Geneva 2015: Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Porsche has come at full force to the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. Porsche has not only brought along the fastest Cayman they have ever made, they have also brought along the brand new 991-generation 911 GT3 RS for the track enthusiasts. The technology and performance that Porsche has thrown at the GT3 RS are simply staggering.

Porsche only reserves the "RS" designation for the most hardcore, yet street legal, cars that they make. The 911 GT3 is already a car that has won the hearts of journalists and enthusiasts alike due to the high levels of performance and technology associated with a sophisticated race car yet it still retains the feel of a fairly analog car. This new "RS" version takes the tried and true recipe of adding power and reducing weight that should create an even more visceral and potent car for the track.

Here are the bits that make the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS interesting. The engine is a new naturally aspirated 4.0L flat six that develops 493 hp and 354 ft-lb of torque. Porsche claims that their new track weapon will do the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.3 seconds, 0-200 km/h in just 10.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 320 km/h. Those are astonishing performance figures for a car with less than 500 hp. As to be expected, the only transmission that is offered is Porsche's ultra-fast PDK dual clutch as it is in the regular GT3. If you insist on a manual, consider the Cayman GT4 instead. For the rest of the world, this is probably the best iteration of the 991 generation 911s.

Although 25 kg may not sound like much, Porsche has managed to cut back on the weight that matters. The roof is made of magnesium sheet metal, which saves them 1kg over a roof made of carbon fiber. This brings the center of gravity that much lower to the ground. The fenders, front lid, and bumpers are all made of carbon fiber. However, Porsche says they have invested some of that weight back in by putting a wider track with wider tires, bigger brakes, a half-cage, and bigger rims. Add this with the fact that the new GT3 RS has double the downforce of a regular GT3 with about the same Cd and this means that the GT3 RS will have more mechanical grip at the disposal of the driver. The proof is in the pudding: The new GT3 RS managed a 7 minute 20 second lap time around the Nurburgring.

Porsche says that the first deliveries will come around summer time, and the RS will carry a 50,000 euro premium over the GT3. Here is a first look video of the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS live from the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show, you know, just in case you were thinking of putting a deposit on one.