Did we not tell you about the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3? No? Never mind because you can skip the subtlety and go straight for high-core performance with the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
The high-performance and still road-legal 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is powered by a 4.0L high-revving naturally aspirated flat-six engine, which boasts a motorsport-derived single-throttle intake system and a rigid valve drive, and produces 525 PS (518 HP, or 16 horses over the 911 GT3).
The boxer engine is paired with a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) that has a shorter overall gear ratio than the 911 GT3 to allow for a century sprint of just 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 296 km/h (184 mph), which is a tad quicker and faster than the non-RS variants.
The new 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS has a central radiator concept inspired by motorsport, featuring a large, angled center radiator in the car’s nose, right where the luggage compartment would be on other 911 models. This frees up the sides to integrate active aerodynamic elements which include continuously adjustable wing elements in the front and on the two-part rear wing.
This, in combination with other aerodynamic features, offers 409 kg (902 pounds) of total downforce at 200 km/h (124 mph). To put this number in perspective, the new 911 GTS RS generates twice as much downforce as its 991.2-generation predecessor. Also, the total downforce generated at 285 km/h (177 mph) is 860 kg (1,896 pounds).
While we are on the topics of aeros, the track-bred sports car is also blessed with a drag reduction system or DRS – the first for a production Porsche. Here’s what a DRS does:
“To achieve low drag and higher speeds on straight sections of the track, the DRS allows the wings to be flattened out at the push of a button, within a specific operating range. The airbrake function is activated during emergency braking at high speeds: the wing elements at the front and rear are set to maximum, creating an aerodynamic deceleration effect that significantly supports the wheel brakes.”
Also part of the aerodynamic setup is a swan-neck-supported rear spoiler which consists of a fixed main spoiler and an upper, hydraulically adjustable wing element. It is worth mentioning that the upper edge of the wing is, for the first time, higher than the car’s roof.
Moreover, Porsche has ditched the front spoiler in favor of a front splitter that divides the air flowing over and under. Meanwhile, sideblades direct air outwards, and louvered openings in the front wings provide front wheel arch ventilation. A similar setup is also found at the rear.
Part of the highlight of the new 911 GT3 RS is the so-called “intelligent lightweight construction”, achieved through extensive use of CFRP, including at the doors, front wings, roof, and front lid, as well as in the interior such as on the bucket seats.
Furthermore, there are the aluminum monobloc fixed caliper brakes (6-pod front; 4-pod rear), and forged light-alloy center-lock wheels wrapped in road-legal 275/35 R20 and 335/30 R21 rubbers. All told, the new 911 GT3 RS has a curb weight of 1,450 kg (3,197 pounds).
In addition, you may want to know that it has track suspensions that can be adjusted from inside the cockpit, and oh, even the suspension is aerodynamic too. This variant of the 911 GT3 has a tad wider track – 29 mm to be precise – over the non-RS variant.
If anyone’s down, the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is available to order, starting at US$223,800. It is a US$54,100 premium over the 2023 911 GT3 which starts at US$169,700.
All images courtesy of Dr.-Ing. h.c F. Porsche AG.
