The Mid-Engine 911 RSR (Photos)

1. Intensity

The 911 RSR is the ultimate Carrera but some purists turn their head away simply for it having a configuration that is a bit different. The car features a 4.0-liter flat six that is placed in front of the axle and not behind it like it traditionally would be. Engineered to meet the LM-GTE class, the Porsche will go head to head against other mid-engine competitors such as the Ford GT and Ferrari 488 GTE. The new placement of the engine has also enabled more go fast bits to be added to the car such as a massive wing from the 919 Hybris LMP1 for more downforce and a rear diffuser (that was recently allowed for GTE-spec cars) that can eat a family pet. 

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2. No compromises

Porsche Motorsport head Frank-Steffen Walliser has said that the changes to the car are the biggest in the history of the GT racecar. Redesigned from scratch, the suspension, body structure, aerodynamics, engine, and transmission have been overhauled to be at the pinnacle of performance for competition. Anyone who has driven a 911 will tell you that the traditional rear-engine layout is very effective in putting the power down to the surface; however, the layout in the rear with added weight creates a snapback effect on the chassis that causes greater wear on the rear tires.    

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3. Limits exceeded

That engine, which has been kept under close wrap until now, is a direct-injected boxer motor which, depending on the size of the restrictor, generates as much as 510 horsepower to the rear wheels.  This car is the fruit of several years of development for what was heralded as a "Super 911" that would crush everyone with a mystery flat engine. With the Ford GT taking the top podium last summer with a car that hasn't even been delivered to a customer yet, Porsche has said enough is enough and unleashed the RSR. Look for it in both the WEC races and the equivalent American race series. Click here to see the 2017 IMSA schedule if you'd like to follow along with when and where Porsche will be competing. 

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4. Built to win

The flat six is mated to a six-speed sequential transmission that is manipulated by way of steering wheel mounted paddles. Seeing out the back is an exercise in futility thanks to the black louvered panel at the rear, in place of the window. To fix that issue Porsche built in a rear-view camera as well as a collision avoidance system inside the cabin. A solid lifter camshaft along with a "rigid valve drive" as Porsche calls it, eliminates the extra weight of a hydraulic system.  Most of these changes are a nice preview of what will eventually trickle down to cars like the next GT3 which we're sure will be brutal.  

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5. Nothing will be the same

Other changes to the car that are less obvious, are safety upgrades that were done in response to the driver. Richard Lietz, breaking his arm back in 2014 at Virgina International Raceway. These changes are the seat is 50mm inboard and fixed in place to make the roll cage more friendly to whoever wishes to sit comfortably. Also, the pedal and steering wheel now move to make things easier for whatever the height of who is driving. Once you click on the video, you may notice that the tone of the RSR is a little different from what you may be expecting. The reason for that being is the exhaust is now routed through the diffuser and has separate pipes that replace the combined ones that were used from 2014-2016. 

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