History - Storyboards

When it comes to the Porsche 911, the GT2 has always sat at the top of the food chain

The latest and final episode of Porsche Heritage Moments, a series celebrating 50 years of the Turbo throws light on the 997 GT2

Featuring big names in the Porsche world, Timo Bernhard, Thomas Krickelberg, and Frank Jung share their insights into the engineering, history, and legacy of the Turbo’s wild cousin

Porsche’s clever application of Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) to gasoline engines was a game-changer, debuting in the 997 Turbo seen here

Unlike traditional turbos, which suffered from lag, VTG allowed the 997 Turbo to achieve peak torque at just 1,950 RPM

Where race-car tech generally trickles down into road cars, it was the other way round in case of the Porsche Le Mans 919 that adopted VTG

530 horsepower delivered with a savage linearity. No turbo lag, just relentless acceleration

An aggressive rear wing and a redesigned front splitter ensured downforce to put all that power down, about 660 pounds

Unlike the Turbo’s all-wheel-drive system and driver aids, the GT2 relied solely on rear-wheel drive, making it unforgiving in the wrong hands

At just 3,174 lbs, the GT2 also shed weight through measures like lightweight glass, aluminium and carbon-fiber panels

This made the 997 GT2 about 400 lbs lighter than a Turbo S from the time

Ceramic brakes, tech developed from Porsche’s motorsport programs, were standard on the 997 GT2

The GT2 nameplate hasn't made a comeback for the 992 generation, but rumor has it that a hybridized variant may be on the horizon, debuting somewhere in 2026

Beyond the 997 GT2, the trio also touched upon the 911 Turbo 50 Years, a limited edition tribute to the 930 Turbo from 1974. To watch the entire episode, swipe up

In the early 1970s, Porsche faced increased competition and new engine displacement regulations in endurance racing

Legendary Porsche engineer Nobert Singer shares his insights about the origins of Turbocharging in the German brand's race car history

Porsche developed the 917/10, a naturally aspirated sports prototype with a 5.0-liter flat-12 engine

In 1972, Porsche introduced the 917/10 Turbo, equipped with twin KKK turbochargers, generating over 1,150 horsepower dominated in the Can-Am Series

Porsche focused on overcoming challenges like turbo lag and improving throttle response

Porsche developed advanced aerodynamics with rear wings and body kits to maximize downforce while minimizing drag

Next to feature in the film was the 911 Carrera RSR Turbo, which packed a downsized 2.1-liter flat-six engine with turbocharging technology and 500 horsepower on tap

The main focus of the 911 Carrera RSR Turbo with that downsized flat-six engine was on improving fuel economy and efficiency for endurance races like Le Mans

This was the car that laid the foundation for future generations of turbocharged Porsche sports cars, including the iconic 930 Turbo and modern 911 Turbo models

The third and final car that featured in the film was the Porsche 936 finished in the iconic Martini livery

In 1976, Porsche introduced the 936, a Group 6 race car with a turbocharged 2.1-liter flat-six engine, becoming the first turbocharged car to win Le Mans

Porsche's motorsport legacy is deeply intertwined with its racing history and Turbocharging. To catch Norbert Singer's insights about the origins of the Turbo story, swipe up.

Porsche has built some truly astonishing and historically significant models in its 75+ years of existence

Porsche Type 64 was founder, Ferdinand Porsche's vision of the perfect sports car

Despite the VW Beetle engine, it was one of the fastest cars of its day in 1939, thanks to a very low drag coefficient

The 356 was Porsche’s sports car, long before the 911

The 1,113-cc, air-cooled flat-four was a carry-over from the Type 64 and is the precursor to all other 356s and it is a true one-off car

The 1953 Porsche 550 Spyder was the brand's first race car

550 corresponds to the weight figure in kilograms - 1,212 pounds

Originally conceived as a Le Mans-winning car in 1969, the Porsche 917 laid the foundation for future turbocharged Porsches

Between 1969 and 1971, a total of 37 cars were built, in different body styles and varying power outputs

Later variants of the Porsche 917K developed up to 1,580 horsepower

The 2.7 Carrera RS established many traditions in the 911 lineup

Making its debut in 1972, this was the precursor to Porsche 911 GT models

It was the first Porsche to feature a ducktail spoiler, among other features

Thanks to a Mezger-build flat-6 the Carrera 2.7 RS was the fastest car of its day

The original 911 Turbo earned a grim reputation and an awesome nickname - the Widowmaker

