Porsche 911 GT2 (996)
2001–2005 · Porsche 911 GT2 (996) — Sports Car, Flat-6 Twin-Turbo, designed by Pinky Lai.
The Story
The 996 GT2 is the first water-cooled ‘Widowmaker’ — the car that revived Porsche’s most fearsome badge for the modern era. Where the 996 Turbo had all-wheel drive and civility, the GT2 (2001) pulled the front driveshafts out, sent all 462 PS of its Mezger twin-turbo flat-six to the REAR wheels only, deleted the rear seats and sound deadening, fitted bigger turbos, carbon-ceramic brakes and a fixed wing — and crucially ran NO stability or traction control. The result was a brutal, hardcore, rear-drive twin-turbo 911 that demanded total respect and earned the ‘Widowmaker’ nickname all over again. Rare and increasingly collectible, it’s the purist’s hardcore 996.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Sports Car class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Pinky Lai
Born in Hong Kong and trained in Rome and London, Lai is best known for the controversial-but-crucial 996 — the first 911 designed from scratch since 1964 — whose platform-sharing with the Boxster helped save the company.
Studio Motors POV
The first water-cooled ‘Widowmaker’ — Mezger twin-turbo, rear-drive, no electronic net. A documented, original 996 GT2 is a rare, hardcore collectible; respect what it is and buy the history.
The Engine
Mezger flat-six (water-cooled)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About 911 GT2 (996)
Worth Knowing About the 911 GT2 (996)
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) It uses the same bulletproof Mezger twin-turbo block as the 996 Turbo/GT3 — but rear-drive-only, with bigger turbos and ~10% more power (462 PS). 2) It was among the first road Porsches with standard carbon-ceramic (PCCB) brakes. 3) No traction or stability control, rear-drive, and big turbo power on a rear-engine car — that's exactly why the GT2 name (and the 'Widowmaker' reputation) returned.
5 Fast Facts
- • 2001–2005 (~1,287 built). • 3.6L Mezger TWIN-turbo flat-six, 462 PS; REAR-drive only. • No stability/traction control — the 'Widowmaker' reborn. • Among the first with standard carbon-ceramic brakes. • A rare, hardcore, appreciating Mezger collectible.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: no documented/citable celebrity owner verified here. (Excluded rather than guessed.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The Mezger engine is durable, but this is a serious, no-aids car — buy on documented history, originality and an experienced prior owner, and check the PCCB brakes (expensive). Rear-drive twin-turbo with no nannies demands respect. A clean, original, well-documented 996 GT2 is a rare hardcore Mezger collectible that’s appreciating.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Porsche 911 GT2 (996)
- Class
- Sports Car
- Production years
- 2001–2005
- Units built
- ~1,287 (all years incl. Clubsport)
- Variants
- GT2, GT2 Clubsport; Coupe (RWD)
- Engine layout
- Rear
- Engine
- Flat-6 Twin-Turbo
- Engine family
- Mezger flat-six (water-cooled)
- Displacement
- 3.6L / 3600 cc
- Power
- 483 hp
- Torque
- 472 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 3.9 s
- Top speed
- 198 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 335 hp/tonne · 6.6 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 6-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3175 lb
Questions
911 GT2 (996) FAQ
What engine does the Porsche 996 GT2 use?
The 996 GT2 uses the Mezger M96/70 3.6-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six producing 483 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, driving the rear wheels only through a 6-speed manual. It shares its engine architecture with the 996 Turbo but routes all power rearward with no stability control in early cars, earning it the widowmaker reputation.
Why is the Porsche 996 GT2 called the widowmaker?
The 996 GT2 delivers 483 hp to the rear wheels only, with no all-wheel drive safety net and no stability control on early models. The combination of massive turbo thrust, rear-wheel drive, and a short-wheelbase 911 tail-happy handling balance made it exceptionally demanding — one wrong input under power could provoke a snap oversteer. Road and Track and the broader motoring press applied the widowmaker label to the GT2 lineage for this reason.
What is a Porsche 996 GT2 worth today?
The 996 GT2 trades in the $150,000-$250,000 range in 2025-2026 markets, with exceptional low-mileage examples reaching toward $400,000. Values have appreciated sharply since 2020 as the Mezger-engined GT cars gained recognition. Hagerty tracks the 996 GT2 and publishes condition-based valuations.
How does the 996 GT2 differ from the 996 Turbo?
Both cars use the Mezger twin-turbo 3.6-litre engine, but the GT2 produces more power (483 hp vs 420 hp), is rear-wheel drive only versus the Turbo’s all-wheel drive, and deletes the rear seats and sound insulation to save weight. The Turbo is the more exploitable everyday car; the GT2 is a stripped racing homologation special for skilled drivers only.
Can I buy or finance a Porsche 996 GT2 through Studio Motors?
Yes. Specialist lenders can structure financing on these appreciating collector Porsches.
The Porsche Lineup
Explore every Porsche
911 (Original) ’64904 Carrera GTS ’64914 ’69
911 Carrera RS 2.7 ’72911 (G-Series) ’74911 Carrera RS 3.0 ’74911 Turbo (930) ’75924 ’76928 ’77
911 Turbo (964) ’90911 Carrera RS (964) ’91968 ’92911 (993) ’94911 Carrera RS (993) ’95911 Turbo (993) ’95911 GT2 (993) ’95Boxster (986) ’96911 (996) ’97911 GT3 (996) ’99
911 Turbo (996) ’00911 GT2 (996) ’01Cayenne (955) ’02911 (997) ’04Boxster / Cayman (987) ’04Carrera GT ’04911 Turbo (997) ’06911 GT3 (997) ’06911 GT3 RS (997) ’06911 GT2 (997) ’07911 Sport Classic (997) ’09Panamera (970) ’09
911 GT2 RS (997) ’10911 Speedster (997) ’10Cayenne (958) ’10911 (991.1) ’11Boxster / Cayman (981) ’12911 Turbo (991) ’13911 GT3 (991) ’13918 Spyder ’13Macan (95B) ’14911 GT3 RS (991) ’15Cayman GT4 / Boxster Spyder (981) ’15911 (991.2) ’16911 R (991) ’16718 Cayman / Boxster (982) ’16911 GT2 RS (991) ’17Panamera (971) ’17Cayenne (9Y0) ’17911 Speedster (991) ’19911 (992.1) ’19718 Cayman GT4 / Spyder (982) ’19Taycan ’19
911 Turbo (992) ’20911 GT3 (992) ’21Cayenne Turbo GT (9Y0) ’21911 Dakar (992) ’22911 GT3 RS (992) ’22911 Sport Classic (992) ’22718 Cayman GT4 RS / Spyder RS (982) ’22911 S/T (992) ’23911 (992.2) ’24911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid (992.2) ’24Panamera (972) ’24Macan Electric ’24
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