Porsche 911 GT2 RS breaks Nurburgring lap record

Porsche has claimed a new production car lap record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany aboard a modified version of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

The German car-maker said this morning it had clocked a blistering 6:43.300 lap of the gruelling 20.8km layout, beating the previous production car benchmark set by the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series last November by three-tenths of a second.

The caveat is the 991-generation Porsche 911 GT2 RS in question was fitted with a Manthey Performance kit that is only available to Porsche customers in Europe, where it is backed by a full Porsche factory warranty.

The Manthey kit subs in aerodynamic, coil-over suspension and brake upgrades from the team at Manthey Racing, and was complemented in this instance by Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres as well as magnesium alloy wheels from an optional Weissach Pack.

Manthey is a Porsche-owned motorsport team, and because the Manthey Performance package is sold and backed by Porsche, it allowed the GT2 RS to claim the new production car record.

Importantly, power in the record-setting GT2 RS is unchanged from the donor car, at 515kW (700hp).

The new benchmark was achieved on June 14 in the presence of a notary, Porsche said.

Driver Lars Kern set the new benchmark as hot conditions descended on much of Europe, imposing a track temperature of 41 degrees.

“The 911 GT2 RS sticks to the track like glue with the Manthey Performance Kit – you feel as if you’re in a racing car, especially on faster corners,” said Kern.

“It is truly breathtaking how the car puts its 700 PS down, and how incredibly well it brakes while always remaining easy to control.”

Manthey-Racing announced the arrival of select MR kits in Australia in December 2019.

The first of those was a $130,000 MR Aerodynamic Package which includes underbody components, canards, an enlarged rear diffuser and bigger, more aggressive rear wing.

Suspension upgrades include multi-adjustable coil-over dampers, springs and strut tops, and braking enhancements via upgraded lines and pads. Lighter magnesium wheels are offered in a choice of finishes.

Late last year, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS set a new production car lap record at Bathurst’s Mount Panorama circuit, with Targa competitor Jeff Morton behind the wheel.