Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport – A collectors’ GT3-race car

At the seventh edition of the Rennsport Reunion at Weather Tech Raceway in Laguna Seca, California, the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport was presented. It’s a race car for collectors, limited to 77 units. It combines advanced know-how from the motorsport department with retro looking, yet fully functional aerodynamics.

Spiritual successor to the Porsche 935/77, Porsche’s seventh overall winner at the 24 Hours of Daytona

It is no coincidence that Porsche is launching a special model limited to 77 cars with stylistic references to the 1970s for the Rennsport Reunion 7. After all, the “logical successor to the modern Porsche 935” draws its inspiration from the legendary Brumos Porsche 935/77, in which Peter Gregg, Toine Hezemanns and Rolf Stommelen drove to seventh overall victory for Porsche at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1978.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport combines the powerful appearance of a high-performance competition car with modern design elements. At the same time, it hails back to the sports car manufacturer’s motorsport history without drifting into a retro look.

Porsches press release on the 911 GT3 R rennsport

In contrast to the road-car-based modern Porsche 935, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R has nothing to do with its road-legal siblings. Instead, the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport is a genuine racing car with modified bodywork, developed without regard to technical regulations.

Same amount of downforce as the GT3 race car despite retro rear wing

While only the roof and front hood remained from the race car, Style Porsche fundamentally changed the outer skin of the collectors’ race car. The Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport is wider and visually stretched compared to the GT3 R. Its silhouette in particular, with the rear wing extending far to the rear, is reminiscent of racing cars from decades past. The now illuminated Porsche lettering under the continuous LED strip lighting is also very attractive.

But for all its classic design, Porsche has developed an aerodynamic platform for the 911 GT3 R rennsport whose downforce is on a par with the racing version. The load on the upper wing element is even so great that Porsche uses additional vertical supports. That’s a feature shared with Porsche’s Group C 962 race car. This prevents certain maximum loads from being exceeded.

The center lock rims from BBS in Y-spoke design, which at 18 inches have remained relatively small, are not just nice to look at. They even meet all the technical requirements for a competition wheel. As standard, they come painted in a nice Dark Silver Metallic.

4.2 liter engine, 9,400 rpm rev-limit and 620 hp with bio-ethanol and eFuels

Porsche is particularly proud of the six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine in the rear of the 911 GT3 R rennsport, which has been significantly upgraded once again. This is because, unlike the race car, the collector’s edition, as Porsche calls it, is not held back by a so-called Balance of Performance (BoP). Compared to the 565 hp in racing, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport can draw from the full range. Thanks to modified pistons, camshafts and increased compression, the 4.2-liter six-cylinder boxer engine develops a whopping 620 hp.

The specific output thus corresponds to 148 hp per liter of displacement. Such a high figure is simply incredible for a GT racer with a naturally aspirated engine. Incidentally, this is helped by the more knock-resistant E25 fuel that Porsche designed the 911 GT3 R to race on. Running on eFuels, for example, enables the car to be nearly CO2-neutral. However, it also works with conventional fuels.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport is available in three designs or in visible carbon fiber

Basically, the bodyshell of the collectors’ track tool is painted in Agate Grey metallic. The carbon outer skin can either be left visible, as on the 935, or customized with extended individualization options. Three designs are available: the “Racing Reunion Design,” the “Flacht Design” – inspired by the Flacht district in Weissach, where the motorsport department is located – and the “Speed Icon Design”. Seven new color shades not previously available for motorsport vehicles include Star Ruby and Signal Orange.

The interior of the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport is largely the same as that of the 992 GT3 R. However, it does without conventional rearview mirrors. Instead, Porsche relies on small cameras. Their images are displayed on two monitors on both the the A-pillars. The obligatory limitation badge can be found on the dashboard. Its safety equipment in the interior is FIA homologated throughout. But you won’t find a passenger seat here. However, there is a chic ambient lighting system analogous to the color-adjustable main headlights.

Porsche did not give away prices or availability of the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport

Porsche did not put a price tag on the GT3 R rennsport at the presentation. However, Porsche itself describes it as a “collector’s edition”. There is also no information about availability. So one can assume that these vehicles are already all spoken for. Freely according to the motto “If you haven’t been asked, you won’t be able to order one”.

It will be exciting to see where the collector’s value of the Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport settles. While its predecessor, the Porsche 935 “Moby Dick”, was based on the 911 GT2 RS, the 911 GT3 R rennsport, which is also limited to 77 units, is based on a real racing car. It is however nice to see, that Porsche has once again invested a great deal of development time in such a special model. It shows, how consciously the group maintains its traditions despite its clear focus on electrification.

© Porsche AG