The upcoming Gunther Werks Tornado is the kind of car for which “psycho death machine” is considered a term of endearment. The car pictured here is a pre-production prototype built by Gunther Werks as a development mule for the company’s newest high-horsepower Porsche 993-based hypercar monster. While most development mule testing happens in secret and under wraps, Gunther Werks actually handed the keys to friend of the site Matt Farah to “have a go,” as he says. This might be the wildest street-based Porsche ever built.
The Tornado weighs a mere 2,670 pounds, and packs a 750-horsepower four-liter twin-turbocharged aircooled flat six out back behind the rear axle. That compares quite favorably against Porsche’s current 911 Turbo S, which weighs a thousand pounds more, and lugs around an engine making 110 fewer horses. Of course the new car has all of the creature comforts you’d expect from a grand tourer, like an interior and actual paint. But if you solely pray at the altar of prodigious grip and bare carbon fiber, you really want the Tornado.
If you ever looked at the fire-breathing Le Mans-winning 935s of the 1970s, and thought “I really want one of those to drive every day” then this is probably the car for you. It has all of the power and monster acceleration of a race car, but somehow actually manages to be docile enough to drive in the city. With app-adjustable JRZ remote reservoir, nose lift, and a forgiving clutch—plus boost that builds from 2,500 rpm—this Porsche is ready for pretty much everything you throw at it. Maybe even daily driving, if you’re hardcore enough.
When Tornado development is finished and the car is available to purchase, you can bet it won’t be cheap. The naturally-aspirated Gunther Werks 400R is about half as wild, and it’s already half a million dollars.