Techart GTstreet R MonoChrome: The German Tuner's 800 Horsepower Nod To Five Decades Of The Porsche 911 Turbo

Techart GTstreet R Monochrome Picks Up Where The Porsche 911 Turbo 50 Years Left Off

First, forget about the subtle "Turbonite" color on the Porsche edition. The Monochrome goes all-in with a near-black exterior, with just a hint of gold accents for a touch of menace. One look at the massive rear wing and you won’t doubt its aerodynamic capabilities. It retains the active aero parts and brakes from the Turbo S, ensuring you can shed the immense speed that this is capable of.

Frankly, the extensive aero kit may look a bit extreme and certainly is a bit much for my taste, but it actually generates four times the downforce on the rear axle compared to a stock car. So clearly, it’s not just for show and Techart claims it improves handling at speeds as low as 87mph, perfect for a high-speed Autobahn blast or a serious track day.

Black continues its reign inside, with a luxurious "Manufactory Interior" featuring even more carbon fiber than Porsche offers, along with reupholstered seats and a new steering wheel. Techart throws in some "traditional heritage fabrics" for a bit of contrast.

But the Monochrome isn’t just about the aesthetics. There’s a lot of substance under the skin. It boasts a heavily modified 3.8-liter flat-six engine, packing 810 horsepower – that’s 160 more than the standard Turbo S! Techart promises a "declaration of war unleashed at the push of a button" with this power upgrade, and with 700 pound-feet of torque, they’re probably not exaggerating.

So, with the facts out of the way, is it worth it? Well, here’s my take. Let’s talk money first. The Porsche 911 Turbo 50 years (seen above), will set you back $261,000, making it just under 30 grand more than a stock 911 Turbo S. For the money, what you get is mostly cosmetic upgrades with some more standard equipment. With no power upgrades, I see this as a missed opportunity for Porsche.

Beyond the standard features of the 911 Turbo S, the 911 Turbo 50 Years offers

• Sport exhaust system with black tailpipes

• Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) sport suspension with a 10 mm lower ride height 

• Front-axle lift system

• Tinted LED Matrix design headlights with Dynamic Light System Plus

• Black brake calipers

As for the Monochrome, beyond the wild body kit, which is also functional, you so get a substantial boost in power over the standard car, making it seem like the better anniversary edition compared to what Porsche is offering. While no official price tag is available, to give you some context, the GT Street R (also based on the 992.1 Turbo S) with the Flyweight treatment, will set you back $300,000+. As the name suggests, it is 130 pounds lighter than a stock 911 Turbo S. Also, with only 20 destined for production, Techart has gone ahead and made this limited-run model, even more exclusive and collectible.