Above: 201 7 GT3 R
uses the road-going
GT3 RS as its basis
andproduces around
500bhp (air restricted)
fromits rear-mounted
4-litre flat-six; the price
via Porsche Customer
Racing was €429,000
(c£384,500) plus taxes
‘IT’SACCESSIBLEINAWAYTHATMAKESTHE
ITCHOFWANTINGTORACEALMOSTUNBEARABLE’
911GT3R
INMANYWAYSTHISGT3 R (A2017MYVERSION,SINCE
replacedfor 2019bya new car stillbased onthe 991 shell)
looks every bit asangry asthe RSR,exuding combative
menace,but it’s actually quite a different animal underneath
the giant wing, juttingsplitterandcopious vents.It’s
obviously muchmore of a 911 for a start: the interior is almost
aspurposeful asthe RSR’s, and the car wails and chomps as
westutter downthe pitlane, sequential gearbox screaming
above the barkofthe flat-six, but the engineis whereyou’d
expect it tobeand the seatingpositionis less alien.It’s not
difficult to see it asa logical extensionof a 911 GT3 RS.
GT3-spec carsareaimed, byandlarge,atwealthy
amateurs, run mainlybyprivate teams and,inaddition,
are equalised intheir performance relativetorivals bythe
dreaded Balance ofPerformance matrix.Those amateurs
often hire hot-shoe youngstersastheir teammates, who
battle for tenthsincars which are hardfor prostomakea
differencein through their talents alone.
Withthis remit inmind, the GT3 R has bothmotorsport
ABS and tractioncontrol systems, and is deliberatelyset
uptobefriendliernearthe limit. Ontrack it’s immediately
confidence inspiring, notleast because the braking technique
evenfromhighspeed is tosimply mashthe pedal ashard
asyourcalf muscles will allow. I don’t think I getanywhere
near the pressures required, which a friendwho’s raced GT 3
machinery professionally for years sayswould require meto
getdownthe gym pronto. And staythere.
Witharound 50 0bhpthere’s little differenceinoutright
speed fromthe RSR,but the weighttransferis predictably
more obvious, given the R’s engineplacement. It’s great fun,
though: accessible ina way that makes the itchofwanting
toracealmost unbearable. Commitment under braking is
rewarded,and you can thenreally beaggressive withthe
throttle thankstothe combinationof rear-enginedtraction
and the tractioncontrol safety net.
Asis normalinthe worldofmotorsport, anarmsrace
means that GT3 cars havebecomeincreasingly specialised,
and the 2019GT3 R inherits somekey components fromthe
RSR,including double wishbonefrontsuspension, more
sophisticated electronics and aero, fuel fillers onbothsides
of the car and anenginewith more mid-rangetorque. Various
options ontop of that enable you to tailor the car to particular
raceseries, and toupgrade its electronics further stillwith
additional data links, tyre pressure monitoringand soon.
PORSCHE 911 RSR, GT3 R & GT3 CUP