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2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Is a 518-HP Track Monster With DRS

This race car for the road pulls much of its inspiration directly from Porsche's motorsport efforts.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
3 min read

The GT3 RS has long stood as Porsche's road-legal halo car, bringing a level of capability that surpasses every other one of its equally impressive sports cars. The latest iteration of the GT3 RS brings some impressive components together to create a car that means nothing but business.

Porsche on Wednesday unveiled the 911 GT3 RS, ahead of its public debut at Monterey Car Week. Under the hood -- which, don't forget, is actually 'round back -- is a 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated, flat-6 gas engine producing 518 horsepower, up from the previous iteration's 502, thanks in large part to a new set of camshafts. All that power heads to the rear wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, which features shorter gear ratios than the current GT3. That's enough thrust to reach 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds, topping out around 184 mph.

2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Is a Lap-Time Champ

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Blasting around a track isn't just about acceleration -- stopping plays a part, too. To that end, the GT3 RS comes standard with six-piston front brakes atop 16-inch rotors. The rear discs are a little smaller at 15 inches each, but that's still plenty of stopping power. For those looking for an even stronger stopping experience, ceramic composite brakes are available as an option -- not only will they be more resistant to sustained heavy use, they're also ever so slightly larger than the standard aluminum setup.

Functional aerodynamics abound on the GT3 RS. The GT3 RS ditches its frunk in favor of a massive central radiator that was first used in Porsche's 911 RSR and GT3 R race cars, freeing up some space for additional aero trickery. The rear wing is split into two components, with a fixed lower portion and an adjustable element above. A front splitter moves air more effectively, while louvers in the front wings help channel air in order to reduce pressure differentials in the wheel wells.

2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
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2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

A track car isn't worth much if it's all power and no aerodynamics.

Porsche

Combined with other active aero, this gives the GT3 RS a drag-reduction system that can flatten the wings to reduce drag and downforce in the name of top speed. The aero can work in the opposite direction, as well, functioning as an air brake when maximum drag is required. Altogether, the GT3 RS produces 902 pounds of downforce at 120 mph, double that of the previous GT3 RS and triple that of the current GT3. At 177 mph, the car produces a prodigious 1,895 pounds of downforce.

Even the suspension contributes to downforce, with new teardrop-shaped leading edges that provide more than 80 pounds of force on the front axle at top speed. The whole shebang was also modified to reduce pitching under braking, which should keep the aerodynamics in balance.

While the GT3 RS has three modes -- Normal, Sport and Track -- Track mode is the most interesting, because it offers an impressive level of driver adjustment. Using four rotary dials on the steering wheel, you can adjust rebound and compression damping on the go, in addition to tweaking rear differential settings and engaging the drag-reduction system. A track-specific display mode will remove unnecessary things from the gauge cluster so you can focus on the road ahead.

2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
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2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

As you make suspension adjustments on the fly, the gauge cluster's screens show exactly what changes you're making, so you don't muck it up in a panic.

Porsche

Keeping the weight low was important to Porsche, too. The doors, front quarter panels, roof and hood are all made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which also extends to the standard leather bucket seats. In total, the car weighs just 3,268 pounds. Those looking to shed additional pounds may want to pick up the optional Weissach package, which adds more carbon fiber, adjusts the shift paddles and installs magnesium wheels that save 17.6 pounds of unsprung weight.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS will arrive at dealers next spring, and as you might expect, you have to pay to play. Including $1,450 in destination charges, the GT3 RS will set you back a cool $225,250, or about $50,000 more than a standard GT3.