Mr. M

By Christopher Tan - May 19, 2007
The Straits Times

PORSCHES have a reputation for being reliable and easy-going sports cars you can drive to the office (or more recently, to a camp site), while Ferraris are best reserved for nights out and the occasional track day. But the jolly green giant from Germany you see here changes perceptions somewhat.

This is the 911 GT3 RS, a race car that is made street-legal – 415bhp of shirt-ripping muscle suited in a decently comfortable shell. Just as you would not expect a derby-winning thoroughbred made to do kiddy rides in a fairground to be happy, this raw Porsche is not at its best tooling about in the shopping belt.

It needs space. Lots of it. Preferably without any speed limit. There is no such space here, at least not until September next year.

Nonetheless, driving the 310kmh car within the law is an experience. With its broadened shoulders giving it that serious hunkered down look and its sumptuous 19-inch semi-slick tyres providing immense traction, the GT3 RS traces sweeping arcs no less precisely and effortlessly than a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Displaying no detectable body roll, it handles even better than the quicker 911 Turbo – at least within the restricted speeds here. The certainty you feel at the wheel is really quite astounding.

The steering is padded and lined with a grippy non-slip material. It has a yellow marking at the 12 o’clock position, so you will know which way the wheels are pointing even in a competition-induced frenzy.

Its short-throw stick shift allows you to move through the car’s six close-ratio gears – and each one is sweeter than the one before it. The bark of the exhaust is a lovely reminder that you are in a supercar.

Its lightweight bucket seats may not be very comfortable, but a variant with adjustable backrest is on the way.

Surprisingly for a car in its league, the ride is not punishing. Even when you select harding damping, it feels reasonably pliant. The car is fitted with Porsche Active Suspension Management.

Acceleration is brutal and it seems quicker than the declared 4.2 seconds it takes to hit 100kmh. Acceleration from thereon is equally satisfying, with the revs building seamlessly to a heady redline of 8,400rpm.

Its brakes work beautifully, giving you more confidence as you approach turns. Combined with its unerring precision, the GT3 RS can be driven very fast without any lip-biting. On the track, it is a formidable force in the right hands.

The car comes with a large carbon-fibre rear wing, plastic rear windscreen (saves weight), a front lower lip that hugs the road (not on the test car) and a roll cage (so, no rear passengers). Oh, and a good dollop of attitude.

Price: $575,000 with COE
Engine: 3,600cc 24-valve flat-6
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power: 415bhp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 5,500rpm
0-100kmh: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 310kmh
Fuel consumption: 19.8 litres /100km (city)
Agent: Stuttgart Auto

Source: The Straits Times