Latest news with #GuntherWerks
Forbes
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Test-Driving The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo
The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo. 'What if' is one of those hypotheticals that every automotive enthusiast regularly dreams of. What if I had $100,000 to spend on a single, brand-new sports car? What if I were to swap X modern powertrain into Y vehicle from the past? Another scenario that truly lives rent-free in enthusiasts' heads: What if an automaker could create the pinnacle version of a beloved car of yore, utilizing the most up-to-date modern technology and sparing no expense along the way? When it comes to Porsche, Gunther Werks has brought this to life in various iterations, based on the mid-1990s' 993-generation 911. Recently, the Southern California operation has debuted a new model and it's the most powerful, yet: The Turbo. Starting at $850,000, this handcrafted extra-high-performance machine is more than just a restomod; it's an almost entirely in-house-produced love letter to the legendary 911 badge. Recently, I had the chance to check out Gunther Werks' facility in Huntington Beach, as well as take this new creation for a spin. Gunther Werks' boutique showroom. Getting To Know the Brand To get a good idea of what GW is all about, Peter Nam, CEO/Founder and Ross Pisarkiewicz, Director of Client Relations and Marketing, gave me a thorough tour of the building. When clients walk through the front door, they enter a beautiful showroom with carefully curated color samples, interior equipment displays, and at least one of its models bathed in beautiful showroom lighting. It's more boutique than front office, devoid of clutter, and GW even offers carefully planned dining experiences with chef-prepared meals to break bread and discuss bringing visions to life. Moving deeper down the main hallway, personnel offices face a special room designated for hand-assembling opulent interior pieces, steps away from where engineers make concepts a reality. Across the hall, craftsmen carefully put together cars' complex harnesses using aerospace-grade wiring and connectors. Finally, through the back doorway is where the majority of production kicks off. Gunther Werks' assembly facility. Here, countless carbon fiber components are carefully organized on shelves, from interior accouterments to seats, panels and aerodynamic features. Several bodywork and paint bays prepare the classic 911 shape for full assembly, and massive machinery turns out a variety of lightweight alloy and carbon-fiber wheels. Nam shared that around 90% of parts are made in-house, including the carbon fiber bodywork. This maximizes freedom in the creative process, as well as significantly decreases tariffs' impact. GW also has the ability to offer an unlimited selection of paint colors to firmly secure its place in high-end automotive customization. The 4.0-liter air-cooled flat-six engine that bolts up behind each example's rear wheels comes from Rothsport Racing, an authority in its own right, which GW enjoys an excellent technological partnership with. Suspension and electronic components are sourced from a myriad of top-tier suppliers with endless experience in motorsports, such as Motec, JRZ and KW. Visions truly come to life in the final room: Craftsmen move about each assembly bay carefully bolting models together, from heat exchanger piping to finely stitched, opulent interior pieces. It's a place where enthusiasts with an appreciation for anything classified as coach-built could spend all day poring over details. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo. Hopping In In the middle of this room sat my ride for the day: A 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo painted in gorgeous pearlescent orange. Limited to just 75 examples, this wide-body work of art pays homage to Porsche's own circuit-ready 993 911 RSR and Turbo, inside-out. While customers may choose from a selection of aerodynamic features, this one sported a massive carbon fiber wing for maximum grip and motorsports aesthetic. The instrument cluster stays true to the classic Porsche formula with five finely machined gauges reporting on the engine's vitals—three readings are dedicated to oil, since there are no coolant channels cut into its case. There's no shortage of beautiful Alcantara, carbon fiber and stitched leather inside, though simplicity is definitely the main theme. It's an open and airy environment, rich in opulence and surprisingly spacious. As the Turbo is based on an older 911, overall visibility is quite good in spite of the wing occupying almost all of the rear-view mirror. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo's interior. Firing it up produces an awe-inspiring, even-firing roar, and the event truly begins. After a few miles with Pisarkiewicz at the helm to help me get acclimated and soak it all in, it was my turn to take the wheel. Not to oversimplify the experience, but every finely machined metal surface felt perfect. From the bottom-hinged and perfectly placed pedals to the lightweight titanium shifter. