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What’s expected to be most powerful Porsche 911 of all time is under development, but it could be at least two years before the vehicle arrives in showrooms.
The 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS has been caught on camera testing at the Nurburgring in Germany – the first time the halo model has been spotted in the latest ‘992’ generation.
Porsche engineers appear to have begun initial testing of the GT2 RS – expected to be the most powerful road-going 911 variant of all time – ahead of its expected unveiling in 2025 or 2026.
The prototype has borrowed a GT3 RS body to hide in plain sight, with what look to be intercoolers fitted in the air intakes above the rear wheel arches – strongly suggesting this particular vehicle has been fitted with a pair of turbochargers, as per the GT2 RS recipe.
Our spy photo agency in Europe also confirmed the “unmistakable” sound of turbochargers.
As reported by Drive in March, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is expected to incorporate a 400-volt mild-hybrid system, helping to deliver more than 520kW of power, and with a torque figure to exceed the previous-generation’s output of 750Nm.
All of which should amount to a 0-100km/h sprint time of less than the claimed 2.8 seconds of the previous GT2 RS, which was powered by a 515kW 3.8-litre twin-turbo horizontally-opposed “flat” six-cylinder engine – despite only being rear-wheel-drive.
The GT2 RS earned the nickname of ‘The Widowmaker’ due to its high-performance twin-turbo engine powering the rear wheels – unlike the 911 Turbo, which uses all-wheel drive to help manage its power output.
Sources have told Drive the extra weight from the battery and electric motor will be offset with a lightweight body, with the use of a carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic bonnet, roof, and mirrors, along with magnesium wheels and polycarbonate windows for selected markets.
Don’t be fooled by the twin centre exhaust tips on the prototype – it appears as if they are dummies, with the real tailpipes just barely visible on either side, due to the new exhaust plumbing required to accommodate the twin turbochargers.
While the 992-generation GT3 took about three years to develop – from the first prototype being spied at the Nurburgring to its unveiling – the GT3 RS only needed two years of development, with its first appearance in August 2020.
Given this timeline, the first batch of 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RSs could be delivered to customers in late 2025, with a potential unveiling date of early 2025.
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