ZSA Motorsport

I have a 997.2 GT3-RS on order. I believe its on the water and should be here imminently. Previously i had a 997.1 GT3 and then later a 997.1 RS. I always felt, performance-wise, if you closed your eyes, they were pretty similar.

A good friend who has been dying to get a great track day, DE car, something he can drive to the track, have fun, hopefully stay in 1 piece and drive home was asking me if the GT3 would make a good option, or wait till perhaps an RS came available.

I havent laid eyes on mY RS and havent driven one yet, but i have driven a 997.2 GT3 and personally felt that car was wicked. just awsome. i would probably say it easily was a better track day car than my 997.1 RS though for spirited street driving, they were both just fine. but up there as thigns got more demanding the 997.2 gt3 was kick ***.

the price gap is interestingly NOT as big as i think it was on the 997.1 a nicely spec'd gt3 is like 130, 135, ive seen a few up there near 140. my RS is 157 and i think its highly optioned. 20k gap. IF, IF one could find one. which i think in the middle or tail end of summer, a few RS's will pop up, maybe down from MSRP since they arent pricing over msrp.

so not sure what to tell him. and then just curious myself.
i guess the question is,....what r the differences? suspension, engine, tuning, seat? obviously width in the rear, wheels, tires, etc. i get.
(ive read a couple of things about that wide tail being a detriment as it relatest o aerodrag)....
do the stock GT3 seats support a 5pt harness?i kow the RS do.

those who have a gt3 and have tracked it...r there things about the RS outside of aesthetics you'd want? the dude cares not about aesthetics per se. the GT3 is a HUGE step up from his awsome C2S he's modded for ever.

thoughts? ideas??

Giantviper

I have driven my dad's GT3.2 but have not driven the RS. The GT3.2 is an amazing car. From what I have read the .2 RS has about 15 more hp do to a slightly different air intake system and larger intake on the rear deck lid.

I have actualy had a similar discussion with my dad recently (IF both the .2 RS and regular .2 were availible when he ordered his car which should he have gotten). Our thought was the RS has more mistique about it but is really a track beast where the regular GT3.2 is the car to have for the street (its better looking and still fast as all hell.) I would say if he is tracking the car a lot go with the RS but if he is using it for the street with the occational track day go with the the GT.2 non RS.

Larry Cable

I haven't driven either but I am also asking myself this same question ... my "analysis" of those that have driven the RS is that the wide body, suspension differences, LWFW + engine mods and shorter
gear ratios makes the car a noticable and valuable distinction from the GT3.

I think it is also worth noting that the depreciation curve for the RS is much less than that of the GT3 if .1 prices are any indicator of future performance.

looks like the '11 base is going up to that of a well (but not blinged out) GT3, throw in PCCB and axle lift (about the only significant/costly mods on the RS) and you are up in the mid 40's ...

Is the RS a better track car, probably, is the GT3 a better street car, not clear ...

If your friend can find one and afford it, get the RS, if not get the GT3 ... either way he will not be unhappy IMHO ... YMMV.

P.J.S.

precisely my sentiments

KINGSRULE

1. I think the GT3 is much better looking
2. The GT3 is about 25K cheaper ( assuming you can't get a discount on an RS which I believe to be the case)
3. The RS looks a little boy racerish to me
4. The depreciation curve has yet to be played out so don't draw conclusions yet
5. For a road car, the GT3 hands down
6. For a track tool, RS hands down

10 GT3

First, options significantly effect this equasion. The RS comes with sport bucket seats standard, while they are optional on a regular GT3. The rest of the lightening in the RS comes from a lightweight flywheel, lighter inner door panels an no cup holders. You can go lighter still if you elect to delete A/C, stereo and downgrade the bi-xenons to halogen headlights. If you are planning on ordering an RS with A/C, bi-xenons, sound plus and cup holders then expect the difference in weight to be negligable to non-existant. The US version does not get the plastic rear window like they do in other markets in the RS.

Engine wise, the RS gets a different lid, airbox, intake and a slight bump in compression. Best guess is the bump in compression is really responsible for the power gain. Keep in mind that the torque is exactly the same and per Porsche the power gain is only at high rpms.

Suspension wise, like the 997.1 GT3 vs RS, they are the same. Expect the same ride/handling balance with both, which is substantually improved from the 997.1. The RS gets a wider body from the C4S. The rear wheels are a lower offset, but the same width as the regular GT3: 12". It does get wider rubber, 325 vs 305. In front they added tacked on fender flares on the RS. This is to cover slightly wider wheels and tires: 245's on 9.0" wheels vs 235's on 8.5" wheels.

