Turbine Geometry technology, and comes with an optional 10 second Sport Chrono overboost.

Excited? You should be. Porsche's always conservative official figures indicate 480 HP and an acceleration to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. However, the US car rag Motor Trend recorded times of 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, which makes the Turbo easily one of the quickest cars in the entire world. The Turbo's published top speed is 311 km/h, but there have been reports of reaching 320 km/h from reliable sources.

Even with all of that, the Turbo doesn't stand up to the GT2. The GT2 is Porsche's fastest and most powerful road car ever sold, and is among the few fastest road cars in the world. The GT2 is like a Turbo on steroids, and has the specs to match.

The 997 GT2 has a twin turbocharged 3.6 liter engine based on the 997 Turbo's engine. However, Porsche installed a significant power increase through a completely proprietary expansion intake manifold design in which the distributor pipe is longer than in the Turbo and the intake manifolds are shorter. This has a significant affect on the engine's kick. Porsche's officially published numbers highlight a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 3.6 seconds (as compared to 3.9 with the Turbo) and a published max speed of 329 km/h, compared to 311 with the Turbo. Unofficial numbers are even more absurd, highlighted by a 0 to 100 km/h in 3.0 seconds. At this point, it's starting to become physically impossible to go any faster.

The GT2 is so absurdly powerful that it's the first Porsche that comes with something called a "launch control," which coordinates the engine to make maximal use of the engine's turbo chargers. With the launch control, the engine automatically optimizes the revs in the engine to launch, an overboost that blows the Turbo's out of the water.

The GT2 looks similar to the Turbo. You can differentiate it by a larger rear wing with small air scoops on either side and titanium exhaust pipes.

Most people who have driven both cars report an extremely different experience. Both cars are among the fastest in the world, that much is clear. Still, people who drive the Turbo report a feeling of control, a sense that they can control the car and it responds to them. The GT2 on the other hand gives people out of body experiences. It wrests control from the driver and tears up the road. The difference in the feel of the two cars is night and day. If you're interested in a real feeling of power and road dominance, then the GT2 is easily preferable. People haven't labelled the car the "Widowmaker" for nothing.

Tags: 911, 911 Turbo, 997 GT2, 997 Turbo, GT2