Limited Edition Run of 77 Honors Iconic 911 Racers
By John Oreovicz
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s hard to imagine that a Porsche 911 could be turned into an even more capable track car than the 911 GT3 R that competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and other professionally sanctioned racing series around the world.
Unless you throw away the racing rulebook.
That’s essentially what Porsche did to create the 911 GT3 R rennsport, a limited-production, ultra-high-performance version of the popular 911 GT3 R customer racing car. The legendary German marque unveiled the new machine earlier this fall at Rennsport Reunion 7, a gathering of Porsche racing cars, drivers and associated figures that attracted more than 91,000 fans over four days at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The 911 GT3 R rennsport is not legal for street use or official competition. Instead, it’s a showcase for what the GT3 R platform could be capable of if it didn’t have to comply with Balance of Performance parameters that are an essential component of maintaining parity in modern sports car racing around the world.
Porsche calls the 911 GT3 R rennsport “one of the most extreme and focused 911s ever … arguably the hottest track tool Porsche has ever offered as a collector’s item.” And that’s saying a lot when the 911’s lineage includes the 935 that dominated IMSA and FIA Group 5 racing in the late 1970s well into the ’80s, the 953 that took on the Paris-Dakar Rally and the 911 GT1-98, which claimed overall victory in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The GT3 R rennsport borrows styling cues from several classic 911 iterations, most notably the Brumos Porsche 935/77 that Peter Gregg, Toine Hezemans and Rolf Stommelen drove to victory in the 1978 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Only the roof and hood carry over from the standard 911 GT3 R.
The GT3 R’s chassis is also essentially maintained intact, as is the six-speed gearbox with steering wheel paddle sequential shift. The rennsport is equipped with the same fourth-, fifth- and sixth-gear ratios from Daytona, producing a 12 mph increase over the standard GT3 R’s FIA homologated top speed.
The GT3 R’s naturally aspirated flat-six “boxer” engine has been massaged to increase power output from 557 to 611 horsepower, with a redline of 9,400 rpm. The car can run with open exhaust, or Porsche offers two muffler options for circuits with noise regulations. Curb weight has been reduced by 100 kilograms to 1,240 kg (2,733 pounds), another major performance enhancement, and the car rolls on bespoke racing tires formulated by Michelin.
The 911 GT3 R rennsport with a power output of up to 456 kW (620 PS) is based on the new #911GT3R of the current 992 generation.
For more infos on this spectacular track tool follow this link ➡️ https://t.co/KRFghU4wAq pic.twitter.com/tEpVTXOA4F
— Porsche Motorsport (@PorscheRaces) October 29, 2023
From a driver’s perspective, the biggest change to the interior compared to the GT3 R is the adoption of a system of three cameras and monitors that replace traditional mirrors. Constructed from the basis of an FIA homolgated GT3 car, the rennsport is a single seater that meets all current safety regulations.
“With its exceptional performance, the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport makes our brand’s history both tangible and audible,” stated Thomas Laudenbach, Porsche’s Vice President of Motorsport. “The new 911 GT3 R rennsport offers the experience of driving a 911-based race car in what is probably the most primal form.”
In addition to the 935/77 “whale tail,” the 911 GT3 R rennsport features recontoured, vented rear fenders that incorporate styling elements from the 934 and 935 designs of the late ‘70s. Front fender exits also evoke 935 overtones, while the shape of the nose and hood ducting have been optimized for aerodynamic performance.
Porsche will offer the 911 GT3 R rennsport with the bodyshell painted in Agate Grey Metallic with bare carbon fiber body components. Conversely, buyers can select from seven colors or three custom liveries – Rennsport Reunion Design, Flach Design or Speed Icon Design.
“Porsche has been shaped by its rich history, and this is especially true in racing,” said Thorsten Klein, Style Porsche Project Manager for the GT3 R rennsport, who co-designed the car with Grant Larson.
“This has subsequently inspired us, of course, but by no means did we want to produce a copy or an obvious retro paint job. The three options we selected are new interpretations.”
Porsche will limit production of the 911 GT3 R rennsport to 77 units, priced at $1,046,000 plus transport, options, and applicable taxes. Potential customers may use this link to contact Porsche for additional details.
(Photos: Porsche)