Porsche 911 GT3 RS PDK
Like its exterior colour, driving the GT3 RS is searingly intense. Long may that be the case!
CLick-click-click-click – the sound of the Schroth six-point harness clicking in place. There are only a few cars in the market which offer this option. You know when you pull the straps tight over your chest and legs that you are about to experience something quite exceptional.
Pottering through mid-morning traffic in a 991.2 911 GT3 RS is a chore but, when the first mountain pass looms, it takes just a few corners to realise the capability of this special Porsche. In second gear, with 5 000 r/min showing on the rev counter, I plant the throttle. The RS bounds forward (the response not unlike a vehicle with AWD) as the rev needle flits past 8 000 r/min. As the pointer hits 9 000 r/min, I pull the small carbon-fibre paddle mounted on the steering wheel. The onslaught continues, with the raw, intense sound of the 4,0-litre flat-six infiltrating the cabin. My co-driver and I can’t help but laugh out loud.
The chassis of this sportiest of RSS (if you discount the limited GT2 RS) allows for crisp turn-in of the nose, partly assisted by rear-axle steering. Climb on the throttle at any point in a corner you might think is too early and the rear axle simply squats and fires the RS forward.
The steering wheel brims with feedback, despite being electrically assisted, while the brakes are strong but barely see the body pitching.
Inside, like all 911s, the driving position is perfect thanks to a particularly low-sited bucket seat and rake plus reach adjustment on the steering column. It’s a treat to spot the roll cage (with additional support members compared to the one in the previous GT3 RS) and that oversized wing in your rear-view mirror. Peek at the side mirrors and those large air intakes aren’t coy about the significance of this model in the 911 line-up. Up front, the driver has an evocative view of the bonnet and its NACA ducts, which suck in air to assist with front-brake cooling, while air outlets above the front wheelarches are prominent. It’s
all pure automotive theatre.
But back to the driving… Snaking through the Overberg on rural roads, the RS commands attention from pedestrians and road users alike. On these pitted surfaces, the chassis generally displays great composure. But not all the time. On occasion, the RS feels unable to deal with larger bumps and crests, which see it lose its cool a little. Hit a smooth piece of tarmac, however, and its abilities are stratospheric.
That’s the ideal time to select PDK sport on the drivetrain-management system. It heightens the aggression on the gearshift mapping, leaving each shift for the redline. Meticulous rev-matching downshifts are accompanied by barks from the engine and the double exhaust pipes. This is comfortably one of motordom’s best powertrains.
Fitted with numerous options (such as a front-axle lift system, ceramic composite brakes and full bucket seats), adding the Weissach package (including titanium wheels and roll cage, unpainted carbon-fibre parts and magnesium wheels as well as carbon-fibre front and rear sway cars and coupling rods), this particular car costs nearly R5 million. Considering some of these options aren’t crucial, a well-specified GT3 RS could come in at well under that and still provide a level of performance and ability beyond reach of pricier cars. An educated guess would place it at the top of our Killarney track index in the hands of Deon Joubert (we say guess because Porsche SA’S insurance cover excludes track work).
There are rumours swirling round the Internet Porsche will terminate this hallowed, naturally aspired GT3 engine and it’ll be a tremendously sad day if that happens. For now, though, let’s celebrate the sheer brilliance of the GT3 RS, a sportscar that operates on a supercar plane.