The way the turbo built boost made the car violent and fairly unpredictable, causing many accidents, some of which fatal

Despite that, the Porsche 930 Turbo is one of the most desired, classic 911s

In 1986, the Porsche 959 was officially the fastest production car in the world

The 959 is Porsche's first supercar and one of the most advanced vehicles of its time

Its flat-6 was partially water-cooled and featured twin turbochargers, good for 444 or 508 horsepower in the 959 S

The Porsche Carrera GT is considered the last analog supercar, featuring next to zero driver assists and a manual transmission

Its V-10 engine was originally meant to be used in racing but was later adapted for road use. To this day, it has one of the most iconic sounds

Similar to the 930 Turbo "Widowmaker", the Carrera GT developed reputation for being very demanding on the driver

Swipe up to learn more about these historically significant Porsches

The Porsche 928 was introduced in 1977 and was believed to be the eventual replacement for the 911

The front-engined 2+2 GT sportscar was Porsche's answer to Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar

Ferry Porsche, son of founder Ferdinand Porsche played a pivotal role in marketing the 928,

It is one of four models, from Porsche's transaxle model which also includes the 924, 944 and 968

In times when Porsche was struggling to sort out the rear-engine 911, the 928 made for a more manageable sports car

The 930 Turbo had a vile reputation

As a result, Porsche decided to play it safe with a more luxurious, front-engined 2+2 GT car with the 928

The Porsche 928 was more mildly-mannered despite being exclusively powered by V-8 engines

Roughly 15 percent of all Porsche 928s made had a manual, making them the most sought-after

The pop-out headlights were one of many design quirks the 928 was known for

Despite the 928's initial success, Porsche never stopped making the 911

The 911 was always the brand's poster child when it came to motorsports

Meanwhile, the 928 was the only Porsche sports car to not have a racing program

The 964 came out in the perfect time and fixed much of what was wrong with the 930

The 964 arrival was accompanied by a decline in 928 sales

In 1995, the Porsche 928's 18-year production would come to an end...

solidifying the 911's position as Porsche's true flagship sports car

Nowadays, the legacy of the 928 is cared for by Nardone Automotive, which makes exquisite resomods

Swipe up to learn more about Porsche's true plans for the 928 and why it was never meant to be a true replacement for the 911

The first turbocharged Porsche was not a 911

But one of the final iterations of the 917 race car, more specifically the 917/10 and the 917/30

The first 911 to receive a turbocharger was the 1974 Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1

Thanks to a big single turbo, its 2.1-liter boxer engine produced from 500 to 620 hp

In 2024, Porsche celebrates 50 years of the 911 Turbo - its most capable road-going variant

Because of its big single turbo and laggy characteristics, the 930 Turbo was nicknamed the Widowmaker

The more powerful, 3.3-liter variants of the original 911 Turbo feature a K26 turbocharger, for upto 330 hp in the Turbo S model

2006 marked a milestone for Porsche's turbocharging game, with the 997

The Porsche 997 Turbo was the first 911 to feature variable-geometry turbochargers

Some advantages of VGT technology include better heat resistance, more power, and broader torque curve

The more track-focused, 997 GT2 and GT2 RS models feature similar turbo technology, but with upgraded turbos for even more power

The first production hybrid 911 marked another evolution in Porsche's forced induction technology

The T-Hybrid loses the twin-turbo for a big single turbo that's electrically-assisted

The turbocharger's E-motor helps with spooling and can turn excess exhaust gasses into energy

Swipe up to learn more about Porsche's obsession with turbos

This low-key resto-mod could be the ultimate, track-ready classic 911

This 1972 Porsche started life as a race car and hits the Nurburgring with all the might and grace of an air-cooled 911

The classically-correct Fuchs wheels retain the factory, 15-inch size, but are wrapped in modern, Nankang CR-S rubber

A 24.6-gallon fuel tank ensures longer track sessions and greater range

The original interior has been refurbished in Vintage Black leather

Despite being a track weapon, this 1972 Porsche 911 features a full interior

The only hint of modernity is the short-shifter. Behind it, sits the handbrake, flanked by the manual choke and heater control

RS-style leather straps serve as door handles to keep the weight at barely 2,330 lbs

The car still features the original, 5-gauge instrument cluster

The original, 2.3-liter engine has vacated the spot in favor of a modified, 3.4-liter unit

The new engine is still air-cooled and carburated. It packs nearly 300 horses and apparently, a very wide power band