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo. Massive Vehicular Joy Selecting first gear and becoming acquainted with the right ratio of clutch to gas pedal was, in a word, easy. The clutch possessed quite a bit of weight behind it, but finding the take-up point was a cinch, and the gas pedal quickly introduced me to how fast the independent throttle body-equipped 4.0 revved. Once underway, I was quickly up to speed with smooth rev-matching, heel-toe downshifts, and learning what percentage of throttle input dilated my pupils the most. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo's shifter. The Turbo's hydraulically assisted steering was rich in texture and feedback, with a brilliant ratio to match, and the brake pedal was reassuring in both its power and easy modulation. This is one rapid little sports car. No, scratch that, hypercar. With under 2,800 pounds to haul, the twin-turbo 4.0 produces as much as 840 horsepower and 594 pound-feet of torque in its most powerful Track mode. Here, 0-60 mph takes a little over three seconds, and the quarter mile comes and goes in 11 at over 134 mph. Prefer a tamer experience? A quick turn of a knob on the steering wheel cuts output to just 650 and 518, respectively, in Sport. Then, 513 and 458 are available in Comfort—it's basically always fast. There's no electronic traction or stability control to speak of, but rather the analogue kind; an aggressive aero package, massive carbon-ceramic brakes, and 295-wide track-ready tires. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo's engine. Power was brilliantly linear with barely any turbo lag to speak of, thanks to the turbos' somewhat reasonable size, generous air-to-water intercooling and a very short path for the intake charge to travel. Yet, there was never any fear of aggressive throttle inputs sending us straight into a nearby wall. All we experienced was thrilling acceleration achieved by way of a little courage and a blessedly good manual gearbox sporting perfect gearing. And then there was the beautiful soundtrack: Strong notes of quintessential Porsche howl and boost-building crescendos, followed by pronounced blow-off valve and wastegate actuations. The shove back into the seat was unreal in each gear, including some eyebrow-raising passes on the nearby freeway in sixth. Finally, thanks to intuitive adaptive shocks that adjust damping rates on the fly—compensating for every minuscule bit of pitch and roll—the Turbo rode quite comfortably. While I didn't get the chance to wring out its abilities on any winding canyon roads, It dipped in and out of traffic with precision, and dealt with Southern California's most battered roads like any number of more luxury-centric fare. To increase comfort even further, a nose lift system was equipped to make easy work of steep driveways. Combine all this with its vivacious powerplant, and I was taken aback by how effortless and daily-ready this monster was to drive. In terms of downsides, well, they really weren't any. The turning radius rivaled that of a seafaring vessel, and there was plenty of road and engine noise inside. But these are miniscule in the grand scheme of things. The Gunther Werks Turbo is an all-around idyllic high-performance driving experience. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo. Pinnacle There's no mistaking that every fine-tuned aspect of the Gunther Werks Turbo's assembly resulted in an equally fine-tuned driving experience. Quality of construction and materials were second-to-none, its visceral driving experience was a highlight of my career, and I'm still amazed over its brutal-yet-user-friendly performance. Anyone who gets behind the wheel will agree—kudos to GW for creating a blank-check scenario that blends '90s 911 and modern hypercar technology so well. The 2025 Gunther Werks Turbo.
Auto Blog
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Vorsteiner Just Made Lamborghini's V12 Supercar Even Wilder
BMW And Porsche Expertise Comes To Lamborghini This publication hasn't covered anything from aftermarket tuner Vorsteiner, at least not in a long time, so it may not be common knowledge how respected the company is. Before we jump into its latest offering, for the Lamborghini Revuelto, here's a quick and highly simplified history lesson. Vorsteiner was founded by Peter Nam, forging a reputation in the BMW world for producing beautiful wheels with an OEM+ aesthetic alongside high-quality carbon fiber aero and cosmetic upgrades. Nam is so obsessive about detail that when reviving the tuner's E46 M3 carbon fiber program on its 20th anniversary in 2024, only 103 packages were made as a nerdy nod to the remarkable horsepower-per-liter figure of the CSL that this suite of interior and exterior upgrades mimics. That kind of obsessive interest in excellence had already elevated Nam to the next plane by 2017, when he founded a little restomod company called Gunther Werks, named after a German-born American, Pad Leader Günter F. Wendt. He was the last earthly individual astronauts saw before blasting off from Kennedy Space Center on Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions (among others). This symbolizes the link between Stuttgart's 911 as a base and California's GW as the mission. In a nutshell, the people at Vorsteiner know what they're doing, so this new Lambo kit will fit as well as if it were made in Sant'Agata. Five-Piece Carbon Kit Promises Multiple Improvements Vorsteiner says these parts don't exist just for