Jam Packed With Performance and Value

     This is the 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS.  A brute of a car.  And not one for your average driver.   This thing is serious!  Drivers who've just cut their teeth behind the wheel of their ratted out, over modified BMW or Honda please do yourself a big favor and stay away.  This finely crafted work of German art will hand you a whoopin' that you won't soon forget if you handle it lightly.
     The engineers at Porsche took the platform of an already incredible car (the GT3) and decided to squeeze out every last drop of performance.  By many accounts they've done just that.
    

Power is transfered from the muscle to the rubber via
a 6-speed manual single mass flywheel transmission
and 325/30 ZR19 rear tires.
If those tires happen to be the optional
specialized Michelin Cup tires as seen in this image,
you can go straight from the street to the track
without changing your shoes.

      Sure there are higher horsepower cars with greater torque.  Sure, you can pay to much for a car with twin turbos, lots more cylinders, and a seat that air conditions your butt while you listen to Vivaldi.  Sure you can drive a car that urges you to don a leather jacket and gold chains to match your greased back hair and fuzzy chest.  When you wake up from your alter ego driven daydream, however, you'll realize something.  Those cars have either overshot the mark of balanced excellence that the GT3 RS has hit squarely on the money, or they are stealing the cues that Porsche created years ago only to fall far short.    

High flow tubing allows a greater than normal amount of
air into the hungry, resonance valve controlled intake manifold.
Variable valves control the air flow as demand increases or decreases
allowing the engine to match the performance input from the driver.

    With respect to one of the competition's greatest achievements, that being the Ferrari 458 Italia, an engineering wonder in it's own right (and still one car that takes my breath away), you still can't own one for under the $250,000 mark.  The GT3 RS's base price of $135,500 (before options) gets a serious driver into a more than serious machine which can take on the competition and leave them envious at your discerning performance / value driven decision.

The Bi-Xenon™ automatic leveling headlights of the
GT3 RS create a concentrated beam that
reduces driver fatigue on darkened roads.  Couple this with
the optional cornering system that allows for up to 15˚
of lateral movement of the light source which constantly
monitors for speed, lateral acceleration, and steering angle
and you've got a light source that will guide the driver
through whatever dimly lit adventure he can dish out.

     Balance.  That's what this car is all about.  From the front to rear weight bias, to the staggered front to rear wheel setup, to the amount of performance driven engineering crammed into the price tag, I would defy anyone to find a more performance for value balanced car on the market.  This thing only exists on the consumer side of production because racing requirements state that in order for Porsche to use it on the circuits they have to produce one for the streets.  What did Porsche do to satisfy?  They put a license plate mount on it!

The staggered wheel base of the GT3 RS creates
uncompromised stability at high speeds while the
aerodynamic bodywork and massive carbon fiber
rear wing creates hordes of downforce, planting the
car squarely on terra firma when the driver gets
heavy on the accelerator.

Large cross-drilled carbon composite brake rotors straddled by 6-piston
front and 4-piston rear monoblock aluminum calipers add
to the safety features of the GT3 RS.  Carbon composites
ensure a fade free, reliable braking system when applied under
the intense heat and pressure encountered during high
performance driving situations.  Center locking hubs in place
of the standard 5 lug configuration allow for more rapid wheel
changes and a shift in driving dynamic.

Carbon fiber seats shrouded in suede firmly secure the
driver in place as lateral g-forces at speed try to remove the pilot
from his position behind the controls.

A place for everything...  Organization of the essentials is
kept in mind with the front end offering enough space for
a small assortment of tools and maybe your laptop.  Maybe.

     Let's talk performance.  Weight is 3,020 lbs.  A horsepower maximum of 450 is achieved at  7,900 rpm out of a rear mounted 3.8 liter flat six boasting a 12.2:1 compression ratio, transferring 317 lb-ft of torque to the ground.  The 60 mph mark is reached in just 3.8 seconds from a standing start.  Flat out the GT3 RS will do a reported 193 mph.  If you do the math on horsepower to weight that's one horse for every 7.1 pounds if you strap a 175 pound driver behind the controls.  Ever ridden a horse and felt a little inadequate compared to their awesome power?  Porsche engineers even took the air intake on the rear apron and turned it around to face forward, taking greater advantage of the airflow across its sleek exterior, much like the intakes on a turbine engine found on a fighter jet.

     Overall the 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS is a car for the serious driver looking to own a supercar that they can actually drive.  Track ready and itching for you to slam the accelerator to the floor, this car will never disappoint.  Snug yourself into the driver's seat and stare down the tarmac across the yellow 12 o'clock vertical indicator on the alcantara wrapped steering wheel and you'll know you're in for more than a treat.  You're in for a veritable feast of all things savory!