You don’t have to be a car aficionado to know that some cars are special. If a complete car novice sees a Lamborghini rip by or a Rolls Royce luxuriously lumber past in traffic, even they would know they saw something special – or at least expensive. Most average non-car people understand that Porsche is an expensive status symbol, but the models can blend easily if you aren’t among the initiated. A Porsche 911 Turbo S Gemballa GTR 8XX Evo-R, on the other hand – requires little explanation to see it’s a special car. However, I’ll give some further explanation, anyway. This is a car site, after all. 

The Porsche 911 Turbo S Gemballa GTR is crazy stupid rare

If exclusivity is your bag (if you’re into Porsche, it probably is), then this 911 is the one for you. Let’s start from the beginning. As our friends at MotorTrend said, the 991 generation 911 Turbo S cars are already exclusive, rare, and super powerful, pulling 580 hp from their 3.8-liter flat-six cylinder engines. Although they are pricey, they can be found and bought, but if you’re trying to impress the buddies at the Porsche club, you gotta find something more elite than this. Well, that’s where Gemballa steps in.

What is a Gemballa Porsche? 

If this name rings a bell and you aren’t a Porsche nerd, you may have heard the news last year of a guy with more money than sense wrecking one of these hyper limited Porsches last year in Manhattan. This crash enraged the Porsche nerds because when I say “hyper limited,” there are only 50 of these rolling around currently. 

When 911 Turbo S owner Eric Wong decided he wanted to stand out in the sea of Porsches, he forwent the goofy wraps and shiny wheels and went all the way to the top of Porsche Mountain, the famous Porsche tuning house, Gemballa. The tuners gave his 911 Turbo S the GTR 8XX Evo R treatment making it one of 50 in existence.

What makes a Gemballa 911 so special?

Unlike many tunes, the Gemballa GTR 8XX Evo R is not only some internal performance parts but also a whole new look. The package includes the frunk cover and front bumper; the fender flares and side skirts; and the rear bumper, diffuser, wing, and engine cover. This body kit isn’t just for looks; these new bits all improve the 911s aerodynamics. But don’t worry, they won’t add much weight as they are all made of carbon fiber. 

If there was any question about the car’s performance, the giant wing slipped on the back should clear up any queries. The body gets widened and extended with flares, vents, and airflow channels. The front facia also sports dive planes that further prove how serious this 911 is. MotorTrend makes special note of the glowing red “Gemballa” logo that now accompanies the brake lights. 

It’s getting bigger – and stronger

The rear end is now 2-inches wider than the factory version. The front end follows suit by adding 1.2-inches of width. This added width makes enough space for the new, giant GRS-F2 forged wheels wrapped in Michelin cup 2s. All this downforce and grip is as cool-looking as it is necessary. 

The already powerful 911 Turbo S gets juiced up by the folks at Gemballa. There is a pile of internal upgrades for the engine, like HD rods and ported heads with larger valves. The exhaust manifold is also upgraded for the beefier turbos, and all that boost exists through the upgraded exhaust system. All of these upgrades push the power from the stock 580 hp to a wallopping 818 hp. And, the engine and transmission both get a handy remap to use this new power effectively. 

Gemballa is not for the faint of heart

Many supercars and sportscars have been sanitized to the point where anyone can drive them. These rare Porches are not for everyone. This is the type of car that WILL kill you if you aren’t trained and prepared to handle such a thing. That is clearly the point, though. Not every car should be for everybody. I dig a good man-eater from time to time. I’m glad to see that some still exist.