Carrera GT

I've been giving that same feedback to Porsche since the late 90's (when the 996 was as welcome as a turd in a hot-tub)

If they just took the 993 molds out from under the dust covers and built exactly the same car -- utterly unchanged from 1998, maybe stick a modest little 400hp GT3 engine in it, but something light, they'd sell as well as any car they've ever produced. It wouldn't necessarily win races today, but it would win hearts and minds.

As for this rumoured 4.0 RS, if it has the same general appearance as the GT2 RS -- subdued fender flares, some carbon parts, then I see it as incremental and not a fitting finale to the 997 GT3 RS.

If the last GT3 RS has more power and keeps (or raises) the red line, then good, but it really needs the rumoured 4cm wider "bolt on" extensions to accommodate the wider track of the RSR geometry. Then you have an unprecedented translation of the race car to a car for the owner who really appreciates driving the 911.

Hopefully they've learned from the tepid, polite applause for the GT2 RS.

It's a rare occasion at an important point in time for a historic Porsche to debut to a standing ovation.

Richie18

There is no confirmation on the Carbon fiber fenders, and if the leaked order sheet is anything to go off of, it's indicating 500HP, and either Carbon fiber fenders are standard, or they are not an option at all.

Carrara

^^ Carbon fenders are now confirmed. Here is the first leaked image.

vtgts300kw

A dodgy rendering no?

MJSpeed

Again Porsche if you care to listen, the car in the white rendering is just ok and no more.

Here's what we want (or close to it)!

Carrera GT

Agreed. It's shoddy photoshop work. Just look at the apparent angles of the front and rear wheels -- unless it's a long travel baja buggy crawling over rocks, I doubt a vehicle could have two wheels at such odd angles.

I think my "standing ovation" missive post is the best I can hope for in this last 997.

Richie18

I don't see anywhere that carbon fenders are confirmed?

9972RS

do you guys get the feeling this is going to be just an incremental upgrade, i.e., 997.3 GT3 RS. Just and upgraded engine, stickers, etc. If that's the case then pricing should be similar to a 997.1 to 997.2 upgrade.

aussie jimmy

isn't it always the case? it's always a measured increase and that is all.
please suprise us, porsche.

FFaust

If you think about it, the 4.0 RS can not logically be too dramatic. After all, whatever is released now must be up-stageable by the future 991 variant, so there is no point in setting the bar too high.

Anything that improves on the excellent 997.2 GT3 RS WILL be outstanding.

aussie jimmy

of course, will be a great car, but the argument is whether people who already own 7.2 rs are better off keeping their cars, or taking a hit for a sweeter slice of the same pie. they gotta weigh it up.
like, i reckon there are a few guys here already waiting in line, without having said anything....

9972RS

what's the price though? $160k? if so, then I see many people upgrading. 200K? forget it.

Carrera GT

Price is, in the mind of the marketing types at Porsche, a matter of unit volume, not value or specification. In my not so humble, this is one of their more blatant failures in managing the brand value. Look at the GT2 RS for clues to predict the "exclusivity" premium that buyers will be asked to surrender. And look at the 3.6 RS to the 3.8 RS -- $123K went to $135K. The very least the 3.8 to 4.0 RS increment would be is $147K.

Keep in mind the 3.8 RS had no production limit and yet less than 500 were asked for by US customers over the course of two years. How long has Porsche given for this 4.0 RS to sell? The GT2 RS was a numbered vehicle meant to attract exclusivity -- well, Porsche now knows the 500 number (worldwide, as I understand it) was too optimistic. I attribute that shortfall more to global economic chaos than to the 2RS per se. Will they change their aim for this rumoured 4.0 3RS or will they look at top line revenue and want to build 500 of the things and take in the revenue regardless?

I think the management at Porsche consider the 997 to be past tense and will be more interested in revenue than reminiscences and romantic retrospection.

CRex

Fact is, that's clearly the MO at PAG these days. Porsche, hear this: you have a segment of highly motivated customers in the GT cars. Many of us are happy to pony up ever-increasing prices not just because these cars are good, but because they're somewhat exclusive. It gives me a SICK feeling to see model after model of "specials" released on top of what's already supposed to be special cars. Good business is never about milking the most dollars today--it's about being long-term greedy.

Objectively there is absolutely no reason to buy a GT car over a F-Scud or L-Superlegerra if not for the emotional connection (let's face your customers at this level aren't exactly budget-constrained). Do enough of your recent donkey stunts and you'll lose some of your most loyal customers.

Okay, rant over. If my dealer denies warranty coverage on my RMS or coolant lines in the future I'll know at least someone at the right places has read my rant

Carrara

If that one is just a photoshop and not a leaked image, here is a much better version of that photoshop.



I don't think it's a photoshop though, because the car matches the spyshots, and was rendered/photographed (yes, the GT3 and GT3 RS pictures on Porsche's site were photographed, then rendered) on the same track where the GT3 and GT3 RS had there main photographs taken, and I cannot find an image that the leaked image could be based off of.