Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport – only for the track

The rennsport Reunion organised by Porsche is the world’s largest meeting of classic Porsche racing cars and their drivers, and it has been ongoing since 2001. The event’s name ‘rennsport’ is German for ‘racing’ and in shortened form is ‘RS’, which have been used on certain Porsche racing models since 1957.

Limited edition – only 77 units
At this year’s rennsport Reunion which is on this week at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California, a highlight of the event is the presentation of the 911 GT3 R rennsport. Based on the new 911 GT3 R of the current 992 generation, this is a limited edition car with only 77 units to be available for US$1,046,000 (RM4.92 million) each.

One of the special features of this car – sure to be a collector’s item – is the distinctively designed body. The  911 GT3 R rennsport combines the powerful appearance of a high-performance competition car with modern design elements. At the same time, it references the sportscar manufacturer’s motorsport history without drifting into a retro look.

Elementary performance factors of the original GT3 model, such as air resistance and aerodynamic downforce remain largely untouched. As a thoroughbred racing car, the form of the 911 GT3 R rennsport continues to follow function – but it does that in an extremely emotional and attractive way.

Logical successor of modern Porsche 935
“The 911 GT3 R rennsport will take its place as the logical successor to the modern Porsche 935. While the 935 was technically based on the near-standard 911 GT2 RS Clubsport, the 911 GT3 R rennsport uses the current 911 GT3 R of the 992 generation as its basis. Beneath the extensively redesigned carbon skin is a thoroughbred racing car,” said Grant Larson, who was Director Special Projects at Style Porsche for 14 years.

Generally speaking, only the bonnet and the roof were taken over from the standard GT3 R. All other body elements have been changed. Larson and his team have adopted most of the aerodynamically optimised geometry of the vehicle’s nose, including its cooling air intakes and ducts.

The designers have also set visual accents in the area around the side fins and flics. They are now framed by a side cowl and protected against damage caused by external impact. The radically modified shape of the air intake and outlet panels of the front wheelarches underscores the more self-confident appearance.

Digital external mirrors
Conventional exterior mirrors have been eliminated and replaced by a digital equivalent. A system consisting of three cameras integrated into the outer skin of the vehicle and monitors in the cockpit now perform this task.

Modifications to the racing car’s rear end have a particularly distinctive character. The huge rear wing is the dominant component facing the airflow. Its design is reminiscent of that of the legendary Brumos Porsche 935/77 which took the seventh overall victory for a Porsche at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1978.

The particular design claim of the 911 GT3 R rennsport is also reflected in the slightly modified interior. The monitors of the two fender-mounted exterior cameras blend into the interior on each side. Special graphics for the splash screen of the central display and the limited edition number on the instrument panel have been given the shapes of the racing car, while ambient lighting adopts the theme of the colour-adjustable main headlights for the interior.

All safety features comply with the applicable FIA standards. The particularly rigid roll cage design permits the installation of the driver’s seat only. As is the case with the 911 GT3 R in use worldwide, the limited ‘rennsport’ is thus a single-seater racing car.

New colour concept
In terms of its colour concept, the 911 GT3 R rennsport is breaking new ground. Porsche is offering the new collector’s item ex-works with a bodyshell painted in Agate Grey Metallic and bodywork in pure carbon but the racing car will be available ex-works for the first time in seven colours.

In addition, there are three exclusive paintwork designs available that make further customisation possible. “Porsche has been shaped by its rich history. This is especially true in racing. This has subsequently inspired us, of course, but by no means did we want to produce a copy or an obvious retro paint job. The three options we selected are new interpretations that are realistic and not some blatant nod to the brand’s history,” explained Thorsten Klein, Style Porsche Project Manager for the GT3 R rennsport.

Even more powerful racing engine
In principle, the 911 GT3 R rennsport is based on Porsche’s current GT3 racing car. Compared with the 911 GT3 R of the 992 generation, however, the limited edition model goes beyond the strict requirements of motorsport homologation or restrictions imposed by a ‘Balance of Performance’ in competition.

With additional freedoms, the engineers have incorporated numerous technical refinements, reduced weight and extracted more engine power, with an awesome sound similar to that of the 911 RSR.

The 4.2-litre 6-cylinder boxer engine of the 911 GT3 R, a power unit that revs up to 9,400 rpm, benefits in particular from the removal of the restrictions imposed by the regulations. It reaches  a  power peak of up to 620 ps, which corresponds to a power output of as much as 148 ps per litre of displacement – most probably a record for a naturally aspirated engine of a GT racing car.

It is thus significantly more powerful than the original power unit, which can develop up to 565 ps in the 911 GT3 R, depending on the BoP rating. The water-cooled 4-valve engine with direct petrol injection has been designed to run on E25 fuels. These include bio-ethanol fuels and so-called reFuel, in addition to regeneratively produced e-fuels, which make almost carbon-neutral operation possible.

The power transmission to the rear wheels, including the sequential 6-speed constant-mesh gearbox, originates from the 911 GT3 R with only minor modifications. Gear changes are made via steering wheel paddles that control an electronic gearshift actuator.

GT3 chassis
The chassis is also basically identical to that of the GT3 racing car. Porsche Motorsport delivers the 911 GT3 R rennsport with a specific basic set-up. Further adjustments to the suspension can be made using shims. Their benefit: they enable fine adjustments to be made without the need for time-consuming measurements of the suspension.

Another unique selling point of the car are the racing tyres offered by Michelin exclusively for the 77 owners of the GT3 R rennsport. These tyres have a new construction associated with a new compound tread that result in an improved warm-up and drivability compared to the Michelin Pilot Sport M S9 (S9M).

The aluminium monobloc racing brake system from AP has been given brake pads with titanium backing plates. They reduce the total unsprung masses by approximately 1 kg.

Saving weight
The new FT3.5 safety tank with a capacity of 117 litres is also a weight-saving feature, being 1 kg lighter than the previous version and in future can also be used in the 911 GT3 R for racing events.

Another weight saving feature is the elimination of the air conditioning system. Ventilation for the driver is provided by the 911 GT3 R’s seat cooling concept. Overall, the developers are aiming to achieve a kerb weight of 1,240 kgs, which would give a weight-to-power ratio of 2.0 kg/ps.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS brings racing tech to the road for RM2.63 million