Gunther Werks Officially Produces Its Fastest Naturally Aspirated 911 Yet
Gunther Werks has spent nearly a decade finding increasingly extreme ways to reinvent the air-cooled Porsche 911, and its latest creation pushes the 993 platform closer to a race car than ever before. Meet the GXR-Evo, a 455-horsepower, sub-2,400-pound supercar that Gunther Werks calls the fastest naturally aspirated car in its history.
Only 15 examples will be built globally, but exclusivity isn’t really the headline here. Gunther Werks removed 210 pounds compared to its Coupe, developed a new aerodynamic package, added double-wishbone front suspension, and paired a nearly 9,000-rpm naturally aspirated flat-six with a six-speed manual transmission. The company describes the GXR-Evo as bridging the gap between road legality and motorsport capability. Judging by the specification sheet, that gap is getting awfully small.
A 9,000-RPM Flat-Six Meets Insane Weight Reduction
Gunther Werks and air-cooled Porsche specialist Rothsport Racing co-developed the GXR-Evo’s 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, which produces 455 horsepower and revs to nearly 9,000 rpm. A specialized slide-valve throttle-body system replaces conventional butterfly valves to remove restrictions within the intake tract, while a re-engineered Getrag G50 six-speed manual sends power to the wheels. Gunther Werks hasn’t provided acceleration or top-speed figures, despite describing the GXR-Evo as its fastest naturally aspirated creation.
Gunther Werks GXR-Evo Vs. Stock Porsche 911 Carrera (993)
 32 autotech Specification |
Porsche 911 Carrera (993) |
Gunther Werks GXR-Evo |
|---|---|---|
|
Engine |
3.6-Liter Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six |
4.0-Liter Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six |
|
Horsepower |
270 HP |
455 HP |
|
Redline / Max Engine Speed |
6,700 RPM |
Nearly 9,000 RPM |
|
Weight |
3,064 LBS* |
2,386 LBS** |
|
Transmission |
6-Speed Manual |
Re-Engineered Getrag G50 6-Speed Manual |
The bigger number might actually be 2,386 pounds. That’s the GXR-Evo’s quoted dry weight, representing a 210-pound reduction over the Gunther Werks Coupe. The entire body is constructed from carbon fiber with a 12k 2×2 weave, while lightweight magnesium center-lock wheels remove additional mass. Gunther Werks hasn’t forgotten about noise, either. A raw straight-pipe exhaust sits behind that naturally aspirated flat-six, which should make approaching 9,000 rpm considerably more entertaining.
The 993 Built To Attack Every Apex
The carbon-fiber body has been shaped around more than weight reduction. A large front splitter, canards, vented front fenders, and integrated air tunnels work together to generate front-end downforce and relieve pressure around the front wheels. Things get even more serious around back. A new high-downforce rear wing uses sculpted carbon-fiber endplates, while Gunther Werks has completely deleted the rear window and replaced it with an integrated shark-fin stability element. Carbon-fiber quarter windows direct air toward the engine.
Underneath, a bespoke double-wishbone front suspension works alongside JRZ three-way adjustable remote-reservoir dampers. Brembo Pista race brakes, motorsport-grade ABS, and a competition-level tire-pressure monitoring system round out the track hardware.
That represents a substantial transformation from the 993-generation Porsche 911 sitting underneath it all. Gunther Werks’ goal was straightforward with the GXR-Evo: make everything lighter, sharper, and ultimately faster.
Even The Interior Has Gone Full Race Car
Anyone expecting traditional Porsche luxury will probably want to look elsewhere. A Racetech carbon-Kevlar racing seat and Schroth six-point harness position the driver inside an eight-point roll cage, while a configurable Motec digital display handles lap timing and race diagnostics. Gunther Werks also developed a new quick-release steering wheel. Then come the details that reveal just how seriously the company expects owners to use these cars.
There’s a built-in pneumatic air-jack system, OMP electronic fire suppression, a digital rearview mirror with an integrated backup camera, and even a driver helmet cooling system for longer track sessions. The GXR-Evo also launches a new partnership with OPTIMA Batteries, which will become the exclusive lithium-battery supplier for future Gunther Werks projects.
All 15 Owners Get Another GXR-Evo For Their House
Gunther Werks is throwing in one particularly unusual extra with each of the 15 cars. Every owner receives an individually commissioned and numbered racing simulator developed with MYSIM. Each simulator is hand-welded from 6061-T6 aluminum, covered in carbon-fiber panels, and fitted with a simulator-specific steering wheel designed to match the one inside the actual GXR-Evo.
More importantly, each simulator will be configured to replicate the dynamics of its owner’s individual car. That gives drivers somewhere to learn the GXR-Evo before attempting the same thing with 455 horsepower, a six-speed manual, and nearly $0 worth of rear window between themselves and whatever they just passed. Gunther Werks hasn’t disclosed pricing for the GXR-Evo, but with just 15 examples planned, anyone who has to ask probably wasn’t getting an allocation anyway.
Source: Gunther Werks
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