Automotive

Porsche goes after the purists with 911 R

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Porsche 911 R: Porsche has designed this car to be a stripped back corner carver, not a traffic light dragster
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Porsche 911 R: Porsche is appealling to purist buyers who didn't want a double clutch gearbox
Porsche 911 R: The engine comes from the GT3 RS, but power is put to the road through a manual gearbox
Porsche 911 R: There's no big rear wing, but the magnesium body panels and big wheels have carried over
Porsche 911 R: A regular pop up rear spoiler js fitted, and works in tandem with a redesigned underbody diffuser
Porsche 911 R: We're not sold on the stripes, but they do set the car apart from the rest of the range
Porsche 911 R: We're huge fans of the houndstooth pattern on the car's carbon fiber buckets
Porsche 911 R: A unique steering wheel and seats are part of the 911 R package
Porsche 911 R: Porsche is promising the 911 R will be a car for people who want a pure driving experience above all else
Porsche 911 R: The titanium exhaust system on the R saves weight, looks incredible and should sound just as good
Porsche 911 R: The R is powered by the same 4.0-liter flat six as the RS, but sheds the big wings and 50 kg
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Porsche 911 R: On the floor in Geneva
CC Weiss/Gizmag
Porsche 911 R: The R is powered by the same 4.0-liter flat six as the RS, but sheds the big wings and 50 kg
CC Weiss/Gizmag
Porsche 911 R: On the floor in Geneva
CC Weiss/Gizmag
Porsche 911 R: All of the magnesium body panels from the GT3 RS​ have been carried over
CC Weiss/Gizmag
Porsche 911 R: Porsche has designed this car to be a stripped back corner carver, not a traffic light dragster
CC Weiss/Gizmag
Porsche 911 R: The new 911 R channels its grunt through a manual gearbox
CC Weiss/Gizmag
View gallery - 16 images

When Porsche's latest GT3 RS landed, the world's motoring press were blown away by its scalpel-sharp handling and breathtaking acceleration. But there's something different about this generation of RS with its double clutch gearbox, something that Porsche has tried to rectify with the manual-only 911 R just launched in Geneva. The R is powered by the same 4.0-liter flat six as the RS, but sheds the big wings and 50 kg (110 lb) for the ultimate stripped out driving experience.

Central to the 911 R experience is Porsche's 4.0-liter flat six, which is putting out the same 373 kW (500 hp) at 8,250 rpm as the GT3 RS. The car has the same 458 Nm as the RS as well, but there's one key difference between the two cars: whereas the the RS sends its power to its 305 mm rear tires through a double clutch paddleshift gearbox, the new 911 R channels its grunt through a manual gearbox. What's more, Porsche seems to have taken the criticism about how loooooooong the gearing is on its manual cars to heart, emphasizing that its latest car has short, performance oriented gear ratios.

Porsche 911 R: A regular pop up rear spoiler js fitted, and works in tandem with a redesigned underbody diffuser

Swapping the quick-shifting PDK gearbox for a manual has impacted the car's sprint times, with the car's 3.7 second 0-100 km/h time stopping the clock 0.6 seconds slower than the regular RS. That's not to say the R is slow, because its 322 km/h (200 mph) top speed puts it well into supercar territory – and we're not sure the people who are buying cars like the this are worried about out-and-out speed.

After all, Porsche has designed this car to be a stripped back corner carver, not a traffic light dragster.

With that in mind, the car is fitted out with a mechanical locking rear differential and rear-axle steering, while carbon ceramic brakes measuring up at 16.1 inches (40.89 cm) at the front and 15.4 inches (39.11 cm) at the rear. The big brakes are hiding behind gorgeous center locking 20-inch wheels, with the same dished rears we loved on the GT3.

Porsche 911 R: A unique steering wheel and seats are part of the 911 R package

All of the magnesium body panels from the GT3 RS have been carried over, but instead of using that dining-table rear spoiler there's a smaller, electrically deployed one to provide downforce in tandem with a unique underbody diffuser and front spoiler lip.

On the inside, there's less insulation and no rear seats in an attempt to cut down on weight, and there's no air conditioning or audio system unless the owner chooses to tick a no-cost option on the order form. There's also unique carbon fiber bucket seats with a throwback houndstooth trim, and Porsche has even gone to the effort of giving the car a specific steering wheel.

As is often the case with lightweight specials, you're going to pay a premium for your stripped out 911. After all, less is more, right? Pricing starts at US$184,900 and just 991 of these specials will be made.

Stay tuned for more from the floor of the Geneva Motor Show.

Source: Porsche

View gallery - 16 images
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2 comments
rpark
...really, I think I'd be happy if they would just automatically switch from high beams to low beams- when traffic approaches from the other direction, and the converse.
Stephen N Russell
In my "mental" garage with my Aston Martins, Ferraris, BMWs, LRDG Jeeps, Vette, Viper, Mustang Shelby Super Snake, 1962 Vette