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As much as my GT3 was the best car I had ever owned, the RS was calling my name and last week I answered...
I picked up a 2010 Greyblack/Red with over 10K miles on it which means that it’s worthless from a collector standpoint and can actually be driven! The car has all the upgrades - pinned coolant pipes, SW elbows, camshaft actuators, new RS 4.0 clutch, freshly rebuilt LSD, major maintenance performed and all fresh consumables, tires, the list goes on and on.
Since I’m not planning to bubble wrap it, I decided to take it on an epic road trip with a few PCAers/Rennlisters from New York to the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, mostly on back roads.
The verdict: THIS CAR IS PHENOMENAL. I always joked that if you ask a GT3 owner of the difference between their car and an RS, they’ll tell you it’s minimal. Ask an RS owner and they’ll tell you it’s YUGE! I’m talking 997-2 as the changes in the 997-1 generation are indeed minute.
Having been fortunate enough to experience both the 997-2 GT3 and RS now, they are similar, yet different.
I am in Atlanta now and have driven some of the best roads in the world in the past couple of days in the RS. And yes, I’ve been lucky to have done Alpine passes in Austria, the infamous NorCal “Loop," Vermont, Upstate New York, etc. in the past. What I just experienced coming down here bests all of them. These roads gave me a real sense of what the car is about and how far it can be pushed.
My verdict is that an RS is worth it for the LWFW and ring & pinion alone. Those two upgrades make the car just incredible to drive. The suspension is also noticeably improved, I can’t stress that enough. Wider track adds grip. The differences are indeed significant.
On a more philosophical note coming down here I’ve been thinking about how the RS stacks up against other 911s and what it takes from a driving perspective to own one. I feel that an RS is something you work your way up to. Or at lest used to be that way. I know it took me 10 years of Porsche ownership to get to this place... You start with a Carrera, move to something more powerful and precise, then GT3, and then the RS. Just walking into a dealership and picking up a Mezger RS is a recipe for disaster. The GT3/RS cars really aren’t for everybody, most people would find them extremely uncomfortable and difficult to drive.
The new ones are a different story. I see so many people with no rear engine Porsche experience getting those cars because they are the must have of the day. Just look at the 991 GT3 forum. And you know what, they are so easy to drive (at least the GT3 I've driven was) that you can get away with it nowadays. I think Porsche designed those cars for a broader appeal.
So this is my story half-way through this trip. There is more to come but here’s a few pictures for now…
First stop, Hershey Swap Meet on Saturday:
Staging at the Hershey Hotel:
Off we go…
She’s a thirsty girl, time to fill her up, somewhere in VA:
Dinner w friends:
Good morning from Dublin, VA:
Hitting the back roads:
Chasing a GT4:
Claw of the Dragon:
Blue Ridge Pkwy, Little Switzerland, and up to Mount Mitchell:
i totally agree lwfw is transformative of the car's nature and excitement... i don't have an 7.2rs but have driven one, and also have a shark 3.9 7.1gt3 with jrz suspension in the stable... definitely takes the car up a big notch from a factory 7gt3 for harder core drivers like us...gear rattle, super fast revving, very very racy feel...
Congrats!!.. I'm in agreement with you on your post, so I will not "quote it".
1.) The roads north of Atlanta here where we live are awesome. It looks like you had a chance to cruise the Blue Ridge and several passes. Not sure if you are headed back to NY that way, but take a look on the 993 forum at the New Years Eve Drives. Try and hit some of those routes. The Mountain roads are just killer. And they are banked just asking to be driven.
2.) Your statement of working your way to an RS is spot on. I too came up through the ranks and can appreciate and understand the Delta between these Variants. Also agree with your 991 Statement and many of those who have started at that platform.
Not sure what your plan is for the remainder of your time here in ATL but let me know when you are doing the Porsche Experience by the Airport... I'm working from home the first part of this week and have time to hit that too... Even though I live here and drive by that facility 2X/week on my way to/from the airport, I've yet to go there... Also you may want to consider hitting Rd Atlanta on your way back. The Mitty is going on starting Thursday and I know there are cars practicing there all week. Lots of cool machinery and tons of PCars.
Thanks guys! I'm at PEC today and tomorrow morning. PM me your info maybe we can get together! The North Georgia roads are absolutely awesome, got a sampling yesterday. Atlanta traffic is a different story!
Top Gear episode was hilarious and rings so true! But we did a little better on the speed limit part
Congrats on the RS and hope you enjoyed the Experience Center, it is quite a place. Our first visit was a couple weekends ago. And you are so right about Atlanta traffic - it is almost as frustrating as L.A.
04-19-2016, 08:21 AM
If you can, you must... 2010 RS
