Another sellout Porsche has just been revealed in Europe.
This time it's the 911 that everyone dreams about - the road rocket GT3 RS.
Only 20 cars will come to Australia and the order book is already filled, although things could change as Porsche Cars Australia is also getting ready to roll out the regular GT3 and the Turbo at the top end of the 911 lineup. The GT3 RS is going to have a pricetag in the $335,000 range but that has no deterred drivers who want the ultimate in hard-edged 911 motoring.
"We're holding 20 orders at the moment. With a bit of luck it might be better than that, if we can get some extra supplies," says Michael Winkler, managing director of Porsche Cars Australia. "We've got an interesting year coming up in 2010. We've got the Turbo, the GT3 and the GT3 RS. They are very special cars, but in some cases we will be talking to the same people."
Related Coverage
Porsche 911 Turbo: first lookPorsche 911 RS replica — 1973: buyers guidePorsche 911 3.2 — 1984-1989: buyers guideTest drive: Porsche 911 Carrera 2 STest drive: Porsche 911 C2S CabrioletPorsche 911s for sale
Porsche 911 specs
What's your Porsche 911 worth?
First pictures of the latest RS - a model that tracks back to 1973 - show a car which is more extreme than ever before with a power upgrade, bigger wheels and tauter gearing over both the outgoing RS and the cooking-model GT3. "It's a lot more hardcore. It is a car very much for the extreme enthusiast. We're talking about the guy who wants to go to the track. And, around the world, collectors who want something which is built in such low numbers."
The key to the RS deal is a 3.8-litre flat six with a romping 335 kiloWatts. That's up by 11 from the regular GT3 and a full 26 kiloWatts more than the previous-generation RS. The engine also has lighter parts inside to make it respond quicker and rev higher.
There are shorter gears in the six-speed manual and different differential ratio, which hurts top speed but boosts off-the-line acceleration and punch out of corners.
Porsche says the RS is 10 kilograms lighter than the standard GT3 and it is easily picked with a giant carbonfibre rear wing and flared guards to cover wider front and rear tracks. It sits lower to the road and there are extra aero parts in the nose and a titanium sports exhaust.
Mechanical changes to the RS run deep, from active drivetrain mounts - to resist twisting forces in corners - to a lightweight lithium-ion battery and 19-inch alloy wheels with 245x35 front tyres and 325x30 rear rubber on 12-inch wide rims.
Porsche's active suspension management is also standard, but with sports settings for extreme driving. It's the first time the system has been expressly tailored to the RS.
Winkler says the RS will come in the first quarter of next year, soon after the regular GT3 and Turbo. "The other two cars will land before Christmas, but we'll wait to release them in January," he says.
The sales target for the GT3 is around 80 cars and he is not making predictions on the Turbo. "I'm just trying to be very prudent because the market has been quite difficult. It is very important not to over-stock the market."
Reply With Quote