Porsche lifts the lid on 911 GT3 RS at Geneva

Because there is apparently no limit to the number of 911 variants the market can bear, Porsche has added another: the 911 GT3 RS was unveiled today at the Geneva auto show, sporting, as its maker says, the most motorsport technology possible in a street-legal 911 that is still suitable for daily driving.

In bridging road and racetrack, Porsche has created a 911 that it says rounded the north loop of the Nürburgring in less time than the Carrera GT supercar, and can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, and reaches 200 km/h in 10.9.

Building on the standard GT3, the new RS gets the largest normally-aspirated engine of any 911, a 4.0L flat-six that makes 500 hp and 338 lb-ft of torque—bumps of 25 hp and 13 lb-ft over the “base” car’s 3.8L. A “specially-developed” PDK dual-clutch transmission shunts power to the rear wheels, and incorporates a paddle-neutral feature that replicates disengaging the clutch in a manual-transmission car. If that doesn’t impress your friends, use the “pit speed” button next time you hit the Tim Hortons drive-through.

Dressed in a 911 Turbo body, the RS gets unique add-ons, like the park-bench rear spoiler, and a cow-catcher of a front aero lip. A magnesium roof and carbon fibre hood and engine cover cut the RS’ weight by 10 kg compared to the regular GT3, making the GT3 RS a “masterpiece of intelligent lightweight design.”

Look for the GT3 RS in Porsche showrooms and at your local Nürburgring this summer, at a starting price of $200,700.