Ready for a new lap time war? Porsche and AMG are readying their next track weapons
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Porsche and Mercedes-AMG are going to battle it out for the Nürburgring crown with a pair of track-honed, turbo-powered sports cars both created with one thing in mind: to claim lap records.
From Stuttgart comes the third iteration of the GT2 RS, the model that has always marked the outer edge of the 911's performance capabilities – and insiders have told Autocar that the new one looks like it will raise the bar once again.
Affalterbach's fighter comes in the form of a successor to the GT Black Series of 2022. Based on the current AMG GT that was launched in 2023, the newest variant will be previewed by the Concept AMG GT Track Sport that is expected to be revealed at September's Munich motor show. PORSCHE TO PUSH 911 EVEN FURTHER
The most extreme road-going Porsche 911 yet is edging closer to production. Due to be unveiled this year before production starts in 2026, this is the third iteration of the nameplate since the first GT2 RS arrived in 2010.
Prototypes feature aggressive new bodywork, including a drastically widened rear wing that gives it a race car-like stance that is more dramatic than that of earlier incarnations.
Power for the GT2 RS will come from a new hybrid drivetrain derived from Porsche's Le Mans cars. Compared with the 691bhp Mk2 version, this will give the new GT2 RS a performance lift that will be vital for setting a lap record on the Nordschleife.
The drivetrain will be centred around the 3.6-litre flat-six engine of the GTS T-Hybrid, the most powerful 911 on sale today, but it will be pushed further.
In that car, the engine is supplemented by a single electronic turbo and a gearbox-mounted motor to deliver 534bhp and 450lb ft. The GT2 RS will add a second electronic turbo and a more powerful electric motor to target a combined output of at least 750bhp. One insider has suggested to Autocar that more than 800bhp is possible.
Power will be sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Torque is expected to exceed comfortably the 590lb ft of today's 911 Turbo S.
Given the new architecture, it will be heavier than the previous 1470kg GT2 RS. Sources suggest a gain of around 60kg is likely, even with extensive use of carbonfibre, a reduction in sound insulation, the fitment of Perspex windows and the use of other lightweight trim elements.
The aerodynamic package is set to be even more dramatic than that of today's 911 GT3 RS.
At the centre of that is a more aggressive active rear wing that will build on the naturally aspirated sibling's 860kg of downforce at 177mph. It will also offer DRS-style rear wing stalling.
To increase downforce further, the new GT2 RS will also sport a lower front diffuser and a host of air channels, the latter for improved stability at high speeds and inspired by Porsche's racing efforts.
The ball-jointed suspension will build on the current GT3 RS's adjustable architecture and is likely to retain the eight-way adjustability of bump, rebound, diff lock and traction settings. Expect reworked calibration, broader track widths, stiffer anti-roll bars and a recalibrated rear-wheel steering system. Braking will be via carbon-ceramic discs as standard.
While we've yet to see the cabin of the new GT2 RS, it will likely shift to the digital cockpit introduced in other newly facelifted 911 models, with options for roll cages, racing harnesses and CFRP-backed bucket seats. Porsche is also expected to continue to offer the Weissach package as part of its track-focused configuration options.
Historically, the GT2 RS has served as the final evolution of each of 911's model generations and the pinnacle of the nameplate's performance.
To hit the feats required by Porsche, the new GT2 RS will need to beat the Mercedes-AMG One's 6min 29.09sec Nordschleife record. That means shaving almost 10 seconds off the previous GT2 RS's best time.
That's a massive leap in performance, requiring not only substantial gains in power and traction but also aerodynamics and chassis refinement. It also underscores just how serious Porsche's engineers are about extracting the full potential out of its longest-running production model.
While pricing has yet to be confirmed, the new 911 GT2 RS is expected to exceed the £200,000 base of its predecessor. Porsche has already committed to continuing 'low-volume, high-emotion' models as part of the 911 line-up, with production set to be very limited.
Before it arrives, however, Porsche plans to roll out hybrid versions of the 911 Turbo and Turbo S, which will serve as the technical forerunners for the 911 GT2 RS. BLACK SERIES TO RETURN?
Up against the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS will be Mercedes-AMG's own track-honed lap-time chaser, which will be powered by a potent turbocharged V8.
The new challenger will be previewed by the Concept AMG GT Track Sport. Also likely to be revealed at the Munich motor show in September, the concept is based on the second-generation AMG GT coupé that was launched in 2023.
In its brief announcement, AMG didn't provide any technical details of the new concept but confirmed it previewed an 'expansion of the GT series' that would be powered by a V8.
The production version of the concept will serve as the new flagship GT model and is likely to be seen as the successor to the AMG GT Black Series of 2022. AMG has said the new car will be designed to achieve lap records. The 2022 GT Black Series produced 730bhp from a highly modified version of AMG's twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8.
That car's engine is the most powerful series-production V8 the German firm has made, but the showroom version of the new concept is expected to push beyond that output with its own V8. The most powerful variant of the second-generation GT range at present is the 603bhp track-focused Pro.
The preview images of the new concept reveal its track-bred pedigree. It has a huge, GT3 racing-inspired rear wing, a chunky front diffuser and wide front and rear tracks.
The news that it will be powered by a V8 also confirms AMG isn't yet done with combustion power, despite work being well under way on the creation of the first electric AMG GT, due for launch in 2027 and previewed by the recent 1341bhp Concept GT.
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