This is now the fastest vehicle around the ‘Ring in Porsche’s arsenal . Yes, that includes the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder. That car, with its hybrid system and fancy AWD technology was only able to lap the same track in 6:57.00 (a record at the time). The next quickest 911 is of course the 911 GT3. That car was able to lap the ‘Ring in 7:12.7. Still, that is a whopping 26 seconds slower than the GT2 RS, eons in racing terms. So what have the magicians in Stuttgart done to the 911 to shave off 26 seconds on the world’s most formidable track? I will attempt to explain that below:
Engine and Powertrain
The first major difference between these two cars is the engine. The 911 GT3 has a naturally aspirated 4.0L flat-6 that makes 500 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through your choice of a 6-speed manual gearbox, or a 7-speed PDK (dual clutch) transmission. For better lap times, you’ll want the PDK (although I would personally go for the manual). 0-60 is over with in 3.3 seconds (3.8 with the manual).
The GT2 RS, by comparison, has a version of Porsche’s 3.8L twin-turbo flat-6, similar to the one in the 911 Turbo. However, this one has been altered slightly. Bigger turbos and better cooling means that this engine can produce 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. To clarify, that is 200 more horsepower and 214 more torques than the GT3. Power is sent, once again, to the rear wheels. However, Porsche have not given you the option of a manual box here. The only option is that 7-speed PDK. Thanks to this bonkers powertrain (the most powerful for a 911 ever) 0-60 happens in just 2.7 seconds.
That’s All?
From there, the differences are slim. The GT2 has slightly wider tires. 265/35-20 tires at the front and 325/30-21 in the rear compared to 245/35-20 and 305/30-20 for the GT3.
They both have carbon fiber bucket seats (the same ones as the Porsche 918 Spyder), a roll cage, Porche’s rear wheel steering and Torque Vectoring, thanks to an electronic limited-slip rear differential. Oh, and you cant miss the giant wing on the back of these cars.
The most notable aesthetic difference is in the grill. The GT2 RS has much wider openings to provide as much air as possible to those oversized turbos. Otherwise, they are fairly similar vehicles… Oh yeah, and you can buy a matching watch with your GT2 RS.
Price
This is the last place in which the GT2 RS completely demolishes the GT3. MSRP for the most powerful 911 ever? $293,200, but even if you wanted to fork over that kind of dough, you wouldn’t be able to buy one new. All 1,000 units have already been accounted for. The GT3, by comparison, starts at a much more reasonable $143,600. Plus, those have no production limit. Feel free to order away.
Hopefully, I have done a good job of explaining the major differences between the 911 GT2 RS and the 911 GT3. These vehicles are similar in many ways, but the GT2’s enormously powerful engine, plus a number of minor tweaks, helps to make it not only the fastest Porsche around the ‘Ring, but also the fastest production car ever.
