The Porsche 911 GT3 RS stormed the circuit like a crying hell dog.
PORSCHE CLUB 2019 Leenen Steve does the TEST.
What is this?
The most extreme of the 911's, except for the GT2 RS of course. With a six-cylinder atmospheric boxer that fires up to 520 hp and reaches 9,000 rpm. More racing car than street car. Let's summarise it briefly:
an and carbon fibre
Increased to 520 hp, 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds
Lightning-fast PDK, rear wheel steering
Adjustable suspension and aerodynamics
Magnesium, polyurethane and carbon fibre
Optional Weissach package another 18 kilos lighter
Just over 200,000 euros
More racing car than street car?
The RS breathes motorsport. To save weight it does not have a badge, but a sticker. The tire pressure gauge has a circuit function that takes into account warming tires. You can have it with a half roll cage (a full one is not street-legal), a fire extinguisher, six-point belts and a battery switch. The wheels have central nuts. The optional rear spoiler creates 144 kilos of downward pressure at 200 km/h. And so on.
The RS has the wider body of the Turbo, adorned with NACA slots for brake cooling, louvers above the front wheels to remove turbulence and for the rear wheels large air intakes to feed the engine. The roof is made of magnesium.
Tell more about that engine.
It is the 4-litre zebinder that is already in the GT3, but with 520 instead of 500 hp. Impressive for an atmospheric engine, it goes up to 9,000 rpm, with the boxer screaming like a madman.
It has a lot in common with Porsche's racing engines. It carries a fixed valve train for more stable operation under full load. It also uses dry-carter lubrication, which is also less sensitive to G-forces.
And the rest?
The suspension also contains racing components. Such as rigid suspension weights, for a minimum of play. Ride height, camber and roller bars can be adjusted separately. The adaptive dampers have two positions, which you can adjust via a button.
Rear wheel steering is standard, just like a act limited slip differential and dynamic engine mounts, which keep the engine in position as stiff as possible during hard work.
It has steel composite discs as standard, carbon ceramic ones are an option. The same goes for the tyres: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 copies come from the factory, but you can also get semi-slicks (Michelin Pilot Sport Cup R).
Good, how does the Porsche drive? 911 GT3 RS?
Like a rocket, but one of the most precise kind. And amazingly easy actually. We did our test drive on the GP section of the Nürburgring, not the most challenging circuit in the world, but sufficiently varied to get to know a car quickly.
The grip and feeling in the front is enormous, and the cooperation with the rear is wonderful. The rear wheel steering and the active differential make it possible to get on the accelerator while you're still steering in, you have to be lightning fast with your feet to keep up with the pace.
What also remains is the finesse in the adjustment. The dampers keep things perfectly under control, even when you start rowing over kerbstones. The esp esp doesn't keep to the brutal leash, but subtly overtakes the nets when you go over the line. For light drifts it is mild.
Oh, what a great machine.
And then that motor, between 8,000 and 9,000, he whines like a runaway drill. The response is also magnificent, the revs go up and down like a yo-yo. You can operate the PDK box via the paddles, but in sports mode this is not even necessary on the track, it simply does everything right.
We can only sing endless praises about how the RS behaves on circuit, rarely we drove with something that at the limit so willingly answers your demands. You have to have balls to chase this thing around the Nordschleife in less than 7 minutes, as factory rider Kévin Estre did recently (6:56,4). But we do understand that it's in there, even when it goes very fast, this GT3 will continue to work with you.
PORSCHE CLUB 2019 Verdict?
Almost 50.000 euro more expensive than the regular GT3 (which you can't order in Belgium for the time being), that's a big dot on top of what's already been done. A magisterial sports car. Not to mention the very expensive options.
But this is another step further than the GT3. Even more racing car and even more efficient at the limit. And so easy to drive, you might not find a more willing companion for an expedition on any circuit. The RS is once again one of the gods of the car country.
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