The GT3 RS 4.0 Is The Last Porsche 997
The Porsche GT3 RS 4.0 is the driver-focused 911 GT3 RS but with a slightly larger engine. And by a slightly larger engine we mean the largest engine ever officially offered in a street-worthy Porsche 911. It's a fitting swan-song for what will finally be the last Porsche 997 variant ever. We think. Probably. More than likely.
To paraphrase Mitch Hedberg: you don't want your cars to be like pancakes, all delicious at first but a soggy mushy mess by the end. Thus the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. The final 997. Just as tasty as the first bite.
If you've read Jalopnik or Teamspeed these past few weeks you already know just about everything worth printing about this super and final 997, but it's worth re-printing if only on the off-chance that by mastering the knowledge you'll somehow impress an owner, who will then toss you the keys.
As the name suggests, the GT3 RS 4.0 is the driver-focused 911 GT3 RS but with a new 4.0-liter flat six upgraded with forged pistons, titanium connecting rods, and a crankshaft lifted from the similar GT3 RSR race car.
All this means it's a naturally aspirated engine with max power of 500 hp at 8250 RPM and max torque of 339 lb-ft of torque at 5750 RPM. Transmission choices? Race-geared six-speed manual and nothing else, as God and Ferry intended.
Attention to detail is the key here, with numerous weight-reducing options such as carbon fiber buckets, fenders, luggage compartment lid, and even weight-optimized carpets. This keeps weight down to 2,998 fully fueled. Otherwise it's quite similar to the regular GT3 RS, although the Porsche Active Suspension Management system's been tweaked to handle the new power and weight balance.
Aesthetically, the GT3 RS 4.0's an improvement over the stock GT3 as well with a busier yet more refined nose and those dive planes on either side of the bumper. They're also called "flics" but neither you nor I can say that without sounding ridiculous. All the cars come standard in "Carrara" White (Porsche typo or the marble?), but there's apparently a black one floating around.
Carmakers can spend all the time they want testing crossovers at the Nürburgring and we'll pass on the information, partially out of amusement. The 911 GT3 RS 4.0's lap time is something worth noting, especially now that it's turned a 7:27. This is just faster than a Carrera GT and Walter Rohrl in a 911 GT2, though still slower than the GT-R.
If your daily commute doesn't include the Nordschliefe, it'll do 0-to-60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and hit 124 mph in less than 12 seconds on the way to its top speed of 193 mph.
We did get one little premature detail wrong: they're making 600 of them. So you other 100 people with $185,000 can get in on the action as well. Just act fast, they go on sale in the U.S. in late 2011 but they'll be sold out before you can say "boysenberry."