Porsche’s New 911 GT3 R Is An Absolute Track Weapon

• 2023 racer from Porsche unveiled at 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

• The GT3 R uses a 6-speed sequential gearbox. 

• The wheelbase has been increased by 48mm from the standard 911.

• Porsche has priced the GT3 R at 511,000 Euros (over Rs 4 crore).

“The new 911 GT3 R has big shoes to fill,” says Michael Dreiser, Sales Director at Porsche Motorsport and we can’t agree more considering how revered its predecessor has been in the endurance racing series. 

Images of the utterly dominant neon green Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3, nicknamed Grello, rush to our mind when we think of the 911 GT3 R. The bar was already set too high, and Porsche has created yet another 911 GT3 R, now based on the current 992-generation 911. 

Porsche says that the aim was not just to make the race car faster than before, but to make it last longer, improve drivability and endurance and primarily helping this cause is the new motor, which is a 4.2-litre water-cooled flat-six that develops 565PS. 

Rather than the headline figures, the focus was more on how the flat-six delivers torque and power over the rev range. The naturally aspirated engine, which gains a five per cent increase in displacement over the standard 911, also has been tilted by 5.5 degrees to create more room under the car. Power goes to the rear wheels through a sequential 6-speed gearbox which is also featured in the 911 GT3 Cup.

To aid driveability, there have been many updates to the suspension setup which now includes a double wishbone layout that supports the KW dampers which offers a variety of adjustments. 

Modifications have also been done to the overall suspension geometry to free up space under the car, which in turn creates more space for cleaner airflow. This will also help stabilise the car under heavy acceleration and braking by reducing the pitch sensitivity. Apart from these, the wheelbase of the 1250kg racecar has also gone up from 2459 to 2507mm to reduce the load on the massive (310mm) rear tyres. 

Braking of the race car is handled by 390mm rotors at the front and 370mm rotors at the rear, both supplied by British specialists AP racing. The new GT3 R features a lightweight body with an aluminium-steel composite design. Most of the body panels are made out of carbon-fibre and the wheel arches are made of aramid fibres - a heat-resistant synthetic fibre better known as Kevlar. 

Aerodynamics is taken care of by a humongous swan-neck wing along with aggressive bodywork, reminiscent of the 911 RSR. Porsche has also made changes to the cockpit, one such revision is the redesign of the six-point safety harness which now allows for faster locking to save time during driver changes at pit stops.

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From the changes, it seems like Porsche has created a worthy successor to its successful race car. But, the last thing we should do is judge a car by what’s on the paper. For a definitive answer, we should wait until the new 911 GT3 R gets out on the racetrack and prove its mettle. If anybody is keen on finding it out first-hand, the 992 911 GT3 R can be yours for 511,000 Euros or over Rs 4 crore.