Built to satisfy FIA GT2 homologation, the 993-gen 911 GT is regarded as the holy grail of the air-cooled era. 450hp, 2,730lbs, 189mph and 0-62mph in 3.6s. Its racing counterpart, the GT2 R, claimed two class victories at Le Mans, a class win at Daytona, and numerous further successes in GT racing.
Throughout the 1980s, the World Sportscar Championship and top flight prototype racing in general had been in rude health; an abundance of manufacturers were taking part and competitive cars for privateers meant grids were normally packed. However, when the FIA tried to phase in a 3.5-litre N/A engine rule from 1989, costs began to rise exponentially. With turbocharged Group C cars no longer eligible from 1992 and most major economies in free fall, the World Sportscar Championship struggled for support. As a result, the 1993 season was cancelled altogether.
What emerged in its place was the return of GT racing: privateers running competition-prepared versions of genuine production cars. With manufacturers no longer spending much, homologation requirements were slackened to the extent that, so long as one road-going version of a car had been made, racing versions were permitted to compete. The four new classes for 1993 comprised GT1 through GT4.
Porsche initially offered its customers two new racing models for 1993: the 964-based 911 Carrera RSR 3.8 and the 968 Turbo RS. Additionally, the factory developed a unique GT1 works car: the 964-based Turbo S LM. Having appeared at Sebring and Le Mans in 1993, the Turbo S LM was loaned to Larbre Competition for 1994 when it won the four BPR GT Championship races it contested. That season, the car ran a new 3.6-litre engine which would go on to appear in a turbocharged 993-based customer racing car for 1995: the 911 GT.
During the 1995 season, the 911 GT raced in the GT3 category. For 1996, it was moved up to the GT2 class. As a result, it is commonly referred to as the 993 GT2. The 911 GT racing car was launched at the Essen Motor Show in November 1994. The 911 GT Straßenversion followed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1995 where it was unveiled alongside the new series production 911 Turbo.
When placing their order, buyers were given three specification levels to choose from. Option code M001 was for racing trim, M002 was for a Comfort street version and M003 was the Club Sport street version. M003 Club Sport 911 GTs came with a fully integrated body coloured roll cage, Recaro bucket seats trimmed in fire-retardant fabric, six-point harnesses, a battery cut-out switch and fire extinguisher. The carpet and sound deadening was deleted. To further reduce weight, a clutch disc with torsional dampers was fitted instead of a dual mass flywheel.
Production started immediately after the Geneva Motor Show in March 1995 and continued until mid 1996. 194 were built (seven of which were right-hand drive). Porsche also took 78 orders for the racing variant which went on to dominate its class.
The 993 GT2 may have dominated the GT2 category, but Porsche believed the car had far more potential. Based on it, the company then developed eleven GT2 Evo models for the GT1 category as an interim solution until the 911 GT1 was ready for the 1996 season. The GT2 Evo featured even wider fenders, a more aggressive front splitter, a distinctive double-deck rear wing, and well over 650 hp.