appearance's sake. At the front, a wraparound spoiler is claimed to improve front-end downforce and a carbon hood reduces weight, though Vorsteiner admits the vents are only cosmetic. The massive vents on the lighter carbon fenders, however, are functional, channeling wheelhouse turbulence up and out to reduce instability and lift. Behind the front wheels, new side skirt elements aim to clean air down the side of the supercar, and at the back, a new rear diffuser aims to offer even more aerodynamic benefit. We should note here that Vorsteiner hasn't made any specific claims as to how much weight has been shaved, nor any specific details on downforce, so any gains are likely minimal. Remember, this is a contemporary Lamborghini V12 flagship supercar, so there's not much to improve on without fundamental alterations. Reversible Kit Available In Various Forms The best part about Vorsteiner's Aero Package is that everything bolts on using the original mounting points of the car, so the whole kit can be uninstalled when it's time to sell the supercar, keeping the resale value strong. More pertinent at this stage is what these parts cost, all of which, including the depicted fenders, are finished in gloss carbon, so buyers will need to spend a little more at their local body shop if they want to tone things down with paint. Front spoiler: $6,995 Hood: $11,995 Vented front fenders: $9,995 Side skirts: $9,495 Rear diffuser: $14,995 All, the full kit costs $53,475 before ftment, and that's without completing the look with a set of wheels. Vorsteiner offers 17 styles in Revuelto fitment, with three different prices across those designs: $12,380, $13,180, and $14,180. These numbers aren't exactly pocket change, but when you've already spent no less than $608,000 before options, what's another 68 grand? About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Auto Blog
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Manhart Turns Porsche 911 Turbo S Into Hardcore Supercar
This is the 911 to have if you're in a hurry. Manhart Has Pulled Off Something Special Everyone wants a piece of Porsche's quickest 911 right now. Earlier this week, Gunther Werks released an exorbitantly priced aero kit for the 991 Turbo S, but that didn't add more power or performance to the 640-horsepower sports car. Fortunately, Manhart exists and has just revealed the TR 900 II, a 992-gen Turbo S that has been enhanced with a comprehensive performance kit. The result is a Porsche 911 with outrageous power and hardcore looks to match. Source: Manhart EV-Like Power And Torque Hybrids and EVs have long surpassed pure ICE cars in raw power and torque, but Manhart has shown what's possible without any electric assistance. Whereas the stock Turbo S produces 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, the TR 900 II dials things all the way up to 922 hp and 804 lb-ft. That 922-hp figure is presumably metric horsepower, but it still works out to 909 imperial hp – far surpassing the standard Turbo S. The flat-six engine has been boosted by a Manhart Turbo performance kit, in addition to ECU remapping. A new stainless steel exhaust with valve control has also been fitted, as have race downpipes with 200-cell catalytic converters. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic has been beefed up to cope with the extra power, but the standard carbon-ceramic brakes have been left as is, since they're already powerful and durable enough to cope with the normal Turbo S' incredible performance. Manhart makes no claims about how quick the TR 900 II is, but based on the fact that the stock Turbo S hits 60 in 2.6 seconds, we expect a time in the low two-second range; at this level, even a few tenths shaved off the normal Turbo S time would be a massive achievement. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. It Looks The Part, Too The standard 911 Turbo S is not the most impactful 911 to look at – that's a role reserved for the likes of the track-focused GT3 RS. But the TR 900 II is no ordinary 911, and it shouldn't look like one. To that end, Manhart added Concave One forged wheels measuring 21 inches in front and 22 inches at the back. The body sits 1.2 inches lower, thanks to Manhart lowering springs by H&R, giving this Porsche an even more menacing stance. A Moshammer aero kit includes a front spoiler, side skirts, and a rear diffuser. A larger carbon rear spoiler completes the look. Source: Manhart Black stripes on the body and unique wheel finishes are complemented by a Manhart steering wheel logo and Manhart-branded floor mats inside, but otherwise, the interior hasn't been changed too much. No price was provided for the TR 900 II, but expect a figure far beyond the $230,400 of the standard Turbo S. This level of power doesn't come cheap, even if using all of it may prove to be a mighty challenge in the real world. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Auto Blog
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Extreme Porsche 911 Turbo S Aero Kit Costs Almost $70,000
