Porsche tuner Gunther Werks has just revealed its latest analog air-cooled monster. Actually, in the grand scheme of things, this car doesn’t really have monster power. But it’s used in the best possible way, wrapped in a lightweight body with aero galore. The company’s founder calls it the “purest interpretation” of what his company stands for.
We call it a flyweight 911 that looks ready to tear up your favorite race track. And it comes with a matching racing simulator, so you can get ready for that track day without putting your ultra-exclusive Porsche at risk. Say hello to the Gunther Werks GXR-Evo.
Blurring The Line Between Road And Track
Gunther Werks GXR EVOGunther Werks
Gunther Werks starts off with a 993-generation Porsche chassis. The final air-cooled 911 generation sheds its steel body for one made from carbon fiber that helps cut 210 pounds from the car. At the same time, it adds new aero elements like a high-downforce wing and vented front fenders to help plant the car to the pavement at speed.
The GXR-Evo is road legal, but it is clearly meant for the track. It has a stripped-out cabin with little more than a racing seat, roll cage, and Motec digital display. Even the rear window is gone, with a carbon fiber panel and center fin taking its place. Pneumatic air jacks under the car are perfect for pit stops, and a quick-release steering wheel helps make driver changes more rapid as well.
A 4.0-liter flat-six powers this 2,386-pound Porsche. Developed with Rothsport Racing, it makes 455 horsepower and can rev to 9,000 rpm. The engine uses slide valves instead of butterflies just to make sure the intake flow has as few restrictions as possible. A six-speed from Getrag has been gone through to make it better suited to what Gunther Werks wants from the car.
Will Your Own Sim Get You Ready For This Beast?
Gunther Werks GXR EVOGunther Werks
Brembo Pista racing brakes stop the car. The suspension uses JRZ three-way adjustable shocks and Gunther Werks has designed its own double-wishbone layout in the front to replace the factory MacPherson struts.
Gunther Werks describes the car as “an exercise in engineering created to bridge the gap between road legality and motorsport capability.” It looks amazing, and the straight-piped exhaust surely sounds equally impressive. But we’ve seen a gazillion takes on the 911 during this year’s Monterey Car Week alone, which could make this build tough to stand out in a crowd. Even if the company’s founder says that the development of this car took nine years, and that it looked to cut as much as possible from the end result.
Where the GXR-Evo might truly manage to differentiate itself is with that racing sim rig. All 15 GXR-Evo customers will get their own racing simulator from Mysim. They’re made from aluminum with carbon fiber panels meant to match the car.
They even have a steering wheel that matches the GXR-Evo, and Gunther Werks says the sim is set up to mirror the dynamics of the Porsche. So even if you can’t make it to the track that weekend, you can turn some laps in a digital copy from the comfort of your own home. Or in your track side house at your motorsports neighborhood of choice.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The Porsche 911 has always been a very popular car for tuners, but this year is just ridiculous with how many are being presented to wealthy buyers. It’s beyond a cliché at this point, but we have to give Gunther Werks some credit for this one. The focus here isn’t on big power or shock value – it feels like an actual purpose-built car for buyers to enjoy like a car instead of a work of art. We can respect that.
And the sim racing setup gives this car a little something extra that we’re not seeing from anyone else. In a segment that is really, really oversaturated with 911 builds, this one does manage to stand out, if only slightly.
