Porsche threw everything it had at the newest 911 GT3 RS, but they held back in one area.
When it comes to naturally-aspirated Porsche 911s, it doesn’t get more extreme than the GT3 RS. A regular 911 is fast, but the GT3 RS is faster. And lighter. And sharper. And more expensive. The list goes on.
You could call it overkill. The regular GT3 is a step up from the already fast 911. The RS goes even further. In the video above, from Carfection, Porsche’s Andreas Preuninger explains the finer technical points of the 991.2 model of the GT3 RS to Henry Catchpole. Changes to the four-liter flat-six’s internals, intake, and titanium exhaust resulted in a 20-horsepower increase relative to the outgoing RS. The PDK that it’s connected to now has revised oiling and bearings. In fact, it’s slightly faster than it used to be. Engineers installed stiffer springs and set up the suspension much like they would a Cup car’s suspension. They also recalibrated the differential. During their overkill overhaul, they installed weight-cutting Gorilla Glass panels and bolted on lighter wheels. (Interesting fact: According to Preuninger, the GT2 RS accounts for 70 percent of the world market for magnesium wheels).
On a car that’s designed to consistently hit track speeds, engine cooling is of vital importance. Porsche didn’t forget about that and gave the GT3 RS larger side vents that stuff air into the car’s business end. Preuninger reveals that the initial plan was to engrave the inlet sleeves with the letters RS. However, since the lower doors were going to be decorated with the signature GT3 RS script, that plan was seen as going too far. Yes, two letters on a piece of plastic were considered over the top on a car that makes other Porsches look regular. It seems a little silly, but it doesn’t change the fact that Porsche put a lot of thought and technical expertise into one serious performance machine.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
