GT3 RS shows its true colours

The final piece in the 997 jigsaw has arrived, and it’s the most hardcore of the lot. The Porsche 911 GT3 RS takes the already-very-focused GT3 and turns it into a car that’s even more suitable for track work while still retaining its road legality.

Its normally aspirated 3.6-litre engine puts out an identical 409bhp at 7600rpm to the standard GT3, but thanks to a close-ratio six-speed ’box, a single-mass flywheel and a 20kg lower kerb weight, the RSrevs up more freely and reaches 62mph a tenth quicker.

The weight savings were achieved by the use of a carbonfibre rear wing (adjustable, naturally), a plastic rear bonnet and a lightweight plastic rear window. The result is a power-to-weight ratio over the 300bhp-per- ton mark.

The RS uses the 44mm wider rear bodywork from the Carrera 4 model to conceal a wider track, which should increase cornering grip. Of course, like its predecessor, the RS is a homologation car for Porsche’s GT racing activities, so it includes certain technical attributes that also appear on the racing versions, such as the design of the wheel carrier and split wishbones on the rear axle. The racing details continue inside, with a bolted-in rollcage, six-point harness, fire extinguisher and pre-wiring for a battery master switch.

The price of the GT3 RS will be £94,280, a substantial £14,740 more than the standard GT3.