New Porsche GT3 RS blitzes the Nürburgring

The new Porsche GT3 RS has burst out of the blocks with the third-fastest time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife for a street-legal car.

Driven by Jörg Bergmeister, the car blitzed the longer 20.8km route around the famous German racetrack in 6:49.328 minutes. In terms of production-car laptimes the normally aspirated Porsche trails only the previous-generation Porsche 911 GT2 RS (6:43.3) and the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series (6:48).

An evolution of the standard 992 GT3 launched last year, the new GT3 RS is essentially a street-legal race car that adopts motorsport technology.

Lapping the circuit a full 10.6 seconds faster than the regular GT3, the track-focused GT3 RS has more than three times the downforce. The RS has an active aero system with two flaps ahead of the front wheels working with a huge biplane rear wing to constantly adjust the level of downforce generated. 

The new swan-neck-supported rear wing has a fixed main wing and an upper, hydraulically adjustable wing element that’s used to facilitate an all-new drag reduction system (DRS). The wild aero package includes intakes in the rear-wheel arches and a side blade for optimised airflow, all of which help the GT3 RS to produce an astounding 860kg of downforce at 285km/h.

The high-revving 4.0l six-cylinder boxer engine churns out 386kW — 11kW more than the standard GT3. This feeds the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK transmission with a shorter overall gear ratio than the regular 911 GT3. Porsche claims the new GT3 RS will scorch the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.2 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 296km/h.

For its Nürburgring run the car was fitted with the optional Weissach package with semi-slick Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres, and a carbon-weave finish to the front lid, roof, parts of the rear wing and the side mirrors.  The front and rear anti-roll bars, the rear coupling rods and the shear panel on the rear axle are made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and contribute to a further enhancement of the driving dynamics. The rollover bar, constructed for the first time from CFRP, saves around 6kg compared with the steel version.

Commenting on the Nürburgring feat, Porsche’s Director of GT cars, Andreas Preuninger said: “Today the 911 GT3 RS delivered what it had already promised at first glance — absolute excellence on the racetrack. The 911 GT3 RS is setting new standards for aerodynamics and the chassis. Never before has a road car embodied so much motorsport.”

Bergmeister commented: “We lost a little downforce due to the strong, sometimes gusting wind, but I’m still very happy with the lap. In the fast sections in particular, the 911 GT3 RS is in a league of its own. Here it’s on a level usually reserved for top-class racing cars. The car is also setting new standards in braking. Fast laps on the Nordschleife are simply so much fun in this car.”

Frank Moser, vice-president model lines 911 and 718, said: “The 911 can still surprise us and proves that the rear engine concept is still supremely suitable for high-performance sports cars.”

Customer deliveries of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS are expected to start early next year with the price set at R4,153,000 including a three-year/100,000km Driveplan.