A number of plaques in the engine bay give essential information about the classic 911

Only 1972 cars featured an oil-reservoir and oil-filler mounted in front of the rear axle, for better weight distribution

Swipe up for more info on this classic 911 track weapon and to see it tackle the Nurburgring

Both the 911 Dakar and the Singer ACS are Porsche sportscars that work off-road

Singer beat Porsche to the off-road sports car game by introducing the ACS in 2021

The Porsche 911 Dakar was introduced in November 2022

Like all Singer cars, the ACS is based on a Porsche 964

Porsche 911 Dakar is based on the 992.1 Carrera 4 GTS

ACS stands for All-terrain, Competition Study

Singer ACS features two 5-way adjustable dampers per wheel and 265 mm of suspension travel

In its max-ride height setting, the 992 Dakar features up to 80 mm more ground clearance than the standard 911 GTS

The 911 Dakar's 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6 is good for 473 hp and 420 lb-ft

Singer ACS is powered by a Porsche-build, air-cooled boxer of the Mezger design

You can adjust the power of the Singer ACS between 450 and 600 horsepower

The 911's Dakar-inspired livery pays hommage to the 1984 original, Porsche 953 Dakar

Both Singer ACS and Porsche 992 Dakar feature roof-mounted racks for additional equipment

The Singer ACS is more hardcore than the 992 Dakar, with a stripped-down, rally-spec interior

The 911 Dakar features a lot more creature comforts and is essentially a well-spec'd 992 cabin

Production of the Porsche 911 Dakar was limited to 2,500 units

Only 2 Singer ACS prototypes were developed... for now

2023 Porsche 911 Dakar cost $223,450

While the Singer ACS is north of $1.0 million

Sadly, Singer had to go back to the drawing board due to legal issues with Porsche

Swipe up for the full story and to see how Prosche's 911 Dakar compares to the Singer ACS

Besides Porsche, Subaru is one of the few automakers to embrace boxer engines, and this is the EG33 flat-six mill

It was based on the EJ-series flat-4 engines and is popular as an inexpensive option for Porsche engine swaps

The EG33 engine features thick cylinder walls, and has a sound profile that's similar to Porsche's air-cooled flat-six

Unfortunately, the EG33 engine was mated to a slow and unreliable, 4-speed automatic

Luckily, manual conversions are available and easy to perform

The EG33 was only used in the 1991-1996 Subaru Alcyone SVX coupe

Italian connection: The Subaru SVX was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign

The McLaren F1-esque side windows were more of a "form-over-function" design element

All Subaru SVXs feature a two-tone exterior from the factory

Despite the canopy-inspired roof, the sunroof does not feature a glass

Similar to a Porsche 993, the Subaru SVX featured a lightbar connecting the taillights

With a drag coefficient of 0.29, the wedge-shaped Subaru coupe could make the most of the flat-six's 220-250 hp, and reach a top speed of 154 mph

Subaru SVX was meant to be a grand tourer, and featured lots of Alcantara inside the cabin

There was almost a shooting brake model, dubbed the Amadeus, based on the SVX and using the same flat-six engine

Swipe up to learn more about Subaru's EG33 engine and the car it came in.

Porsche has employed Boxer engines in its sports cars for decades

The first time Porsche used a boxer engine wasn't in a Porsche car, but the original VW Beetle

The first Porsche to feature a boxer engine was the Type 64. It was a modified VW Beetle engine

Hans Mezger was responsible for almost all Porsche boxer engines in the brand's history

The last Porsche to feature the Mezger boxer-six engine was the 997 GT3 RS 4.0

Porsche chose the boxer engine for a few important reasons, and all of them have to do with the car's driving dynamics

The boxer engine (especially the six-cylinder variants) are incredibly smooth and balanced

This also allows boxer engines to feel like they can rev more freely

The low engine profile makes for better handling, despite some earlier 911s suffering from snap oversteer

Before AWD became common, cars with rear-mounted engines had better handling in harsh conditions

Among the boxer engine's many advantages is that they are the best candidates for air cooling

However, boxer engines are very wide, making them more difficult to service

Boxer engines are also more expensive to make due to their compelxity

But having the boxer engine in the rear allows the 911 to launch like no other car

Porsche doesn't plan on phasing out the boxer engine, and the T-Hybrid powertrain ensures it

Swipe up to read more about the benefits and drawbacks of Porsche's boxer engines.