Porsche's One-Off Flachbau RS Revives the 'Moby Dick' Slantnose on a GT2 RS

Key points

• The Flachbau RS is a unique, road-legal modification of a 991.2 911 GT2 RS, designed to reinterpret the 1970s 935 'Moby Dick' racing car.
• The project took three years and involved Porsche, Porsche Motorsport, Weissach, and Manthey, with design led by Grant Larson.
• Key modifications include new front fenders, a slantnose bumper, three-tier LED lighting, and a manually adjustable rear wing that generates up to 554 kg of downforce.
• The car is 31.6 kg lighter than the base GT2 RS Weissach Pack, achieved by removing the PCM system, audio, sound deadening, and unnecessary wiring.
• The powertrain remains unchanged, retaining the 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six producing 700 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque.
• Porsche validated the car with 50 laps at the Nürburgring, with test driver Lars Kern confirming its stability at high speeds.

Background

This release follows a trend of Porsche Sonderwunsch one-offs, such as the Louis Vuitton collaboration and the Australia-only Turbo S, which have highlighted the program's focus on bespoke, high-value customizations. The Flachbau RS stands out for its technical and aerodynamic focus rather than purely aesthetic or luxury modifications.

How outlets are covering it

Top Gear emphasizes the car's visual homage to the 935 and the involvement of designer Grant Larson, noting the 'Moby Dick' inspiration. Motor1 provides detailed technical specifications, highlighting the 70-pound weight reduction and the specific downforce figures (1,221 lbs at 211 mph). Road & Track focuses on the collaborative effort between Porsche, Manthey, and Weissach, underscoring the engineering rigor behind the one-off. All sources agree on the car's road-legal status and the decision to leave the powertrain untouched, but differ in their emphasis on the aesthetic versus the technical achievements.

Why it matters

The Flachbau RS demonstrates the technical limits of Porsche's Sonderwunsch program, showing that it can create functional, high-performance one-offs that respect the original car's engineering while paying tribute to historical racing icons. It also highlights the brand's ability to blend heritage with modern technology in a road-legal context.

What to watch

The Flachbau RS will be displayed at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in Monterey. Porsche has stated that while it may evaluate similar requests, it is unlikely to produce another car with the exact same shape, reinforcing the true one-off nature of the vehicle.