Porsche GT3 RS: Review
Ultimate poser's Porsche or still the real deal? PH dresses for the occasion and gets on track in the GT3 RS
All the gear and no idea; same for the RS?
OK then. Let's skip the track day and see if it really can keep up with real racing cars. A race would be great. In the absence of that a test day could be the next best thing. It even gives me licence to wear my racing suit...
Best laid plans
I arrive at Donington having driven down the M1 in relative comfort thanks to creature comforts like air-con, nav and leather seats. Sure, plastic rear windows, tyres that'd make a steamroller blush and rose-jointed suspension all contribute to a dose more NVH than a regular 911. There's perhaps the most basic dash trim of any 991 I've ever driven and plenty of 'connection' with the car thanks to the clonks through the drivetrain, spatters of gravel inside the arches and odd twang from the cage. But for all the outrageous looks the biggest surprise about the RS is quite how easy it is to bimble along in. All the gear and no idea?
Extra track and wheel vents bonkers but brill
When I arrive at Donington Jonny from BookATrack does his level best to convince me heading out onto a track packed with racing hot heads in an expensive road car really isn't the best idea and we can instead just use lunchtime for an empty track and photos.
Perhaps getting suited up will help me get in the mood.
Is this a good idea?
No, it doesn't. Basically I've got as long as it takes to accelerate out of the pit lane and Redgate to adjust my mindset from 50-limited M1 mooching to maximum attack. Tyres and head are not up to temperature; those of everyone else very much are.
Not exactly shy at the back either
The PASM dampers have a Sport mode but beyond an experimental prod I've not touched it on the road. Not because the car is overly stiff; more because the damping is so good and the car so exquisitely balanced in the standard mode there isn't the need. The firmer setting just adds harshness and a bit of camber sensitivity to the front axle, the wheel snatching under braking on bumpy corners where in the standard mode it just flows beautifully.
This is the great surprise about GT Porsches - they are actually excellent road cars. Indeed, the RS's chassis is actually far more compliant and balanced than the PASM Sport set-up on the 911 GTS I drove recently. Thank superb damping and the helper springs that permit short main coils and slammed ride height but allow a longer damper stroke and additional bump swallowing droop.
About the most basic dash you'll find in any 991
On the track that means the RS can be bounced off kerbs without the wheels skipping off the ground, the car remaining absolutely planted no matter how hard you clatter it over the bumps. Extreme for a road car but mild in competition terms, there's definitely increased stability from the aero too. You can even feel it at motorway speeds but in the heart-in-mouth plunge through Craner Curves the RS goads you into carrying more speed. But even in PASM Sport it feels road car soft, all things relative.
Do I miss the manual? In some ways yes; I'm not chasing lap times and it does feel a bit PlayStation. But in its place I've got sheer speed, confidence to downchange deep into the braking zones and the ability to upshift when and where I want. In PDK Sport you even get sense of race sequential, albeit without the unsettling jolt as the shift goes through.
Ram effect for induction air via side vents
By the numbers the gains over the 3.8 GT3 aren't that dramatic, extending to an extra 25hp and 15lb ft with 10kg off the kerbweight too. The 28mm wider Turbo bodyshell, the boosted front track and the additional aero probably explain the fact it's actually 2mph slower at the top end, a shorter final drive to compensate for bigger wheels (4.19 compared to the GT3's 3.97) and the extra grunt helping it knock a couple of tenths off the 0-62 time. It's not here the tenths matter though; over a lap of the Nordschleife (usual disclaimers apply...) its 7min 20sec is five seconds quicker than the GT3 and faster than a Carrera GT.
Needs room to stretch its legs
In isolation it's seriously, thrillingly rapid but straight-line heroes accustomed to forced induction cars may actually find themselves a little underwhelmed with the linearity of the power. If that's you then buy a Turbo S. The RS is more about sensation and savouring those transient moments where the car is seemingly being pulled in several directions at once.
From the outside the RS looks enormous and laugh-out-loud bonkers. By some stretch this is the wildest looking road going 911 ever and there's more than enough aesthetic and technical detail to set it apart from even the GT3. The carbon wings, front and rear lids, the magnesium roof (nearly a third lighter than standard), the distinctive recess running over the nose and body, the vents, the scoops, the titanium exhaust, THAT wing ... it's properly OTT. Whisper it but even at the optioned up price of £145,626 it seems good value.
Aero, rubber and extra track all add grip
And it's a virtuous circle as well. Faith in the additional grip of the wider front track gives you confidence to play with the weight shifts and exploit that classic 911 pendulum effect as if you were in a pint-sized 2.7 RS. Stability under braking is significantly better than the regular GT3 so you can haul it up straight from huge speeds and then play with the cornering attitude with trailed brakes, a lift or simply under power. Or, when it all comes together, a seamless combination of the above.
