Wednesday 18th December 2024

Check out the turbocharged 992 GT3 from 9ff

Concerned the GT3 lacks a bit of welly? Two turbos and 760hp ought to sort that

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Those of you with a working knowledge of Porsche tuners - more PHers than not, we’d wager - might remember 9ff. Back in the '00s, it was legendary for truly crazy Porsche-shaped supercars like the 1,000hp, six-speed manual GT9, the 216mph CT78 that was once a Cayman and the 236mph TRC-85 - at the time the fastest convertible in the world. Power was 9ff’s stock in trade, until filing for bankruptcy in 2013. But a new company - 9ff Engineering - was formed later that same year and soon up to very similar antics. If a Porsche didn’t have a turbo, fit at least one; if it did have turbochargers, make them bigger. 

This is its latest offering, the F92 GTurbo, resurrecting a 9ff tradition first seen back in 2010: strapping a pair of blowers onto a GT3, for those who must have 9,000rpm and the torque of a Turbo. Available for all GT3s including RS and ST and manual or PDK transmissions, 9ff is promising 760hp and 553lb ft. This is the first round of tuning, moreover; like the good old days, 1,000hp is said to be in the offing. 

Generating that additional 50 per cent in output is a pair of ceramic ball bearing turbos, a 9ff manifold, its own exhaust and high flow cats, a chunky intercooler and all the associated plumbing, an uprated clutch, presumably quite involved ECU remapping, and a boost pressure control; that features two settings for those occasions when McLaren-rivalling power isn’t needed.

Some serious hardware for a serious uplift in power, then. Perhaps a little at odds with the GT3’s road racer, nat-asp screamer vibe, though it's certainly hard not to be just a little intrigued by the prospect of so much power with 9,000rpm still possible. And compatibility with the manual, which of course isn’t possible in a Turbo (Sport Classic aside).

9ff reckons the F92 GTurbo kit ‘takes the performance of these vehicles to a new level’, and 62-124mph in five seconds supports that claim. Interestingly, too, because all the parts are bolt-on, and the internals unchanged, 9ff says the conversion is ‘fully reversible and preserves the character of the vehicle.’ Presumably, anyone who fancies 1,000hp when it comes will have to be more committed to the cause in terms of modification permanency. 

For now, it'll cost you €50k plus tax for 9ff to transform your GT3, which is currently £41,000. Clearly, a big investment - but when it’s done, what a 911 these 9ff customers stand to get in return. One way to keep a 992 GT3 feeling more than fresh with a new one imminent, that’s for certain. And secondhand cars start from a little under £150k… 

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• New Porsche 992.2 GT3 officially unveiled
• 2023 Porsche 911 S/T | PH Review

[Nik Gnashers]

What a car !

Love it.
It doesn't seem to be styled in an overly excessive way, and really looks nice to my eyes.
Performance is breathtaking, and still with plenty of revs to give a real race-car for the road, feeling.

I'm not sure there are many road cars I would rather have.

[GTRene]

>because all the parts are bolt-on, and the internals unchanged, 9ff says the conversion is ‘fully reversible and preserves the character of the vehicle.’ <

sounds great, but I wonder do they not limit the 9k rpm with so much extra power and that high rpm? or do they put the limiter a bit lower, say 8 or 8.5 rpm? to keep the standard engine a bit save?

[Maccmike8]

Yes





Yes





Yes

[Benzinaio]

Yes please.

Without the Renaultsport colour combo.

[Camry_Man]

When are you reviewing this beast, Matt?

[bigyoungdave]

cool and I wouldn't say no. But doesn't turbocharging a GT3 undermine it's raison d'etre somewhat. Porsche themselves bang on about how the 500bhp and weight of the nasp car is just the right amount

[Baldchap]

bigyoungdave said:

cool and I wouldn't say no. But doesn't turbocharging a GT3 undermine it's raison d'etre somewhat. Porsche themselves bang on about how the 500bhp and weight of the nasp car is just the right amount

There is such a thing as too much power for a given vehicle to drive nicely, that's for sure.

Be nice to find out though...

[griffdude]

Wow, that turbo pack on a touring would be perfect for me.

[Tomatogti]

bigyoungdave said:

cool and I wouldn't say no. But doesn't turbocharging a GT3 undermine it's raison d'etre somewhat. Porsche themselves bang on about how the 500bhp and weight of the nasp car is just the right amount

I totally agree. I guess it's better to consider it a cut price GT2 for those on a budget? For track days I'd think a standard GT3 would be better.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

griffdude said:

Wow, that turbo pack on a touring would be perfect for me.

The RS bonnet is probably a step too far for a Turbo pilot but is required, I guess to keep the car protected from heat soak.

[GTRene]

Camry_Man said:

When are you reviewing this beast, Matt?

and needs a good sound check inside and outside the car, just to compare to the NA sounds, but I guess its still great.

[Demonix]

Absolute beast of a 911, can there be that many owners who find there 500bhp gt3 lacking performance though? Be interested in a back to back test of a standard gt3 vs the 9ff to see if the addition of turbos and the extra horses enhance the car or ruin it.

[ManyMotors]

"For now, it'll cost you €50k plus tax for 9ff to transform your GT3, which is currently £41,000." So the market for used 992 GT3s just crashed like equities.

[Paracetamol]

Hopefully compatible with the manual gearbox.

What a beast that would be ! (I have the Touring version and have never wanted more power.. however …)

[SimonKD]

I have no idea how to feel about turbo charging a GT3, just for the sake of it. For some reason it’s almost like it’s going against the concept of the car because it is that pure naturally aspirated thing you know. But then again, 760hp? You still get to enjoy that 9,000rpm redline, that’s hard to ignore. A definite interesting, albeit how you can take it back to stock if you wish. I'd be quite interested to see how it feels on the road or track as a standard GT3. It's the stuff you could either play the entire game with or the car just has so much power.

[RSstuff]

I thought turbo engines ran a lower static compression ratio than normally aspirated engines. Or is that an outdated concept now.

[big_rob_sydney]

Back in the day, turbocharging a NA car was often associated with a change in the pistons, to decompress them, and allow for the bump from the turbo. I'd be curious to know from a technical perspective what is happening inside the engine; what is the compression ratio pre v post?

[BAMoFo]

RSstuff said:

I thought turbo engines ran a lower static compression ratio than normally aspirated engines. Or is that an outdated concept now.

I think it all depends on how much boost the turbochargers run at to provide the maximum power. Low boost applications don't always require a lower compression ratio.

[sam.rog]

Wow they produced a gt2. Wonder why porsche never thought of that.

[Box Fresh]

Nah.
If I want a turbocharged 911 GT, that’s what the GT2 is.
The GT3 knows the driving experience is all about the 500bhp / 1,400kg sweet spot.