It's shaping up to be one of the most desirable and exciting Porsches ever produced – but already there's a queue of would-be owners keen to shell out upwards of $645,700 for the 911 GT2 RS.
It is the first time Porsche has used the GT2 badge since 2009 – and the first time it has been applied to the current 991 generation of the iconic 911.
The track-focused turbocharged monster is triple the price of the regular 911 is it based on – but brings big performance aimed at potent exotics such as the upcoming McLaren 720S and Lamborghini Huracan Performante.
Indeed, performance is what the GT2 RS is all about.
Whereas many 911s are praised for their everyday liveability, the GT2 RS compromises some of that for race track performance.
As with the GT3 RS – a conceptually similar car that does without turbochargers, so has less power – the GT2 RS gets bigger wheels shod in stickier rubber as well as lower suspension with firmer springs.
It rides on the same 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rears of the GT3, the ones at the back 325mm wide.
And it misses out on rear seats, with the back of the car instead filled with a roll cage.
The GT2's design is dominated by a large rear wing and low front spoiler as well as the additional air vents on the front wheel arches, part of an extensive aerodynamics and cooling system designed to lower lap times.
Powerful stuff
With 515kW the 911 GT2 RS is more powerful than any Porsche ever sold in Australia.
Only the multi-million 918 Spyder outpunches it – with a monstrous 652kW from its twin turbo V8 and two electric motors – but that car was only produced with the steering wheel on the left, so was never sold in Australia.
The GT2 RS uses an upgraded version of the 3.8-litre horizontally-opposed six-cylinder in the 911 Turbo S.
Power is up from the 427kW in the Turbo S (or 446kW in the limited edition Exclusive Series) courtesy of larger turbos and a system that sprays water on the intercoolers to reduce air intake temperatures, therefore creating denser air with more oxygen.
However, whereas the Turbo S powers all four wheels, the GT2 RS drives only the rear wheels.
That was done predominantly to save weight – one of the big focuses with the GT2 – with the GT2 RS around 150kg lighter than the Turbo S.
The GT2 drives exclusively through a seven-speed twin clutch automatic transmission, eschewing a manual option, which was recently added to the GT3 RS.
Acceleration to 100km/h is claimed at 2.8 seconds for the GT2, just 0.1 seconds quicker than the Turbo S.
However, its top speed is 340km/h, a full 10km/h up on the Turbo S.
Porsche hasn't revealed acceleration figures to 200km/h, but expect the GT2 RS to be significantly quicker than the 9.9 seconds claimed for the Turbo S.
Watch and learn
Shaping up to be almost as desirable as the car is a chronograph watch that can only be purchased in conjunction with the car.
Designed by Porsche Motorsport and Porsche Design, the respected design house associated with the car maker, the 911 GT RS Chronograph includes an in-house clock movement that was three years in the making.
The body of the clock is made of titanium and its face of carbon fibre.
Its winder is made of tungsten and was inspired by the multi-spoke wheels on the GT2.
The watch's details – such as colours and the band – are also matched to that of each individual car, increasing the personalisation and appeal.
Material stuff
The 911 GT2 RS is a mixture of exotic and expensive materials, all carefully chosen for their strength and lightweight properties.
The bonnet, mirror shells, air intakes, front spoiler and sections of the rear are all made of carbon fibre.
The roof is made of magnesium while the powerful track-focused brakes have expensive carbon-ceramic discs.
If all that light-weighting isn't enough then Porsche offers an optional Weissach pack – named after its German research and development facility – which strips another 30kg from the car.
The pack includes a carbon fibre roof and various carbon fibre suspension components as well as magnesium wheels.
Join the queue
The GT2 RS is one of Porsche's worst kept secret.
The car has been sprung testing numerous times in recent months and Porsche even revealed the look at a launch of the computer game Forza Motorsport 7, in which its track hero is one of the cars gamers can drive virtually.
Little wonder, then, that enthusiasts have been queuing to own one.
Dealers have been taking deposits for more than a year, with Porsche admitting there has been "a lot" of interest for a car expected to arrive in Australia early in 2018.
However, unlike the limited edition 911 R, the GT2 RS is an ongoing model, so unlikely to face the same restrictions on how many will be heading Down Under.
Porsche says the Australian allocation hasn't been finalised but there are orders into double figures.
Whatever the number, expect it to not only be the fastest Porsche ever sold here but also one of the most exclusive.