Pictures & Info: 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: And a Porsche RS History Lesson

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As if the Porsche 911 GT2 wasn’t bad ass enough… Porsche has taken the wraps off its GT2 RS supercar. In keeping with a time honored P-Car tradition, only the rarest and most special of Porsches wear the RS badge. The 911 has had a couple of RS variants over its 47 year lifespan.

First and foremost, RS stands for “Renn Sport” in German, or “Racing Sport” in English.

First came the Carrera 2.7 RS and Carrera RS 3.0 from 1973 and ’74. The 2.7 RS had a 210hp 6-cylinder engine and was made to allow Porsche to meet stringent racing regulations that mandated 500 cars be built for street use that were similar enough to the racing cars in the FIA Group 4 class, which is just sports car racing in the ’60s and ’70s (the group 4 cars were considered “special grand touring cars” specced for racing purposes). The RS 3.0 was built for 1974, and had a K-Jetronic Bosch fuel injection system that made 230hp. The 3.0 was roughly twice the price of the 2.7. Both cars were aided with a new “ducktail” spoiler, larger brakes, racing suspension, wider rear tires and fenders.

Basically, these cars weren’t to be messed with. Oh, and the 2.7 RS weighed 2,370lbs, or 220lbs less than a regular 911… One year later, the 3.0 RS weighed just 1,984lbs. Umm… How in the hell do you do that in a year’s time? Simple, use thinner body panels, strip the interior, and you’ve got yourself a wild-ass racing car. The 2.7 RS already had a thinner bodyshell, too.

The RS Porsches from ’73 and ’74 were not able to be sold in America. Damn stringent regulations on this country…

It wasn’t until 1993 that we here in America got a 911 carrying the RS name. It was uniquely called the 911 RS America and was from the 964 series of 911s. It was tweaked from the original European model to meet safety and emissions standards here in the states. It cost $10,000 less than a standard Carrera 2, but had so much more to offer.

Porsche engineers were able to strip about 70 pounds from the car by scrapping the power steering (what real man needs that crap anyway?), air conditioning (still an option), stereo system (optional), rear seats, as well as the door handles and armrests, which were replaced with door pulls. Out was the auto-extending rear spoiler of the air cooled 964 911, and in was a whale tail spoiler. Optional wider rear tires and fenders for the regular 911 were standard on the RS America. Car and Driver tests concluded that the 1993 Porsche RS America went as good as it looked. A 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds and 13.3 seconds in the 1/4 mile. So, that’s roughly as fast as a 4,000lb, 426hp Chevrolet Camaro SS. Oh, that’s a 2010 Camaro, by the way. The engine was the same 3.6L 247hp unit as in the regular 911 Carrera.

This brings us to the first RS in almost a decade; the 996 911 GT3 RS. Never before had Porsche built a GT3 model, but when they started making them in 2000 with the 996 variation 911, everyone ate it up. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever read a poor comment, bad review, or unfavorable approach to the 911 GT3.

So now there’s a new 911 GT3 and GT3 RS for the 997.2 911s. And something that everyone has said since the 997 GT2 first came out, “If only the GT2 were as composed as the GT3 and GT3 RS…”

Porsche 911 GT2 RS:

Now we’re all going to have to eat our words: Porsche has done it again. They took something wild, fun and fast and made it better by making it wilder, funner and faster.

Porsche has managed to strip 154 pounds from the regular GT2, add 90 more horses, and still reduce emissions. I love the way their press release starts out (and no one could say it any better…), “The time: seven minutes, 18 seconds on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The power: 620hp. The weight: 3,020 lbs in road trim with all fluids on board. The car: the new 2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS.”

Description: seductive.

Marvelously, too, is that the GT2 RS only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. Take that, paddle shift lovers! Basically, what Porsche’s trying to say is, the GT2 RS is a modern day 930 (930 = first ever 911 Turbo); not for the weak of heart, or driving skills. It’s a killer car. Literally.

The tires on the RS are specifically manufactured for the car, with a size of 245/35 ZR-19s up front and 325/30 ZR-19s in the rear. Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes, or PCCB, are standard. The different carbon fiber bits you see are all painted matte black, including the hood and the painted turbo air inlets. The interior is set in the cool, black and red alcantara and leather style. I think it looks rather sexy and unique. Most will disagree, though.

On each side of the car there are little stickers that let you know it’s a GT2 RS. Just in case you didn’t know already. And as you can see in the picture above, the spoiler has been raised about 10mm, or 3/8ths of an inch.

So after reading all of the RS history and also about the GT2 RS being God’s new heavenly cruiser you say you want one? Okay, well only 500 will be made… And if you’re one of the lucky few that gets to own one, expect to pony up $245,000. They’ll be available for purchase in October here in the states and will make its auto show debut at the Moscow Auto Show on August 25, 2010.

Press Release:

[Source: Porsche]

[Green Carrera 2.7 RS photos taken from: Car Magazine]