“Turbo,” one of the words that is most associated with Porsche. Some of the most iconic road and race cars from the brand’s illustrious history have been equipped with turbocharger technology. But no matter how fast and capable 911 Turbo and GT2s are, they are not nearly as melodic, nor do they have the character of their naturally aspirated brethren. And due to ever-restricting emission and noise restrictions, even the run of the mill Carreras went turbocharged with the 991.2 generation, ruining the sound and soul of the distinctive 911 flat six. You might think that I and many other members of the petrolhead community are simply being resistant to change and acting like an overprotective parent, but allow me to explain the reasons why the turbocharging of the sportscar masses should be consigned to the history books.

Turbocharging is a very effective method of both adding unnecessary amounts of power and torque as well as making your car sound as if a bird has just entered the engine bay. The way a turbocharger operates is by stealing energy from exhaust gasses to spin a compressor which forces air into the engine under pressure to add more power. This is also a process known as “forced induction.” As aforementioned, a turbocharger essentially absorbs exhaust energy, thereby subduing the engine’s soundtrack. And let’s remember that the car community loves the sounds of engines. After all, it is why many add aftermarket exhausts on their performance cars. Upon pondering all of these points, I wondered if there was a perfect compromise between the screaming naturally aspirated flat sixes that we love and the sheer grunt of the turbocharged 911s.

Another method of forced induction is centrifugal supercharging. Unlike turbocharging, a supercharger is run by a belt that is driven by the crankshaft. Therefore, throttle response is instantaneous unlike a laggy turbocharger. Also, centrifugal superchargers develop an NA-like linear torque curve in contrast to a turbocharger’s flat torque curve. That linear torque curve is absolutely vital for track-focused machinery, especially 911s. Many rear drive turbocharged 911s have obtained the infamous status of “widowmakers.” Cars such as the 996 GT2, 997 GT2 RS and the 991 GT2 RS are known to have extremely flat torque-curves that make the cars difficult to control on the limit. Track and spirited driving demand drivers to have confidence in the cars that they are driving. Spiky torque delivery is the perfect recipe for an “exciting” ride as the driver becomes dependent on driving aids to avoid an accidental visit to a local barrier or tree.

Unlike turbos, superchargers do not dampen sound, rather they add to the auditory experience. No matter how bassy a 935 or a GT2 RS sound, they are about as symphonic as a Dyson hoover in comparison to the 991 GT3 RS or a 911 RSR. With supercharging, the same glorious naturally aspirated melody remains, just with a tiny bit of blow-off valve noise. Thankfully, a company called RR Racing has the same line of thought and have developed a supercharger kit for all NA Porsche 991.1 models - yes, that includes the GT3 and GT3 RS.

RR Racing has been the world’s leading Lexus tuner and modification company for seven years. Their supercharged Lexus F track cars have proven themselves very fast, capable and reliable in the track day scene. Three years ago, they turned their attention to Porsches, and more specifically, the 991.1 generation of 911. After thousands of developmental miles of track days, road driving, and dyno runs, RR Racing has been able to produce a reliable 570-600 wheel horsepower for the 991.1 Carrera/S/GTS models, while the GT3 and RS generate 620-650 WHP reliably. It is also worth noting that while turbo 911s have lower compression ratios than their GT3 counterparts, stock turbo boost levels are about three times higher than the mere 8 psi produced by RR Racing’s supercharged 991.1 GT3.

Centrifugal supercharging does seem to erase all of the drawbacks of turbos. Higher revving engines, a linear torque curve, smooth power delivery, ultra-high performance, and aural melody combine all positive elements of natural aspiration and turbocharging to create what is perhaps the ultimate method of propulsion. And with centrifugal supercharging, the 911 can finally have its cake and eat it too with high power and engine emotion.