Boxster Coupe GTS

Evo: Porsche GT3 RS laps Ring (by Chris Harris)

(26 October 2009)



New Porsche 911 GT3 RS laps the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a rather quick time...

Porsche loves the low key approach to Nordschleife time-attacks, and last week's session to see what the new 997 GT3 RS could manage was no exception.

Armed with a stopwatch, a crash hat, an RS and a sizeable pair of *********, an unnamed Porsche test driver clocked a 7min33sec lap - that's seven seconds faster than the cooking GT3. He did this in some light traffic, and pulling data from earlier laps showed that the theoretical 'best lap' would have been 7m30s.

That compares to the Nissan GT-R’s 7m27.56s, while quicker lap records lie with the Gumpert Apollo (7m11.57s) and Radical SR8LM (6m48s), the latter a time that we help set a couple of months ago. Watch the video here.

Not that Porsche cares too much about the relative speed of the competition, or that the Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R have all gone faster. I tried to coax them into making a few catty comments about the Americans and the Japanese, but it seems they've had enough of that banter.

There's one question I'd like answered though - what's the longevity of these road cars at such insane speeds. I mean, how many laps can a 1740kg GTR do sub-7m30s before the brakes melt and the tyres go pop? Likewise the 'Vette. I reckon we should push for a 4-lap challenge from now on. Were it possible, I reckon the Porsche might just get the job done...





Porsche-GT3-RS-laps-Ring_Chris-Harris_Evo-article-link

allegretto

did the new stripe design come from a laid-off Pontiac stylist that emigrated from Detroit to Zuffhausen?

One of Twenty

It (the stripe design) was the last remaining asset of Oldsmobile which was sold at auction.

bob_dallas

The stickers are pretty ridiculous anywhere but the racetrack. That black one has some promise with the stickers peeled off.

allegretto

the grey/pink one would really turn heads around Union Square, SFO!

cfjan

The ZR-1 is nowhere near the weight of a GT-R, though.. I think the ZR-1 is in the 3,300lbs range?!

pdobbs

Corvette ZR-1
- Nurburgring Lap Time: 7:22.4
- Curb Weight: 3,340 lb

Nissan GT-R
- Nurburgring Lap Time: 7:27.56
- Curb Weight: 3,836 lb

C.J. Ichiban

the zr1 also has about 200 more hp and WAY more torque. apples and oranges

Nizer

Please guys, keep up the bashing of the cosmetics. Before you know it my #2 slot will be a #1 slot.

C.J. Ichiban

I actually really like the blue/gold color combo

triode

Keep in mind that the GTR's oft-quoted "7.27" time was not a full lap. Car magazine tested a base 2010 GT3 against a V-Spec GTR, and the GT3 beat it...

flash1034

The Viper beat all of them.

Flash

bob_dallas

That one is growing on me too but I don't think I've seen an actual photograph of it. I like the white/red combination but I'm biased since my 73 RS clone race car is white with red. I would take the stickers off and probably take the lipstick off the front though.

Jon70

Although I have yet to see any photos of the gold color, I think it will look better than the red. The gray looks rather drab next to the black car. I think I'd go for black/gold if it were offered, otherwise blue/gold.

MJSpeed

I think that would look great if all the gold stickers were removed, although I could live with the ones on the sides and all other gold accents (mirrors, wing end plates and "lipstick") were replaced with blue or black (except the lipstick, that should be blue). Essentially blue with gold wheels.

Actually come to think of it, I think I'd be ok with that for all the colors.

Like the black one in the above pics...except remove the ridiculous GT3RS stickers.