When you think stage rally, the Porsche 911 probably isn't the first car that comes to mind. But the iconic sports car's unique weight balance and stiff chassis make it an ideal candidate to compete in two-wheel drive classes. Some go as far as to take GT3 Cup cars built to race on road courses and transform them into rally machines. And that's exactly what's happened here.
The current 992-generation 911 GT3 Cup has been in production since 2021, but this is the first time we've seen someone take it rallying. Aside from a couple of extra canards up front, the bodywork is unchanged. But the ride height has been increased significantly to handle broken pavement and the occasional dirt road.
According to the Belgian-Motorsport YouTube channel, the drivetrain remains unmodified. That means 510 horsepower coming from a naturally aspirated flat-six, going to the rear wheels via a sequential transmission. With a curb weight of under 3,000 pounds, this 911 Cup should be highly competitive.
Sadly we'll have to wait until later in the year to find out. These videos, captured by the Belgian-Motorsport and Puncture Peter channels, show the 992 Cup acting as a sweep car for the Rally van Haspengouw, which took place in Belgium last weekend. This meant drivers Kris Princen and Bram Eelbode got to fly through the stages before any of the real competitors to ensure the path was clear. But sadly, their times were not recorded.
Still, the new Cup car looks pretty quick and sounds great. It was very clearly struggling for traction in some sections, thanks in part to the crummy weather. We're curious to see how it places among some of its fierce competition. Considering the size of that wing out back, we have high hopes.
