Lucky seven: Porsche 911 GT 3 R rennsport revealed

Porsche has chosen the seventh Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca, California to release its hottest track tool of the 992 era.

The 911 GT3 R rennsport is based on the GT3 R but gets a host of unique parts. Visually, it’s a throwback to the seven-time Daytona-winning Brumos Porsche 935/77 thanks to its stupendous rear wing, with vertical struts inspired by the 962. The wide-bodied shell is made entirely from carbon fiber and sits on a stretched wheelbase. Aero-enhancing fins and larger air intakes all aid on-track performance, while side mirrors have been ditched in favour of cameras to reduce drag. It sits lower to the ground on shortened springs and rides on 18-inch BBS alloys, shod with purpose-designed Michelin racing rubber.

Available in seven colorways the car can also be ordered with three different liveries: Rennsport Reunion Design, inspired by Laguna Seca’s iconic Corkscrew corner, Flacht Design, named after the German HQ of Porsche motorsports, and Speed Icon Design, featuring shades of blue to exaggerate the car’s width.

“Porsche has been shaped by its rich history,” says Thorsten Klein, Style Porsche Project Manager for the GT3 R rennsport. “This is especially true in racing. This has subsequently inspired us, of course, but by no means did we want to produce a copy or an obvious retro paint job. The three options we selected are new interpretations that are realistic and not some blatant nod to the brand’s history.”

Inside, the GT3 R rennsport is stripped back to the basics, with just a single driver’s bucket seat and no air conditioning to save weight. There’s a unique numbered plaque, a pair of screens to replace the mirrors and an FIA-specification roll cage.

That said, Porsche actually “cast aside all constraints of the FIA GT3 regulations” when building the rennsport. Its 4.2-liter flat-six has been fettled to deliver 620 horsepower and stretch to a redline of 9400 rpm. The car’s specific output is “a record for a naturally aspirated engine of a GT racing car,” says Porsche. Find a long enough straightaway and it will max out at 196 mph, compared to the GT3 R’s 184 mph.

A six-speed sequential constant mesh transmission sends power to the rear-wheels and has been geared the same as Porsche’s GT3 would be for Daytona. It’s also been designed to run on bi-ethanol and e-fuels should its owners wish to reduce their carbon footprints as they hurtle around a track. It’s available with a straight-through exhaust or with silencer and catalytic converter so that buyers can choose based on the noise rules at their favorite circuits.

“The new Porsche 911 GT3 R rennsport offers the experience of driving a 911-based racing car in what is probably the most primal form,” says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Motorsport. “It gives you goose bumps whenever you look at it and combines the finest motorsport technology with a design language that is typical of Porsche.”

Just 77 GT3 R rennsports will find lucky owners, and with all sold this weekend’s Rennsport Reunion may well be the only chance to see one in the wild.