New Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Drum roll please. Here it is, the new, uber-Porsche, the track car that also poses as a street car on occasion, the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Impressive, isn’t it? Well yeah, there’s those wheels -or actually the wheel color, but we can get beyond that (or get new wheels). 450 horsepower can help you get beyond a lot of things … like other cars, the curvature of the Earth and a few Newtonian “laws”.
Porsche has been banging out these GT-whatevers for a while now. The thumbnail sketch is that they are de-contented 911s (or whatever the 9xx number scheme is up to this year). Take out all the unnecessary stuff like sound deadening material, AC and what not, and ladle in all the go fast bits from the parts bin; big brakes, firmer suspension, you know, the works.
The result is a hell of a track day car that you don’t have to haul there and back again on a trailer. Yes, for “every day” road use, the GT3 RS will be a little on the harsh side for a lot of people, but who cares about those people? The GT3 RS is about being as sporting as possible and still being “every day” as Stuttgart can make it.
Porsche defines it like this: ” Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is sending the new 911 GT3 RS to the starting line: Delivering even more engine power, offering lower weight, and featuring shorter transmission ratios as well as body and suspension elements upgraded to an even higher standard, the new 911 GT3 RS sets the foundation for homologating the racing version of the 911 GT3 and therefore offers everything it takes for ongoing success on the race track, continuing the series of absolutely uncompromising, sporting 911s homologated for the road.”
Yeah, and I’m not going to argue.
I’m not the biggest fan of Porsches, mainly because I’m a pretty ham-fisted driver, and they do have their … quirks, let’s say, in the handling department. All that weight way back there somewhere usually sees me spinning the things into ditches or guard rails, so I dial back the enthusiasm I should have for this marque a lot.
Anyway, the latest GT3 RS has a helluva plant hanging out the back end. The displacement has been bumped up to 3.8 liters from the previous 3.6, and it revs higher. It delivers 15 more ponies then the run of the mill 911 GT3, putting out a maximum of 450 horsepower. For you number geeks out there, that translates into a specific output of more than 118 bhp per liter from the flat six.
The tranny in the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS is an exclusive six-speed manual gearbox with a short gearshift travel, low weight and high efficiency. The cogs come with a shorter ratios than on the “normal” GT3, deliberately biasing things towards even higher top speeds.
The new 911 GT3 RS comes with a purpose-built and specially set up PASM suspension; wider track front and rear and that also means wider bodywork through the use of additional wheel arch covers. Those hideous colored wheels are nine-inch-wide up front running on 245/35 ZR 19 tires, and out back they are twelve-inch-wide wheels with 325/30 ZR 19 meats.
Curiously, Porsche doesn’t mention brakes at all (a Porsche strong suit since the get go). They do note, however, all the bodywork goodies.
There’s the lower ride height, the new, extra-large carbon-fiber rear wing with its specifically designed wing supports made from aluminum, the now defacto dual tailpipes on the light titanium sports exhaust, as well as special front and rear fascia exclusive to this GT3 RS.
Here’s Porsche’s press release
The Most Sporting Road-Going 911
Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is sending the new 911 GT3 RS to the starting line: Delivering even more engine power, offering lower weight, and featuring shorter transmission ratios as well as body and suspension elements upgraded to an even higher standard, the new 911 GT3 RS sets the foundation for homologating the racing version of the 911 GT3 and therefore offers everything it takes for ongoing success on the race track, continuing the series of absolutely uncompromising, sporting 911s homologated for the road.
The heart of the new 911 GT3 RS, the power unit, is based on the engine already featured in the 911 GT3. Like the latter, the RS power unit now displaces 3.8 instead of 3.6 litres, delivering even more power and revving up even faster and more dynamically.
The engine featured in the new 911 GT3 RS delivers 15 bhp more than its counterpart in the 911 GT3, that is maximum output of 450 horsepower from the fast-revving naturally-aspirated power unit. This means specific output of more than 118 bhp per litre from the six-cylinder, an extremely high figure for natural-aspiration technology even in the strictest worldwide comparison. And unlike many other high-performance engines, the power unit in the new 911 GT3 RS remains fully suitable for everyday use.
The new 911 GT3 RS comes exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox optimised for short gearshift travel, low weight and high efficiency. To enhance the level of performance throughout the entire range of engine and road speed, the gears come with a shorter transmission ratio than on the 911 GT3, deliberately making concessions in terms of even higher top speed.
To further improve its sporting behaviour, the new 911 GT3 RS comes for the first time with a purpose-built and specially set up PASM suspension, with wider track not only at the rear, but also on the front axle. Accordingly, the body of the new 911 GT3 RS is wider not only at the rear, but also at the front through the use of additional wheel arch covers.
The front axle comes with nine-inch-wide wheels running on 245/35 ZR 19 sports tyres, the rear axle features twelve-inch-wide wheels incorporating 325/30 ZR 19 sports tyres.
The dynamic engine mounts featured as standard also serve to improve the car’s driving dynamics to an even higher level. Depending on driving conditions, the mounts change in their stiffness and damping effect, improving the connection between the engine and the body when driving under very dynamic conditions.
As yet a further point the car’s aerodynamics develop even more downforce than on the GT3, again benefiting the qualities of the car on the race track. Racing qualities are also why Porsche is introducing another new option in 2010, a lithium-ion battery delivered with the car and, replacing the conventional lead battery, reducing weight by more than 10 kg or 22 lb.
The new 911 GT3 RS shows its close connection to motorsport also through the dynamic looks of the car borne out in particular by its low ride height, the new, extra-large carbon-fibre rear wing with its specifically designed wing supports made of aluminium, the characteristic dual tailpipes on the extra-light titanium sports exhaust, as well as special front and rear parts exclusive to this model.
Sales of the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS are starting in Germany in January 2010. The Euro base-price is Euro 122,400.- without value-added tax and national specifications.
Footage is available to registered users at http://thenewsmarket.com/porsche.
The retail price and market launch date vary by region or country. Please contact the Porsche PR Manager of your country in order to receive country-specific information.
I’m sure it goes like stink, but still looks like every other Porsche for the past 20 years. Except for the silly colors – that just makes it look like a Hot Wheels. Love the tech specs, but I’d never own one.