By: Dave Abrahams
Geneva Motor Show - We know it's a cliché, but Porsche itself makes much of the 'racer for the road' status of the 911 GT3 RS, revealed on Tuesday during the first of two media days at the Palexpo Centre.
“It has the maximum degree of motorsport technology currently possible in a street-legal 911,” says the media release and you'd better believe it - particularly in light of its lap time of 7m20s around the infamous Nordschleife at the Nurburgring, nine seconds quicker than the Carrera GT.
That motorsport technology starts with a four-litre, naturally aspirated direct-injection flat-six 'boxer' engine that's rated at 368kW and 460Nm, driving the rear wheels via a specially developed seven-speed double-clutch transmission.
It's the biggest and most powerful non-turbo engine in the 911 range, and Porsche says it will take the GT3 RS from the start line to 100km/h in 3.3 seconds, to 200 in 10.9 and on to more than 320km/h flat out.
Some of its features are only applicable to racing, such has the Paddle Neutral facility, akin to stomping on the clutch for an instant just before the apex of a corner to get the revs up more quickly, and the Pit Speed button on the centre console to avoid penalties for speeding in pit lane.
ADDING LIGHTNESS
The GT3 RS is the first production 911 with a magnesium roof, while the engine and boot lids are made of carbon fibre, reducing kerb weight to 1420kg, about 10kg less than the GT3, while the lightweight roof also lowers the car's centre of gravity.
The wide-arched body-shell is derived from the 911 Turbo, with a deeper than standard front spoiler and a larger rear wing. There are also special front wheel-arch air vents extending into the wings, increasing downforce on the front axle.
Wider track front and rear, rear-axle steering and torque vectoring with a fully variable limited slip differential are all standard, and the GT3 RS wears the widest OEM tyres of any production 911 variant yet.
TRACK READY
The cabin of the RS is based on the GT3 with alcantara trim, but with carbon-fibre shellback sports seats borrowed from the 918 Spyder, a bolted-in rollcage behind the front seats, preparation for a battery master switch and (in a separate box) a six-point safety harness for the driver and a fire extinguisher with mounting bracket.
The optional Sport Chrono package brings with it a Track Precision app for smartphones, that automatically records lap times via GPS, and logs telemetry such as speed, acceleration and braking forces and lateral G forces, for bragging rights later in the clubhouse.
The 911 GT3 RS will be released in South Africa during the second half of 2015; local pricing has yet to be finalised but, as an indication only, the ex-factory price in Germany is €181 690 (R2.4 million).