Porsche GT3 RS [Spied]

Spy photographers have spotted a facelifted Porsche 911 GT3 RS prototype out testing on the roads of Germany, just outside of the Nürburgring. Some new modifications to the Porsche are LED lighting that will be applied across the 911 models and cleaner front bumper design, with larger intakes at the corners. This model will maintain the RS trademarks like the competition-spec roll-bar, lightweight fixed rear wing, and thinner glass for further weight savings. A new rear bumper design is also in the works, sculpted to bring a bit more attention to the GT3 RS' center-mounted exhaust tips. Visual changes aside, I wonder what changes are under the hood. Is more power to battle the Nissan GT-R V-Spec , or Lexus LF-A .
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Eyecarehawaii - 4/18/2008 6:01:54 AM

-1 Boost

Fear the GT-R :)

EL34 - 4/18/2008 11:31:28 AM

-1 Boost

It's ugliness :-O

_43LE - 4/18/2008 11:39:56 AM

0 Boost

May Road and track comparison GT-R vs Corvette vs 911 turbo: styling

Exterior styling (15 pts max)

15.0 Nissan GT-R
15.0 Corvette
13.4 Porsche 911 Turbo

http://www.roadandtrack.com/assets/download/0508_ct_TechDetails.pdf

noname00 - 4/18/2008 12:33:40 PM

-1 Boost

I love the GT3. It may not be as fast as the GT-R, but I really don't like the looks of that thing.
I hope this new GT3 will have more than 450 bhp.

dayday - 4/18/2008 7:00:13 AM

0 Boost

Porsche really need to bring something good now...
they already lost their competition to Nissan.

ubercool - 4/18/2008 9:29:49 AM

-1 Boost

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

KeinenErsatz - 4/18/2008 10:11:32 AM

+2 Boost

I'm not really liking the front bumper too much, but the LED taillights are nice. Does anyone else think Porsche should put LEDs on the front in a similar way to what they did with the Turbo? Also... the engineers in Weissach NEED to realize that this thing will need a good supply of extra horsepower to overcome its new competition...

lenkun - 4/18/2008 1:09:39 PM

+1 Boost

It's going to be expensive though. Forget about chasing the GT-R or Z06/ZR1, but most important of all, will it be able to run with the new LS-F, M3, C63, and CTS-V which all has a powerful V8 vs. a flat-6 for this GT3?

ThierryHenry14 - 4/18/2008 1:37:25 PM

+2 Boost

what are you talking about?

Heyhuub - 4/18/2008 1:37:54 PM

+2 Boost

Are you kidding? The current Porsche GT3 isn't far of the pace of the GT-R with only a 415hp Flat-6. I reckon the current GT3 RS, being even faster then the normal GT3 could even beat the GT-R on the track.
The new facelifted one will probably beat the GT-R at everything except a straight line.

lenkun - 4/18/2008 4:02:21 PM

0 Boost

Heyhuub, I think you got confused. It's the GT2 that's not far behind the GT-R since both cars are turbo-charged 6 cylinders. This is the GT3 without turbos, thus it's lightyears behind the GT-R in all category of performance and handling, thus it's main competitors are the new breed of V8 sports cars like the M3, LS-F, C63, and CT-S V-Series.

They should make a GT2 RS to catch up with the GT-R though.

Matthew1 - 4/19/2008 1:48:11 AM

+3 Boost

lenkun, you are waaay out of touch.

While these new super saloons may be as fast in a straight line as a GT3, that is where the comparisons should end.

The GT3 is a stripped-out, focussed road and track car, which sublime handling balance and a no-compramise suspension set up.

The 'uber' saloons are just that -saloons. Heavy and luxury-laden, fast but no GT3.

Heyhuub - 4/19/2008 8:44:10 AM

+3 Boost

@ Lenkun

Are you high, the 997 GT2 smashes the GT-R in both a straight line and on the track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjwJl4t-DF8

Here the GT-R just slightly outpaces the normal GT3, the GT3 RS is most certainly more then a match for the GT-R.
The new GT3 RS will outpace the GT-R.

ThierryHenry14 - 4/18/2008 1:48:30 PM

+3 Boost

The GT3 RS, I think should get a bump in HP, but I definitely think its more hardcore of a track car than many others. Its probably the most driver-engaging of all the cars mentioned in this thread. I would still take the GT3 over the GT-R, but they are comparable cars.

richardp996 - 4/18/2008 2:39:36 PM

+1 Boost

I honestly do not think the car is an RS. The rear wing and fenders on this facelift prototype is not a wide-bodied 911. I think this the facelifted GT3 will just utilize a similar wing used on the current RS.

sector - 4/18/2008 5:40:06 PM

-3 Boost

Facelifted? guess you have to be car designer to tell them apart.

911's are nothing but beetles with mustard up its butt :)

EvoAudi - 4/18/2008 11:13:50 PM

+2 Boost

doesnt have the wider track from the AWD models like the current one.

Matthew1 - 4/19/2008 1:51:18 AM

+1 Boost

The GT3 RS is a driver-oriented sports car, rewarding the driver with it's sublime handling and communicative steering and chassis.

The GT-R is not. Faster than a RS it may be, but with so many computers controlling the car, it certainly isn't 'driver-oriented'.

This isn't a knock at the amazing ability of the GT-R, this is just to explain that they aren't what you would call 'direct' rivals.

Eyecarehawaii - 6/27/2008 11:32:43 AM

+1 Boost

True, and they never will be direct rivals. Even if the GT-R can beat a Turbo cabrio around the racetrack I'd still opt for the later. It just comes down to personal preference and what you're looking for from a car.

Eyecarehawaii - 6/27/2008 11:49:24 AM

+1 Boost

Still, you have to admit this isn't a bad car from the performance standpoint. [url=http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/videos/spyshotvideos/221997/nissan_gtr_vspec.html]..the V-Spec has lapped the ‘ring in a mere 7min 25secs – that’s at least 13 seconds quicker than the standard GT-R.[/url]

Matthew1 - 4/19/2008 1:54:14 AM

+3 Boost

Oh and these 911 revisions started development way before the GT-R was big news, Porsche is revising it's whole 911 line-up with its addition of DI and a DSG transmission. The DSG will help the Turbo match the GT-R's acceleration figures though, as torque interruption is less than a traditional manual.

USCCayman - 4/24/2008 8:45:52 AM

+1 Boost

It is much too early to proclaim that the Nissan GT-R is the new king of the road. We really haven't seen the US spec car yet on our shores (when you can finally go down to the Nissan dealer and pick it up off the lot, you have a US spec car), and there are delays in production already. When it establishes credibility at Sebring, Daytona, the 24 hours of Nurburgring, etc., then you can talk. It takes a while to establish that some particular make is at the top of the heap, and in spite of what all the hype is telling us, the GT-R is far from doing that.

TybeeZ4 - 4/26/2008 3:42:05 PM

+1 Boost

Now, if Porsche would just drop this engine into the Cayman, they'd really have something!

USCCayman - 4/27/2008 8:08:18 PM

+1 Boost

It is the GT-R that has something to fear, namely a short run hyper-hyped bask in a fake sunlight. Porsche has waited until they had DFI and DSG developed to their ultra-high standards before unleashing them, and now it looks like we will see them in June. With these two things now in place, the GT-R can kiss it's momentary place in the spotlight good bye.