Some 43 years of Porsche 911 production had passed by the time the 997-generation GT2 was revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. Through its numerous guises and since the inception of the model—fittingly, also revealed in Frankfurt four decades earlier—the rear-engine platform of Porsche’s flagship sports car has become legendary, while the GT2 interpretation of the model’s sixth incarnation was the most impressive yet. Turning out 523 brake horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbocharged, 3.6-liter flat-six, the 911 GT2 could race to a top speed of 204 mph, making it the fastest street-legal 911 ever produced at the time of its introduction.
For the extra features the 911 GT2 gained to make it faster, Porsche stripped just as much away to save weight. The most noticeable sacrifice was to forego the 911’s 2+2 rear seats, while the option of all-wheel drive was removed in favor of the lighter rear-wheel-drive layout. Stuttgart engineers even pared back layers of insulation around the cabin to give the GT2 the feeling of a race car for the road. Sports bucket seats were fitted as standard, with adaptive sport seats available, while bodywork was distinguished by additional air intakes in place of fog lights matched with an extra air intake beneath the front hood, underpinned by a wide lip spoiler. A side air intake was characterized by a mid-mounted strut bar and complemented by a looming rear wing.
The example offered here finished production at Porsche’s Stuttgart factory in April 2008, built to US spec and finished in triple-Black with matching-color exterior, roof, and leather interior. The 911 was equipped with desirable optional extras including the Sport Chrono Package Plus, Bose Surround Sound, in-built satellite navigation, and seat belts in Speed Yellow. Notably, it is equipped with the highly desirable, lightweight composite sport bucket seats, a feature greatly sought-after today. The car’s svelte exterior was matched by the fitment of a set of 19-inch GT3 alloy wheels.
According to a copy of an accompanying CARFAX report, this car was delivered new through Porsche Center Rocklin, California, in May 2008 and purchased by its first and only owner one month later, at which point it was registered in the state of Montana. The Porsche has been used sparingly by its sole owner, with the odometer reading just 4,974 miles at the time of cataloguing.
To this day, the 997-generation 911 GT2 remains an incredible car to drive and enjoy, providing truly astonishing performance. This well-kept example would surely be a thrill to drive and enjoy for any enthusiast.