Porsche is out testing what appears to be a more extreme version of its latest 911 GT3 RS.

However, a number of details suggest the car is actually a tester for a new 911 GT2.

Already confirmed by 911 chief engineer Andreas Preuninger, the new GT2 is expected to be the last member of the 991-series 911 family. Porsche already has prototypes for the next-generation car testing on public roads.

At the front of this particular prototype we can see new intakes larger than the units on the GT3 RS, plus new NACA ducts on the hood. And at the rear are hidden vents at either side of the bumper, which on the 911 typically indicate a turbocharged engine. These aren’t found on the naturally-aspirated GT3 RS.

Another key difference is the position of the exhaust tips. On the prototype there is an exhaust tip at each side of the car whereas on the GT3 RS they sit at the center.

GT2s typically feature the same engine as the 911 Turbo but with even more power. With the latest Turbo S delivering as much as 580 horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-6, expect the GT2 to have around 620 hp. Since we're already so late in the 991's life cycle, Porsche could even skip the GT2 and go straight to a GT2 RS, meaning we could be looking at hp in the 660 vicinity. Recall, the previous GT2 RS already came with 620 hp.

2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

All of this should be directed to the rear wheels only, via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission only. The four-wheel-steering system used on high-end 911 models should also feature.

Talk of the GT2 being axed for good emerged in recent years. The thinking was that the latest Turbo models were already offering better performance than previous GT2s, and topping them, with the traditional rear-wheel-drive layout of the GT2, would only make a car with a fearsome reputation even more frightening. Well, we’re glad Porsche changed its mind.

A debut at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed this June is rumored. The car should arrive in showrooms later in the year, as a 2018 model. Around the same time, we should also be treated with the launch of an updated GT3 RS.