With the 997.2 GT3, it gets a lighter dual mass flywheel than the 997.1 GT3, but is still heavier than the 997.1 RS single mass unit. The 997.2 RS flywheels is 3 lbs than the single mass 997.1 RS flywheel. With the 997.2 RS you will get sunstantual transmission rattle due to the lightness of the flywheel at idle. Keep in mind this is only at idle, but it does bother some.

With an RS, sport buckets and dynamic engine mounts are standard in the $20K extra it costs over a regular GT3. These 2 options are $2990 and $1300, respectively, on a GT3. Other than the difference in looks, which is due to limited colors, stripe choices and a different rear wing; there is little to really differentiate between the 2 cars. The same was true for the previous RS and GT3. The RS this time does get shorter gearing. Whether or not this is an improvement depends on what track you run. You just don't want to be shifting in corners or at the end of a straight.

One other big change this tie around is with exclusivity. The GT3 production numbers were reduced significantly to about 500 cars in the US for the 10' GT3. You have probably seen comments on this board about additional RS allocation becoming available. Well here is a comparison from my 3 local dealers

1. Got 5 10' GT3 allocations plus received 2 additional prespeced cars. With the recent added allocations, they got 7 10' RS allocations
2. Got 4 10' GT3 allocations plus recevied 2 additional prespeced cars. With the recent added allocations, they got 4 10' RS allocations
3. Got 0 10' GT3 allocaitons and no prespeced cars. They are a very small dealer. Strangely, they got 2 RS allocations

From history, I would expect the bigger dealers to get 1-2 additional prespeced RS's before the model year is done from previous history. None of these dealers got this many RS's when the 997.1 RS was being built. So, don't expect an RS to lower production than a GT3. Hence it really comes down to if you really want a GT3, you buy a GT3. If you really want an RS, you buy an RS.

micahbones

Most of the magazine reviews I have read mention a noticeable difference between the
997.2 GT3 and the 997.2 GT3 RS, largely attributable to (I believe) the lower gear ratios
and wider front rubber of the RS. Lighter flywheel should also make a marginal, but
noticeable difference in the ability of the RS to rev more quickly than the GT3. It should
also be mentioned that in developing the RS, Andreas Preuninger explicitly instructed his
team to focus on further differentiation between the GT3 and the RS for the 997.2 vs.
997.1 variants.

Having said this, I would say your bro cannot make a bad choice here. Either way he
will be getting an extremely capable bad *** road and track car! ...and unless he is a
driver of great proficiency with a lot of on-track experience, he will likely not be able to
exploit the added capabilities of the RS over and above the GT3.

I would certainly be thrilled with owning and driving the snot out of a 911 GT3 of any
kind at some point in my lifetime!

JSEDecker

The lightened flywheel from the RS will not make much difference at all in the engine's ability to rev more quickly under load. The lighter flywheel will make the engine change RPM more quickly (both it's ability to rev and drop quickly) when there is no load on the engine. This makes rev matching on downshifts much easier which is the main reason for a lightened flywheel...... trackability.

+1 You and me both...... In a few years I hope to be able to have a GT3.

tcsracing1

tell your friend that the narrow GT3 will satisfy any requirement he may have just as the RS.

however, since you are getting a RS he should probably do the same.
just think about the fun you guys will have running traffic in RS porsches! you can compare lap time and performance! oh the times!

it is like comparing a boxster S and a boxtser spyder. The RS theme is just so much fun for what ever you intend to do with it as a secondary vehicle.

Both RS and non RS are serious toys and performance differences are not overwhelming if any at all.

aussie jimmy

if you're going far, go all the way.

911SLOW

911dev

Maybe I missed it, but you may have forgotten to add that another reason for the front fender arches is the fact that Porsche added front track width (w/the wider tires and wheels) and a RSR front suspension the the RS which the GT3 does not have. Although peak torque is the same max. torque is realized at 500 rpms higher, give or take.

deputydog95

If you can afford it, why wouldn't you get an RS???

FTS

You know the '08 and '09 GT2 prices are way down to between $120-135K depending on options, it suddenly puts it as an option IMO.

Tacet-Conundrum

So in years to come it is almost conceivable to think that the GT3.1 is going to be worth more than the GT3.2 DUE to production numbers!