Review of the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Rennsport. Doesn't mean a whole lot to those non German speakers or not deeply versed in the history of the Porsche but when attached to the back of a 911, that RS badge is sprinkled with magic, laden with history and a guarantor of one of the most intense experiences you can have behind the wheel of a car. The latest Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a car with motorsport heritage in every detail.

50 20'41.80" N 6 57'48.99" E is the spiritual home of this car. It's that position on the Nurburgring after the cones at the start of the pit straight where pedal is acquainted with metal. This car has been honed over the 20.8km of curves, dips and crests that this venerable circuit delivers, its suspension system tuned to cope with the adverse cambers, variable surfaces and snap compressions. If it can handle the Ring, it'll manage any other race track on earth without too much of an issue.

It'll also have the talent to put a lick on virtually any other performance car you choose to mention. A 3.6-litre flat-six engine that manages a naturally-aspirated 415bhp coupled to a kerb weight of just 1,375kg (20kg less than the standard GT3) translates to a power to weight ratio of 302bhp per tonne. This is only the start. There are many cars that can better this figure but which won't have a hope of clinging to the Porsche's tail on a race track. That's where the true genius in this car lays, in the deep intangibles of suspension development, getting the tyre sidewall stiffness to work in harmony with spring rates, finessing bump steer, rebound damping, secondary ride, hand/wheel angles and all the other reasons why Porsche chassis engineers are some of the world's finest. You'll feel the benefits of this work in any Porsche. In an RS it becomes the raison d'etre rather than a mere bonus.

The aggressive stance of the GT3 RS is due to it borrowing the Turbo body shell. Fully 44mm wider at the rear than the GT3, this wider track improves directional stability and increases cornering grip. It also adds weight as does the fitment of a bolt-in roll cage, so savings have had to be realised elsewhere. A plastic engine cover, a lightweight plastic rear window and an adjustable carbon fibre rear wing help the cause. The interior features a pair of carbon fibre composite bucket seats, that beefy roll cage and pre-wiring for a battery cut-out switch. A six-point harness for the driver and a fire extinguisher are also supplied with the car. Despite the track focus, this is a 997-generation Porsche 911 and the centre console and fascia are much as in most stock 911s with plenty of buttons to press. It's not as stripped out as the RS badge would have you believe, although the alcantara-trimmed steering wheel with the yellow band showing straight ahead will give you a clue that this car isn't mass-market Porsche fare.

"There's beauty in the sheer single-minded functionality of the GT3 RS"

Porsche has wisely kept the bits that count. One of these is Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), a system that makes this GT3 RS far more versatile than its predecessor. This basically offers two chassis settings in one car. The basic configuration apes the settings of the old GT3 RS, offering a firm but not totally unyielding ride. Switch the PASM system to Sport mode and the dampers instantly firm up. Do this on typically bumpy British roads and you'll soon be booking an appointment with either an osteopath, a dentist or a panel beater. On the smooth curves of a race track, it's near perfect.

That grille at the front isn't just a styling contrivance, instead directing air at an additional central radiator required to cope with the high thermal loads this engine produces. Remember that this is a normally-aspirated powerplant, yet it comes within 5bhp of the old 911 Turbo's power output. Statisticians, anoraks and people like me will be impressed by the fact that this powerplant develops a specific output of 115.3bhp per litre. It reaches peak power at a heady 7,600rpm and will keep on revving to an 8,400rpm redline. Low end torque is helped by the Variocam system with bigger throttle valves, optimised cylinder heads and an exhaust system with reduced back pressure.

The gearbox is different to the standard 911 Carrera item with a revised six-speed shift offering ultra-short lever travel and lower ratios on gears two through six. This helps improve acceleration still further. A change-up light on the rev counter prompts the GT3 RS driver to grab the next gear and, if done perfectly, the GT3 should be capable of getting to 62mph in 4 seconds. Its quoted top speed is 187mph which means not much will come past you on a long straight.

Unlike the 911 Turbo with which it shares its basic shell, the GT3 RS is rear-wheel drive and transmitting all that power to the tarmac is quite a job, even when you have 305/30 19 tyres at the back. It borrows and adapts the electronic traction control system from the Carrera GT hypercar but you'll search in vain for Porsche's amazing PSM stability control system. The Weissach manufacturer deems that a little too much of a comfort blanket to fit to a car like the GT3. Even the traction control can be switched off if you feel brave.

The nineteen-inch alloy wheels have been designed to reduce unsprung weight, that age-old enemy of agility, as much as possible. The wheels have been designed with very low profile rims for huge brake assemblies to fit within them and the rear wheels have been spaced out by another 5mm each side to give the car a wider rear track. Awesomely powerful brakes have become something of a Porsche trademark and the GT3 RS doesn't disappoint with red-painted callipers featuring six-pistons up front and four at the rear. Also available to well-heeled customers as an option are Porsche's ceramic composite brake discs (PCCB). These discs offer slightly improved braking performance over steel rotors, the biggest gains coming in weight saving at each corner of the car. Plus you get some rather flash yellow callipers. Colour choices are deliberately Seventies old school with a choice of black, orange or acid green with contrasting GT3 RS cursive decals.

Porsche will ask £94,280 for the GT3 RS, a price which includes a vehicle tracking system and a Porsche Driving Experience programme. Direct rivals are few and no other series production car is quite so beautifully honed. Porsche Rennsport is nothing less than a labour of love.

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