It’s quite easy to become desensitized nowadays as, for better or worse, driving a 700-horsepower car doesn’t seem suicidal. Perhaps I’m just a little jaded, but cast your mind back fifteen years, when even 500 horsepower was something that seemed genuinely dangerous, almost a weapon.
Well, perhaps it was then, and perhaps it is no longer. After all, the 991 GT2 RS’ has been able to shake the model’s widowmaker reputation. Steps forward in aerodynamic and mechanical grip, a much friendlier handling balance, a manageable torque curve, and a paddle-shifted gearbox make the latest version a massive step forward from its forebear. Compared to the 997 GT2 RS, a loony car for a rare breed of brave men, the current flagship is—dare I say it—almost clinical.
So, with all that refinement and predictability, it seems another quick car must be used as a benchmark to convey just how absurdly quick the latest force-fed RS is.
The pursuer, an automotive photographer by the name of George Williams, has one of the niftiest track cars around: a Lotus Exige. However, this one has been touched by Komo-Tec, who’ve increased the engine’s output to 463 horsepower with a different pulley, a chargecooler, and a newer intake and exhaust system. Pushing around just 2,425 pounds, it is frighteningly quick and responsive. Plus, a Quaiffe limited-slip differential, a set of big Komo-Tec brakes with Performance Friction race pads, and top-tier Nitron coilovers make it a wonderful all-around car that is completely exploitable on the circuit.
That said, it’s not a pussycat, and is happy to spin the rear wheels—even at higher speeds. It helps that Williams is a very talented shoe, and knows Silverstone and his car well enough to drive in this dramatic, tail-out fashion. Some of those sideways antics are caused by an odd choice in tires—Michelin Cup 2 on front, Nankang NS2R on the rear—and the racing splitter in front, but he manages the car beautifully, despite having to dial in opposite lock regularly.
Still, even with all those assets, Williams struggles to keep the GT2 RS in his sights. Every time a reasonably straight section of the course presents itself, the gray Porsche pulls away and, at times, becomes a speck on the horizon. Only when traffic halts the Porsche’s progress can Williams get a good look at its broad rear haunches, then remark on how cool it is.
Only in the tightest sections, when aided by traffic, can Williams close the gap on the remarkably powerful GT2 RS.