And yet it feels playful and chuckable too
The downhill approach to the Melbourne hairpin is a good example. The PDK means you can stamp hard on the brake with your left foot while flicking down through the gears, confident even the downhill gradient won't unsettle the back end. Bleed the brakes off as you turn in, pick the throttle up nice and early and it'll carry a smooth arc round the corner; lift to tighten the line and you'll need a quarter turn of corrective lock and, if you're quick enough on the power, a beautiful transition into a four-wheel drift on the way out. All this on sticky Cup rubber and with the stability control fully on.
The limits are seriously high yet so transparent and exploitable it's an absolute joy to drive hard, demanding but still accommodating at the same time. And throughout there's that noise, drilling into your head, zinging through the cage, seats and bodywork, tingling through the Alcantara of the steering wheel. This is a very different car from previous RS models. But one that delivers very familiar thrills, albeit at a much, much higher level. Like the McLaren 675LT, the RS proves that feel and feedback are still absolutely critical to enjoying a fast car and of at least equal relevance to impressive stats and technology.
Guess what, the best 911 you (probably can't) buy
Is there a problem with the RS, other than not having enough down the back of the sofa to buy one? Yes - basically it shows up how inert the rest of the 991 line-up has become. You can still buy a proper 911 that drives like the ones we loved best. It's just a shame it's hidden at the very peak of the range.
Lap of Donington in the GT3 RS
PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS (991)
Engine: 3,996cc flat-6 (3,799cc flat-6)
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto (PDK), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 500@8,250rpm (475@8,250rpm)
Torque (lb ft): 339@6,250 (324@6,250rpm)
0-62mph: 3.3sec (3.5sec)
Top speed: 193mph (196mph)
Weight: 1,420kg DIN (1,430kg DIN)
MPG: 22.2mpg (22.8mpg) (NEDC combined)
CO2: 296g/km (289g/km)
Price: £131,296 (£145,626 as tested comprising Lava Orange exterior Paint £1,805, Club Sport Package £NCO, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes £6248, LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus £2,262, wheels painted in black silk gloss £393, Sound package plus £396, Porsche Communication Management [inc. Navigation module] £2,141, Sport Chrono Package including Track Precision App and prep for Laptrigger £1,085)
Figures in brackets for standard GT3
Thanks to BookATrack for admitting us to their Donington test day; for info about these, regular track days and rental/instruction packages with their dedicated fleet of Caterhams see here.
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Photos: Sim Mainey
come on!
I don't care how lightweight the car is, the leather could weigh 20kg and I'd still want it specced.
The only car that can get away with the plastic dash is the Boxster Spyder (light and basic car, on the cheap end to begin with and water/rain on the dash won't be a problem).
I don't care how lightweight the car is, the leather could weigh 20kg and I'd still want it specced.
The only car that can get away with the plastic dash is the Boxster Spyder (light and basic car, on the cheap end to begin with and water/rain on the dash won't be a problem).
A plastic dashboard would be perfectly acceptable in a car like this for me. An automatic gearbox, however, would not. Not that I can afford one anyway.
I don't care how lightweight the car is, the leather could weigh 20kg and I'd still want it specced.
The only car that can get away with the plastic dash is the Boxster Spyder (light and basic car, on the cheap end to begin with and water/rain on the dash won't be a problem).
A plastic dashboard would be perfectly acceptable in a car like this for me. An automatic gearbox, however, would not. Not that I can afford one anyway.
In all seriousness though and at sensible speeds it did feel noticeably more planted and stable even when just mooching along. Could have been the damping, could have been the extra track, could have been a number of factors but there was definitely a different feeling from any other 991 I've ever driven - GT3 included - and if that ruddy ironing board on the back and the vents in the front wings didn't do *something* you'd be disappointed. I had plenty of motorway miles to ponder it and overall it was just a sense of the car being pushed down onto the road. Subtle but you could feel it. I'll leave you with some titbits from the press pack on the matter.
Cheers,
Dan
Anyhow, I have my 72 RS replica and take delivery of my 997 GT3 gen 2 next week. These cars are VERY SPECIAL and are a bargain still.
The GT3 RS is still an amazing car however.
Looking like a bit of a tit? Maybe. I'd guess if you bought something like this and used it predominantly to bimble about town, then yes, I'd surely agree. If you used it as the maker intended, ie ragging it around a track, then to me, that would be "fit for purpose".
Sadly, I suspect many owners would be posers, and actual track usage would be less than 1% of the vehicular experience.
What a waste.
Oh, and downforce on the public roads? Dont make me laugh. Even with your not-so-subtle "I was speeding but cant cop to it", this isnt the point Porsche were trying to make. They are clearly trying to imply normal road speeds , ie 70mph, results in a noticeable downforce experience. Sure, maybe the tiniest fraction which a supercomputer might measure in a windtunnel. But for most cashed-up chavs, their ass-dyno would really struggle to notice any difference whilst their neck is craning to see if anyone has noticed their "tit-ness" driving past...
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