Gunther Werks GXR-Evo Pairs a Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six with a Manual and a Carbon-Fiber Body
- Gunther Werks has revealed its latest 993-based concoction, the track-focused GXR-Evo.
- There are hardcore aerodynamics with dive planes on the front bumper and a huge rear wing, and the cabin is stripped down to the bare necessities.
Naturally aspirated, manual-transmission, limited-production supercars are all the rage right now. There’s Gordon Murray’s V-12-powered T.50 fan car, Hennessey’s new V-8-powered Blackbird, the radical Nilu27 from the designer of the Bugatti Chiron, and the Porsche-esque Oilstainlab HF-11, to name a few. Now, Gunther Werks is throwing its hat in the ring with the GXR-Evo, a wild carbon-bodied transformation of the 993-generation Porsche 911 into a purpose-built track car.
Gunther Werks is a California-based company known for creating high-performance restomods based on the Porsche 993, the final air-cooled 911, which typically feature plenty of exposed carbon-fiber and vivid paint jobs. The GXR-Evo is the brand’s latest creation, and Gunther Werks says it is the fastest naturally aspirated car it has ever produced.
Gunther Werks says the Evo is 210 pounds lighter than its standard Coupe model, with a curb weight of just 2386 pounds. Much of that is thanks to the full carbon-fiber body, which also looks sinister and is covered in aerodynamic doodads. A large front splitter pokes out from the front end, complemented by dive planes on the outer edges of the bumper. A series of vents are carved into the front fenders to extract hot high-pressure air and produce front-end downforce.
Around back, a ginormous wing towers atop spindly struts and sports carbon-fiber endplates, and is augmented by a sizable rear diffuser. The rear window has also been swapped out for a shark-fin element that helps provide stability at high speeds, and the quarter windows have been replaced by carbon-fiber air ducts that feed the engine.
That engine is a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, developed with help from the air-cooled experts at Rothsport Racing. The engine revs to almost 9000 rpm and spits out 455 horsepower, directed to the rear wheels via a Getrag G50 six-speed manual transmission.
The GXR-Evo also boasts a special unequal-length control-arm front suspension, three-way adjustable remote-reservoir dampers, and Brembo Pista race brakes. Those brakes hide behind lightweight magnesium center lock wheels, finishing in bronze with the rear wheels sporting an aerodisc cover.
The cabin is just as extreme as the exterior, stripped down to the bare essentials. The Racetech carbon-Kevlar seat is fitted with a six-point harness, while the dashboard features a Motec digital display that shows lap times and other racing diagnostic information. There’s also a quick-release steering wheel, a digital rearview mirror, an OMP electronic fire-suppression system, and a driver helmet cooling system.
Only 15 units of the GXR-Evo will be built. Each owner will also get a bespoke racing simulator, which features carbon-fiber panels and a steering wheel that echo the car’s design. There’s no word on price, but the GXR-Evo certainly isn’t cheap.
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Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.