Friday 23rd January 2009

Revised 911 GT3 RSR

2009 model gets bigger engine and aerodynamic tweaks

---

A new version of the GT3 RSR has been announced, with a number of improvements to help it meet new class regulations in GT2.

The previous car saw race victories at the Nürburgring 24 hrs and the American Le Mans Series, so accordingly the new model applies the famous Porsche strategy of subtle, evolved changes rather than a radical redesign.

On the outside, louvres on the nose panel are designed to alter air-ducting for the radiators. At the rear, there are changes to the undercar aerodynamics and a modified rear wing allowing for greater adjustment.

The most significant change is to the flat-six engine, which has been bored out from 3.8 to 4.0-litres. But strangely, due to the changes in class regulation, power output actually drops from the previous incarnation's 465bhp down just over 3% to 450bhp.

However, Porsche has revised the torque curve to make the best of the situation, claiming that compared with its predecessor, the new RSR actually requires less revs to achieve the same levels of power. Peak power now comes at 7,800rpm, with maximum torque unchanged from the last car at 317 lb/ft, available at 7,250rpm.

The race-focussed toys on the car have gotten even more impressive, with the addition of what Porsche call a 'programmable multi-function on-board supply system control device'. What does it do, you ask? It's, er, self-explanatory. Ahem.

You can now also adjust the frequency of the blinking lights on the front apron of the car, to help pit crews identify the car in low visibility conditions, and there's a new air-jack system with an over-pressure valve. The wiring loom has been lightened, and the brakes have been weight-optimised to allow for the various changes.

The revised RSR is not cheap at approximately £413,529 (including VAT) at today's exchange rate, but it is considerably faster than a 3-bed semi in a quiet suburb. And they certainly don't have an oil-refill system with fast-filling function, relocated to the rear lid for convenience...

 

[FNG]

Who else gets the impression that the author doesn't understand half of the press release he's just regurgitated?

Why not just copy out the press pack for us?


Aside from that, yes very nice, but at that price it's not even a feature on the lottery-win list.

[evo801]

Bad Ass-Road version please

[asbo]

...With lellow head lamps too.

[willcrookz]

where can these be bought from?

[The Joker.]

yellow headlights look amazing

[don logan]

evo801 said:

Bad Ass-Road version please

IMAGINE (and imagine being able to afford it)

[carsnapper]

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

[Cliffv8]

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

its a hand build racer, thats why $413k

[Guttered]

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

It's running restrictors buddy, smaller ones than last year too, hence the "laugahable" figures. Wonder what it would make unrestricted...

[Skinner.Daddy]

Piture 1 - Pic of the week

[theno23]

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

The class it races in limits it to 450HP, I understand there's air restrictors, to cut it down to that.

[carsnapper]

Cliffv8 said:

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

its a hand build racer, thats why $413k

No- that's POUNDS not dollars! That's $561,000 even at the crappy exchange rate today.

And I don't really buy the 'hand built' argument either, unless that includes labour rates!

[carsnapper]

theno23 said:

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

The class it races in limits it to 450HP, I understand there's air restrictors, to cut it down to that.

Ahh, that explains that then. You would have thought they could screw more that 317 lb/ft torque from the 4L flat 6 with that sort of budget, no?

[LukeBird]

evo801 said:

Bad Ass-Road version please

The RS isn't hardcore enough for road use then!

Wonderfully menacing to look at!

[Guttered]

carsnapper said:

Cliffv8 said:

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

its a hand build racer, thats why $413k

No- that's POUNDS not dollars! That's $561,000 even at the crappy exchange rate today.

And I don't really buy the 'hand built' argument either, unless that includes labour rates!

It would have to include labour rates, it would take a considerable amount of man hours to prep a shell to GT2 regulations, so of course it has to be factored in.

[dino ferrana]

Low volume = expensive. If you make panels for a normal 911 you sell tens of thousands so the cost of the tools is minimal to make them. There will be probably far less than 100 RSR's made and so each new part is only made in very small numbers and so the customer pays a big proportion of the tooling cost.

[james_gt3rs]

Doesn't look as good as it used to does it?
I hope the next GT3 RS road car doesn't have such huge rear wheel arches.

[carsnapper]

dino ferrana said:

Low volume = expensive. If you make panels for a normal 911 you sell tens of thousands so the cost of the tools is minimal to make them. There will be probably far less than 100 RSR's made and so each new part is only made in very small numbers and so the customer pays a big proportion of the tooling cost.

Yer, fair enough. I get the economies of scale situation...but still it's an awful lot of dosh relative to the performance. You'd have to have money to burn...

[Guttered]

carsnapper said:

dino ferrana said:

Low volume = expensive. If you make panels for a normal 911 you sell tens of thousands so the cost of the tools is minimal to make them. There will be probably far less than 100 RSR's made and so each new part is only made in very small numbers and so the customer pays a big proportion of the tooling cost.

Yer, fair enough. I get the economies of scale situation...but still it's an awful lot of dosh relative to the performance. You'd have to have money to burn...

It's running air restrictors that are mandatory for its class, the performance is limited by the governing body so to criticise it on a £ per bhp level is just a touch short sighted.

[Dagnut]

carsnapper said:

Er, I don't get it....

All i'm reading is 450 HP and a laughable 317 lb/ft torque for, drum role please, £413,529....that's a joke, right?

I don't care if it comes with green headlights, near half a million for that? No.

(yer, yer, yer I know it's not all about HP and torque and stats! I know it incredible around a track, I know it's a great racing car...BUT - half a million quid for a Porsche with 317 lb/ft torque...nucking futs )

Its a race car, get it RACE? their not looking for customers like you who think in power it's aimed @ people who race. The car is restrcited to comply with race class regulations..did you even read the article? do you even understand what goes into building a race car? what would a bttc touring car cost to build?
If you wanted to compete..you can buy this..maybe a spare block or 2...some brake pads, few gallons of oil, some race fuel and away you go.