The latest Porsche 911 GT3 was the most extreme example of motorsport influencing the German brand’s road-going sports cars. It was also just the beginning.
Porsche has blurred the lines between road and race car with the all-new 911 GT3 RS, which is directly influenced by the Le Mans-winning 911 RSR. As expected it features a very aggressive aerodynamic package for a road car, with a swan neck rear wing even larger than that on the ‘standard’ GT3.
GALLERY: 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
But that’s only the beginning, because Porsche has applied some previously motorsport-specific elements to the design of the GT3 RS. Porsche lauds it as a “road legal, high-performance sports car [that] takes full advantage of technology and concepts from motorsport.”
TRACK TEST: 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 review
One of the biggest changes is the centrally-mounted radiator, which sits where the front luggage compartment does in the rest of the 911 range. This is the same set-up used in the 911 RSR and the 911 GT3 R and it allows for new active aerodynamic elements to be integrated into the front end design where the radiators typically would sit.
But that’s only part of the story, because for the new RS Porsche has dropped the front spoiler and replaced it with a new front splitter that can channel air either over or underneath the car. This works in concert with the rest of the aerodynamic package, which includes front wheel arch vents and inlets behind the front wheels that are actually inspired from the outright Le Mans-winning 911 GT1.
Behind the wheel arches are side blades designed to direct the air across the side of the car, with the rear wheel arch also featuring an air intake and side blade to further channel the air.
At the rear there’s a modified version of the rear diffuser used on the GT3 but the most notable feature is the rear wing. In a first for the company, the top element of the wing actually sits higher than the roofline. That’s, in part, because the wing features two elements, a main plane that’s fixed and an upper plane that’s hydraulically adjustable. This allows for a drag reduction system (DRS) just like many modern racing categories.
ROAD TEST: 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 review
The total aerodynamic package adds 409kg of downforce at 200km/h, which is three times more than the ‘regular’ GT3, and at 285km/h it produces 860kg.
Even the suspension has been aerodynamically tuned, with racing-style “teardrop-shaped profiles” that help improve downforce even more. The suspension also features changes to the geometry and spring rates to further improve handling.
In another nod to motorsport, the suspension rebound and compression damping can be adjusted separately between the front and rear axles. This is done via a rotary dial on the steering wheel, there’s also dials to adjust the rear differential and activate the DRS.
Under the bonnet is the same 4.0-litre flat-six from the GT3 but thanks to new camshafts and modified cam profiles it now makes 386kW of power – up 11kW from the standard GT3. It’s paired exclusively to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The new RS rolls on huge rubber too, with the front tyres measuring 275/35 and wrapping around 20-inch rims, while at the rear they are 335/30 profile on a 21-inch rim. As with the GT3 the forged alloy wheels feature a racing-style centre-lock.
Braking is handled by 408mm front rotors clamped by six-piston calipers, while the rear features 380mm rotors and four-piston calipers. If that isn’t good enough the company does option its Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) package, which features 410mm and 390mm rotors front and rear, respectively.
If all this doesn’t sound extreme enough for you, Porsche has created the Weissach Package that features a range of carbon fibre or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts, including the bonnet, roof, wing and anti-roll bars. There’s also a CFRP roll-cage – another first for Porsche – which is 6kg lighter than one made of steel. It also comes with racing-style magnet technology for the paddle shifters and forged magnesium wheels.
The GT3 RS will be priced from $500,200 (plus on-road costs) and deliveries are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023.
The problem is, if you haven’t already spoken to your Porsche dealer about one it’s probably already too late…
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