The Porsche booth at the LA Auto Show always brings out some awesome attractions for enthusiasts of the brand. While walking around the show, I decided to shoot a quick video blog of some of the high performance vehicles in the Porsche area. While it can be argued that all the Porsches in the room could be considered high performance vehicles, there were a few that really caught my eye again and again and again… especially the 991 chassis 911 GT3 RS, which was positioned front and center as soon as you walked into the room.
Check out the VLOG video above for an detailed look at the 911 GT3 RS, with some expert commentary from one of the resident Porsche PR reps, and a cameo from my new friend Julia! Scroll down for more photos of the car.
The first thing most people notice in the cockpit is the alcantara wrapped 360mm GT3 RS sport steering wheel and carbon fiber trimpieces on the dash. According to Porsche, the shift throw of the paddles has been reduced by half to make gearshifts even more direct and precise.
The nylon fabric door pulls give the door panels a racecar style touch. Pretty cool, until they get dirty.
The most striking thing in the interior (in my opinion) are these carbon Recaro seats with the GT3 RS logo embroidered on them. These full bucket seats are standard in the new 911 GT3 RS. Made completely of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and with a carbon-weave finish, they offer particularly good lateral support with a minimal weight. Fore/aft adjustment is manual, height adjustment is electric. Ughhhhhhhh! Want.
To the right of the center console display, the front panel on the dashboard flips to reveal spring loaded cupholders for driver and passenger. However, if I owned this GT3 RS, I wouldn’t really allow anyone to bring coffee or drinks in the car.
The widebody and with rear intake scoops and vented front fenders really set the GT3 RS apart from normal 911s. So bad ass!
With 12 slats, the painted carbon fiber fenders provide an efficient exit for the air drawn into the front wheel arches. This reduces the overpressure created by the turning wheels and thereby counters lift. It’s an aerodynamic detail with road approval, otherwise found only on racing cars.
The result is extra downforce, generated together with the aerodynamically styled front end and the 911 GT3 RS-specific front spoiler. So dope!
Oh, and those brakes! The new 911 GT3 RS is equipped with a particularly powerful yet lightweight brake system with a specifically matched brake booster.
The optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) in yellow is a fine example. In numerous race series, including the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, it has been proven to withstand the harshest demands of the track. The factory engineers have adapted PCCB dimensions to match the performance capabilities of the car. The cross-drilled ceramic brake discs are 410 mm at the front and 390 mm at the rear for formidable braking performance.
The use of six-piston aluminium monoblock fixed brake calipers on the front axle and four-piston units at the rear – all finished in yellow – ensures extremely high brake forces which, crucially, are exceptionally consistent.
That’s not all. PCCB enables shorter braking distances in even the toughest road and race conditions. Excellent fade resistance ensures greater balance when slowing from racetrack speeds. The key advantage of PCCB is the extremely low weight of the ceramic brake discs, which are approximately 50% lighter than standard discs of a similar design and size. As well as enhancing performance and fuel economy, this represents a major reduction in unsprung and rotating masses.
This results in better roadholding and increased comfort, particularly on uneven roads, as well as greater agility and improved handling.
And those center lock wheels, which are 20 inches at the front axle, and 21 inches at the rear axle. For a wheel size combination, that’s a first in the 911 model range. The larger footprint makes another improvement to dynamic performance. The wheels are made from a forged alloy and feature a platinum-colored paint finish.
The central locking device bearing the ‘RS’ logo is derived from motorsport. Compared with the conventional five-bolt wheel connection, it offers enhanced performance thanks to the reduction in rotating masses. And, of course, it ensures a faster wheel change, which is vital when you’re in the pit and the clock is ticking. Assuming of course, at you are actually using this car for racing.
The tire sizes on the new 911 GT3 RS are : 265/35 ZR 20 on 9.5 J x 20 at the front, 325/30 ZR 21 on 12.5 J x 21 at the rear.
This carbon fiber rear wing with forged aluminum uprights provide functional downforce, which is a good thing because the 991 GT3 RS has a top speed of 193mph, with an engine pushing 500hp at 8250rpm. All this for the bargain price of only $176k!
Flip up the engine cover to reveal the engine… which is all covered up. You can see the emblem though, with carbon fiber surrounds and some fans to keep the engine ventilation on point.
I really can NOT wait to test drive this car! More on this later.
:: Antonio Alvendia
