Porsche GT2 RS Manthey sets Road Atlanta lap

Porsche said on May 19 that a 2019 911 GT2 RS fitted with the Manthey Kit set a new production-car lap record at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Porsche brand ambassador and former factory driver Jörg Bergmeister drove the car to a 1:22.649 lap, according to the automaker’s newsroom post. The time beat the 1:22.800 benchmark recently posted by the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, according to Porsche and reports published by Yahoo Autos and Jalopnik. The run also improved on the GT2 RS’s own 2019 Road Atlanta mark of 1:24.880, which Porsche set with the model before the Manthey package was offered in the United States. ### Which car actually set the time? The record car was a 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS of the 991.2 generation equipped with the Manthey Kit, Porsche said. The company said the car ran on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and retained the 700-horsepower twin-turbo flat-six used in the standard GT2 RS. Manthey is the German motorsport specialist in which Porsche holds a majority stake. Porsche began offering Manthey Kits in the United States in January 2025 for the 992-generation 911 GT3 RS and the 991-generation 911 GT2 RS, saying the packages were designed to increase track performance through changes to aerodynamics, suspension and braking. ### What changed with the Manthey package? Porsche said the Manthey Kit adds revised aerodynamic pieces, coil-over suspension, brake-line upgrades and lightweight components intended for track use. In its 2025 U.S. launch announcement, Porsche said the GT2 RS package includes a carbon-fiber rear wheel cover, aerodynamic discs, a larger rear wing and suspension changes developed with Manthey. (newsroom.porsche.com) Jörg Bergmeister said in Porsche’s Road Atlanta release that the modifications let the car carry more speed through corners and accelerate earlier on corner exit. Porsche attributed the Road Atlanta result to increased downforce, chassis revisions and the broader performance envelope of the Manthey-equipped cars. (newsroom.porsche.com) ### How close was the fight with the Corvette ZR1? The telling number was 0.151 second. Porsche’s 1:22.649 lap was 0.151 second quicker than the 1:22.800 Road Atlanta time cited for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by Porsche, Autoweek and other automotive outlets. (newsroom.porsche.com) Autoweek reported that the Porsche’s lap displaced a ZR1 mark set in 2025. Yahoo Autos and Jalopnik both framed the result as the previous-generation GT2 RS, fitted with the Manthey package, taking back the Road Atlanta production-car benchmark from Chevrolet’s newest ZR1. ### Why is an older GT2 RS still in this conversation? (newsroom.porsche.com) The 991.2-generation GT2 RS is no longer in production, but Porsche and Yahoo Autos noted that the Manthey Kit was offered for the car and can still be fitted to eligible examples. That has kept the model in the track-record discussion even as newer halo cars, including the Corvette ZR1, have arrived. (autoweek.com) Hagerty reported that the same Road Atlanta session produced other benchmark laps for Porsche. A 2025 911 GT3 RS with Manthey Kit posted a 1:23.932 lap to become the fastest naturally aspirated production car at the track, and a 2024 718 Cayman GT4 RS with Manthey Kit recorded 1:25.047, Porsche said. (autos.yahoo.com) ### What comes next for buyers and track-day owners? Porsche said the Manthey Kits for the 911 GT2 RS and 911 GT3 RS are available in the United States through certified Porsche Centers. The company’s January 2025 announcement said installation is handled through those dealers, and Porsche’s May 19 Road Atlanta release used the lap times to showcase the package’s U.S. availability and track credentials. (hagerty.com) (newsroom.porsche.com)