When Porsche unveiled the 991-generation of the 911, Zuffenhausen made a point of noting that the new Carrera S was faster around the Nürburgring than the outgoing 997 GT3. A year ago, we chased a new Carrera S around Porsche's Weissach test track in a 993 Turbo, an all-wheel-drive monster that applied the whiz-bang tech of the storied 959 to a mainline 911. All of this is to say that even in lower-end spec, the current 911 is a phenomenally capable machine.
Despite being stranded in owners' garages by a wonky con-rod bolt that could lead to fire, the currently-under-recall-pending-engine-replacement GT3 extends that capability further, with a hair-straightening 9,000 RPM redline and a more track-focused suspension setup. But those of us waiting for the purest shot of late-model-911-ness we're likely to see have been waiting for this version, the GT3 RS.
Captured by our spy shooters at Sir Jackie Stewart's Verdant Hades, the lightly-camouflaged Rennsport model features embiggened vents in the rear fenders, a troika of ginormous maws in the nose, and some manner of doohickey on the front trunk lid that Porsche doesn't want us to see yet, given that they've tastefully affixed a rectangle under the panel's vinyl wrap. We hope what they're hiding is a NACA duct. Oh please, let it be a NACA duct.
Powertrain-wise, rumors have swirled that the company may offer a manual transmission on the RS model. While we hope that chatter bears fruit, given the car's mission as the fastest naturally-aspirated Neunelfer in the line, it'd make sense that the car follows the GT3 and Turbo into PDK-only territory.
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- First Drive: 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
- Research Porsche 911: Pricing, Photos, Reviews, and More
Expect at least 500 hp from the 3.8-liter flat-six, equaling—or perhaps bettering—the output from the last-of-the-line Mezger engine in the super-limited 997 GT3 RS 4.0. Traditional RS tricks include a spartaneous interior (Porsche's words, not ours), and lightening parts that can be reasonably lightened. European examples have previously been offered with some manner of roll cage, though it's not an option we'll see in the States.
The aero aids reportedly bring the RS to RSR levels of downforce. Looking at the thing, we can believe it; aside from the special order "Flachbau" cars built to resemble the Le Mans-winning 935's front end, Porsche's festoonery tends to be limited to purely functional features, and the RS looks rather similar to the GT racer.
New wheels appear to round out the package, drawing a measure of influence from the classic five-spoke Fuchs wheels found on 911s through the late-'80s 3.2 Carrera model.
If the new model isn't unveiled later this year at the Paris or L.A. auto shows, we expect it'll debut at the 2015 Geneva show, two years after the 991 GT3 was introduced to the world. Yes, that's a bit of a hedge, but we can promise you that its introduction will be accompanied by large puddles of saliva on the floor of whatever convention center hosts its unveiling.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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