2010 911 GT3 RS



In spades. It costs £104,841, some £19,277 more than the GT3 but it is so much more than the slightly sharper focussed, more track oriented car that the last RS was to the previous GT3. Brake specification apart, there is not a single area of dynamic endeavour that has not been extensively modified to turn the GT3 into this GT3 RS and the net result is a car that genuinely deserves to be thought of as a model apart.

Go on then…
Starting at the back, this is the first RS to have more power than its equivalent GT3. By using a special engine cover forcing air into a conical (rather than cylindrical) ram intake and an inlet manifold shortened and tuned for power rather than torque the output of the 3.8-litre flat six has been raised from 435bhp to 450bhp. Torque remains the same 317lb ft but is now developed 500rpm further up the rev range at 6750rpm. To save weight, the entire exhaust system is now titanium.

As with all motorsports products, paddle shift PDK transmissions are eschewed in favour of a short-throw six speed manual, but for the RS all ratios have been reduced, first to fifth by 11 per cent, sixth by five per cent. Quirkily this means the GT3 actually has the higher top speed: 194mph versus 192mph. On the 0-62mph sprint, the RS beats the GT3 by a scant tenth of a second, taking 4sec dead.

As before the RS has a 44mm wider body and a 30mm wider rear track but for the first time the front track has also been widened, by 12cm, and wider wheels (9J x 19”) with fatter tyres fitted (245/35ZR19). Under the skin there are split rear wishbones for finer track tuning, bespoke (and adjustable) anti-roll bars, a more track oriented tune for its dampers and, for the first time on any RS, race specification stability control to complement the carry over traction control, both of which can be entirely disabled.
Visually a new aerodynamic package can be seen, with a deep rubber front splitter balancing the vast, adjustable carbon fibre rear wing. Together they can exert 170kg of downforce on the RS at 186mph.

So is it all worth it?
Not unless you’re going to drive it like your pants on are fire. For most people, even die-hard enthusiasts, the standard GT3 will be all the 911 they will ever want. Indeed if you drive the RS merely very fast you will ponder the value of the extra money especially when the quieter, more comfortable GT3 is a substantially more usable car. But if you can find the right road or, more likely, track, it will take you places to which not even a GT3 has access. The power delivery, the available performance and the balance of mechanical and aerodynamic grip make it unquestionably the greatest 911 of the modern era. It is one of a tiny number of cars capable of removing the power of speech from even the most grizzled of motoring hacks. In a word, it is sublime.

Andrew Frankel.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Engine: 3797cc, flat six, normally aspirated
Max Power: 450bhp @ 7900rpm
Max Torque: 317lb ft @ 6750rpm
Weight: 1370kg
Transmission: six-speed manual, two-wheel drive
Max Speed: 192mph
0-62mph: 4.0 seconds
Price as Tested: £104,841

 



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