The Porsche 991 platform is one of Vivid Racing and VR Tuned’s favorites because of its virtually unlimited potential. Straight from the factory, the Porsche 991 (ranging from the 991.1 GT3RS to the 991.2 GT2RS) has an incredible amount of power that can be unleashed with modifications and an ECU tune. Depending upon what the owner’s end goal is, the 991 can make for an astonishing daily driver or a weekend track monster. The 991 platform is great for that reason alone – it can support the build no matter what your vision is. That being said, before getting into the tuning phase, it’s important to understand what you want your Porsche 991 to be in terms of power, handling, performance, and the works. In the video below, we go over the basic knowledge you need before tuning your Porsche 991.
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So what supporting mods are needed when tuning? Realistically speaking, with an ECU flash tune, you can range anywhere from bone stock to a full bolt-on application. For daily drivers, supporting mods can include a high-flow drop-in filter, upgraded intercooler, and cat-back exhaust. For full motorsport applications, you can look into full bolt-on tuning that requires downpipes, throttle body, intercoolers, and other parts that will optimize your Porsche’s overall performance. With the supporting mods mentioned here, it is easy to make the tuning more aggressive with higher boost levels and improved timing for the maximum benefits on the stock fuel system.
Another thing you may want to consider when tuning is to remove the top speed limiter, which is a fairly easy process to turn off. You can also look into applying features like pops and bangs or burble tuning, which will deliver a dramatic sound and, with the right exhaust system, emit cool flames too. And for those that find the auto start/stop annoying, the VR Tuned ECU (for example) can disable this system. It’s important to note that a tune file itself without supporting mods can deliver a much larger benefit than supporting mods and no tune. The supporting mods, however, do provide a lot of value when paired with the proper tune.
Benefits of Tuning the Porsche 991
- Increased performance (horsepower and torque gains)
- Improved low to mid-range power
- Better throttle response
- Removal of the speed limiter
- Tantalizing pops and bangs
- Disables the start/stop feature
- Store different maps within the tune
- Ability to support your supporting mods
- Set the car up for your dream build
- Can be returned to stock with ease
From an ECU flash alone, the power gains you can expect are pretty subjective to the Porsche 991 platform you have. If it is the original 991 naturally aspirated model, you are going to see gains of 20 to 25 horsepower. Moving up to the 991.2 Turbo S and GT2RS models, you can experience gains of 150 horsepower and nearly 200 pound-feet of torque. While the turbo models greatly benefit from an ECU tune, it is still very worth tuning the lower-powered vehicles in the 991 lineup when it comes to drivability and low- to mid-range power.
For those wondering if there are any cons to tuning the Porsche 991 platform, the short answer is no. It comes down to the tune, how aggressive it is, and if the maker of the tune has done it properly. If everything is done right, there really shouldn’t be any disadvantages to tuning your car apart from maybe reduced mph under wide-open throttle. Though we have also seen gains of five to eight percent mpg when naturally driving the vehicle with the tuned software. You also don’t have to worry about the reliability or durability of the powertrain because the tuned software (and untapped potential) is well within the OEM threshold.
If you have any questions about parts for the Porsche 991, please contact the Vivid Racing team. You can reach us by phone at 1-480-966-3040 or via email at [email protected].
