996 GT3 RS: One of the Greatest Hits in the Porsche GT Range
Ultra-rare 996 GT3 RS was rolled right out of the museum and onto the racetrack. What makes this car so special?
The 996 was the greatest car that Porsche has ever made. OK, not really. However, there is no arguing that the much maligned 996 is finally seeing a resurgence in popularity. Enthusiasts are realizing that the first water-cooled Porsche 911 is not just a great value but a great car.
A standard run of the mill 996 Carrera is still every bit a 911. Beyond that there are some special 996 cars that move the performance and desirability meter even higher. And we know all about the peak 996 cars like the Turbo and GT3 models. Well, it turns out that they are not actually the peak of the 996 range. The true peak is the never sold in America 996 GT3 RS.
The godfather of the Porsche GT Division, Andreas Preuninger has recently named his top 5 Porsche GT cars. Lo and behold a 996 made the list. It is a 996 that many people may not even know ever existed. It is a street version of the 2003 911 GT3 RSR race car.
This car followed the now familiar RS formula. Lighter components modified aero and upgraded suspension as compared to the standard GT3. Matt Farah was recently invited to the Porsche Experience Center in LA to drive this amazing car. Farah shares his thoughts with us in a video posted to his YouTube channel The Smoking Tire.
Less than 700 of these cars were ever made. To keep the weight down the car has polycarbonate windows, a carbon fiber hood and rear wing, the Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brake system, and a set of wonderful cup car seats.
Power was officially listed as 381 horsepower; however, it may be making more like 400 in reality. It has a stiffer suspension than on the GT3 and also sits lower than that car. It was capable of a 7:43 lap of the Nürburgring. Yes, that is nearly a full minute slower than the 991.2 GT2 RS, but not a bad time for a 2003 911.
Farah gets his opportunity with the 996 GT3 RS in a lead follow session behind Chief Instructor at the PEC, Shawn Hayes. While it is just a lead follow session, taking a rare museum piece on a tight track must be daunting. On top of that Farah informs us that: “This car has no traction control or stability control of any kind.” So, unlike modern cars the driver is the only thing in control or the 996 GT3 RS. Also, unlike modern cars, this car is light. It weighs less than 3,000 pounds. This is immediately evident on the track.
“The main thing that I am pulling out of this car right now is lightness. It feels very, very light and agile. The steering is brilliant.” Says Farah. The steering feel is what impresses Farah the most about the car.
As the brakes begin to heat up Farah pushed the car a bit more and plays with some of that classic 911 handling. “The lift brings the back end around it’s fabulous.” Says Farah as he exits a corner. As the car is pushed harder, we get to hear that sweet Mezger engine get pushed closer and sometimes bouncing off the 8,200 RPM redline. This car is the oldest of the top 5 GT cars selected by Preuninger.
In a way, that makes it the purest and most rewarding car to drive. Light, simple, good power but not overwhelming, and no electronic nannies. One can not help but to fall in love with this car.
The 996 GT3 RS is without question a special piece of Porsche engineering. It is the pinnacle of the 996 range. However, a much more common and far more affordable 996 Carrera can give you a taste of this unique car. Sure, it won’t have the special engine and the suspension tweaks of the RS. Yet, the 996 Carrera models are several hundred pounds lighter than a modern 911.
The 996 does still have the hydraulically assisted steering. It is still a 911 after all. Address the known weak points of the standard 996 Carrera and get maybe 70 percent of the 996 GT3 RS feel for 20 percent of the price.
Of course, if you have the ability to get your hands on a real 996 GT3 RS, by all means do so. Then please tell us about it in the Rennlist forums.
Join the Rennlist forums!