911 Turbo Aero Package Costs As Much As A New Cayman S There's a Porsche 911 for every occasion, and if you want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, the Turbo S is the one for the job. It's not the most hardcore 911 track toy, but every inch of the 911 Turbo S has been optimized for unrivaled speed. Attempting to improve on this extreme 911 takes considerable expertise, but Gunther Werks – a renowned Porsche builder – has shown it can be done with a new 992.1 Turbo S Aero Package. This pack coincides with the launch of the tuner's new sub-brand, GW9, and takes the 911 Turbo S to new heights – but it also makes the already expensive 911 even less attainable. Source: Gunther Werks Eight-Piece Aero Package Is Both Tasteful And Functional Every component in the pack is crafted from aerospace-grade, pre-impregnanted carbon fiber that has been made using autoclave technology. This process increases stiffness by up to 30% when compared to conventional carbon fiber; either way, let's appreciate the properties of carbon fiber while we still can. The eight components available are: Rear wing Rear diffuser Side skirts Side intake trim Front intake trim Front spoiler with winglets Front spoiler winglets Front spoiler with side fins This is not some mad Mansory mission where visual impact trumps aerodynamics. Rather, GW9 has ensured that every part builds upon the 911 Turbo S' existing attributes. For instance, the rear wing optimizes stability at high speeds, while the rear diffuser reduces rear-end lift. The front spoiler with winglets was designed to boost front-end downforce, helping to keep the Turbo S glued to the asphalt. The side fins also contribute to stability at high speeds. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 'GW9 by Gunther Werks components are made specifically for modern Porsche fitments and our goal is to enhance the already great design, while giving our customers a unique package that stands out,' said Peter Nam, CEO and founder of Vorsteiner and Gunther Werks. 'GW9 exemplifies our innovation and craftsmanship and it offers a way for the Porsche community to access the Gunther Werks brand.' Components Can Be Purchased Individually, But They're Not Cheap The GW9 brand's site indicates pricing for each of the aero pack's components, and they range from $3,995 for the aero front spoiler winglets all the way to $13,195 for the rear wing. The combined price of all components (with the most expensive finishes) is just over $68,000. Add a set of four GW9 magnesium monoblock wheels, and the total swells to an eye-watering $84,740. That could buy you a brand-new Porsche 718 Cayman S. Then again, the base price of a new 911 Turbo S is already $230,400, so anyone who can afford that will likely also be able to afford a high-end carbon fiber aero package. As a subsidiary of Gunther Werks, which operates out of California, the GW9 brand is expected to expand in the months ahead. Currently, it also has aero packs for the 991.1 GT2 RS, 991.1 GT3 RS, and Taycan. Source: Gunther Werks 911 Turbo S Is A Scary Performer In case you needed reminding, the Porsche 911 Turbo S is a spectacular sports car. Its 3.7-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine produces 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. While some 911s are rear-wheel drive, such as the GT3 and GT3 RS, the Turbo S gets all-wheel-drive traction. This, plus the lightning-fast shifts of the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, allows the Turbo S to streak from 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. Keep your right foot planted, and you'll eventually hit a top speed of 205 mph. GW9 hasn't specified if its aero package improves on these figures in any way, but there's no doubt that any Turbo S is one of the quickest gas-powered cars in the world. Source: Gunther Werks About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Top Gear
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's Gunther Werks' new £46k aero kit for the 992-gen 911 Turbo S
Here's Gunther Werks' new £46k aero kit for the 992-gen 911 Turbo S Those magnesium wheels will set you back an extra £12k on top. Ouch Skip 15 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 15 Fancy dressing up yer 992-generation Turbo S? Cali-based Porsche tuner Gunther Werks has just unveiled this shiny new carbon fibre aero suit, and it adds more presence to a car that isn't really lacking any. You'll need £46k for all eight pieces, including a front lip sporting aggressive fins, side skirts, plus a rear diffuser and redesigned wing combo. Wire an extra £12k on top, and Gunther Werks will add lightweight, forged magnesium alloys from Vorsteiner. Advertisement - Page continues below In return, the kit aims to improve downforce and airflow while maintaining a factory level of fit and finish, since these parts slot right into the OEM mounting points. The carbon used is also said to be 30 per cent stronger than the traditional stuff, since it's bonded with Autoclave technology. It's a process whereby the raw material is first cured within a temperature and pressure-controlled chamber, increasing stiffness and durability. No more performance on offer, but again, the 911 Turbo S isn't really lacking any. The 3.7-litre flat-six kicks out 642bhp, gets to 62mph in under three seconds and hits its vmax at 205mph. It's the first product to be released by Gunther Werks' new sub-brand, 'GW9', which will focus primarily on suiting and booting modern 911s. Expect to see more kits like this in due course. Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
