The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS once again blurs the boundary between road-going sports cars and race cars. It is equipped with the maximum degree of motorsport technology currently possible in a street-legal 911, yet retains supreme suitability for everyday driving. Extensive modifications to the drive system, aerodynamics and lightweight design enhance performance beyond that of even the 911 GT3. As befits the tradition at Porsche, motorsport expertise is the reason for this superior performance.
The 911 GT3 RS is powered by a 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine with 500bhp of power and 460 Nm of torque, combined with a specially developed PDK transmission. The engine, which has the largest displacement and most power of any naturally-aspirated power unit with direct fuel injection in the 911 family, accelerates the high-performance sports car from 0 to 100 kmph in just 3.3 seconds and on to 200 km/h in 10.9 seconds.
The car is perfect for track as well as road use. Functions such as de-clutching by the ‘paddle neutral’ facility – which is comparable to depressing the clutch with a conventional manual gearbox – and speed limiting by the ‘Pit Speed’ centre console button have been customised for motorsport use. These features give drivers more freedom in terms of exploiting the driving dynamics, while also providing them with more assistance when driving on a race circuit.