All hail the Porsche 911 GT3 RS: road-legal track tamers don’t get any better than this. Porsche describes the car as the “most track-focused and aerodynamically optimized 911 ever.”
While we are yet to drive it, the GT3 RS, which features technology taken directly from motorsport, does look the part. The concept of a central radiator—first used in the Le Mans-winning 911 RSR and the GT3 R—finds a place in the GT3 RS as well, and the car’s large, angled radiator is largely responsible for the significant boost in its performance. The GT3 RS also features the largest ever wing to be fitted on a production 911 and, in a first for Porsche, a drag reduction system (DRS). The DRS, used on F1 cars, has a major impact on straight-line speed and also helps with braking.
The GT3 RS follows the same intelligent, lightweight construction philosophy first seen in the legendary 911 Carrera RS 2.7 and weighs just 3,268lbs (curb weight). Credit for that lightweight nature should go to the carbon-fiber reinforced polymers that make up the car’s doors, roof, front wings, and front lid and also several elements of the interior (the central touchscreen unit, digital instrument clusters, and its bucket seats).
Porsche enthusiasts will be glad to note that the GT3 RS produces more than twice the downforce of its predecessor. The two-part rear wing and continuously adjustable wing elements in the front work in tandem with other aerodynamic measures—new side blades, wing inlets, and a modified rear splitter—to provide over 900lbs of downforce at 124mph (and an astonishing 1,895lbs at 177mph).
You’ll need a lot of downforce with a car like this. This supercar gets up to 518hp with its 4.0-liter, flat-six engine that helps the car rocket from 0 to 60mph in only three seconds; its top speed is an equally stunning 184mph. It’s equipped with a 7-speed, dual clutch transmission, which, compared to the one on the standard 911, has one gear less and shorter ratios. The car also gets three drive modes: Normal, Sport, and Track. Inside, besides the carbon-fiber elements, the GT3 RS has four individual rotary controls and a button for the Drag Reduction System (DRS) on the steering wheel. As an option, Porsche also offers a roll cage along with a fire extinguisher, six-point seatbelts, and a steel rollover bar. Whether you’re planning to test this car on the track or on your commute, you’re guaranteed a great ride.
