2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Titanium exhaust system with flaps to alter the sound of the engine.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Gabriel Gélinas at the wheel of the 911 GT2 RS at CTMP.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - The best way to describe the GT2 RS is that it’s a cross between the 911 Turbo S and the 911 GT racing cars being flogged in endurance races worldwide. The engine has been lifted from the Turbo S, but the 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat six’s power output has been bumped from 580 to a staggering 700 horsepower at 7000 rpm, thanks in part to the fitting of larger turbochargers and a revised air intake.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - The engine has been lifted from the Turbo S, but the 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat six’s power output has been bumped from 580 to a staggering 700 horsepower at 7000 rpm, thanks in part to the fitting of larger turbochargers and a revised air intake. Maximum torque is rated at 553 pound-feet, and all of it is available from a low threshold of 2500 rpm. The GT2 RS is rear-wheel drive and the only gearbox available is the dual-clutch, seven-speed PDK.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Maximum torque is rated at 553 pound-feet, and all of it is available from a low threshold of 2500 rpm. The GT2 RS is rear-wheel drive and the only gearbox available is the dual-clutch, seven-speed PDK.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - The GT2 RS also gets suspension bits borrowed from the 911 racing cars, with uniball bearing ball joints on all suspension arms as opposed to conventional elastokinematic bearings. The spring rates have been increased by fifty percent, while the anti-roll bars are more compliant, enabling more independent control of each wheel.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - The obsession with aerodynamics is clearly evident on the GT2 RS as it is on full-bore racing cars, with downforce rated at 312 kilograms in road-going trim and 416 kg in race-track trim.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - I only get a handful of laps behind the wheel of the GT2 RS at CTMP, and I am following Zach Robichon, current points leader in the Canadian GT3 Cup Championship, who is driving a 911 Turbo S like the pro racer that he is.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Under full power, there’s no denying that this is a turbocharged engine as the turbos spool quickly and a massive wave of torque engulfs the car as soon as the tachometer hits 2500 rpm. The car just vaults over to Corner 2, which arrives in the blink of an eye.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - The way the power is delivered on the twin-turbocharged GT2 RS is massively different to that of the normally aspirated 911 GT3 RS I drove just a few weeks ago on the Grand Prix circuit at the Nurburgring. The GT3 RS is high-strung with a piercing wail and maximum power at high rpm. There is less aural drama with the GT2 RS, but the speed builds incredibly quickly.
2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Heading into Quebec corner, braking is stellar with the carbon composite brakes at work, the NACA ducts cut into the front hood feeding air to the brakes for cooling. Getting closer to the apex, you have to be careful with the throttle application. There is so much torque under your right foot that applying too much power too soon will tend to unbalance the car and alter the slip angles of the massive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Through Moss corner, you head down the Mario Andretti straight with the engine at full load, up through the gears. Even before the dogleg that is Turn 7, you can feel the downforce at play and the car even touches the track over some slight bumps at well over 250 kilometres per hour. Even at that speed, the GT2 RS feels very stable, the car only moving slightly following track undulations. This is one impressive and very powerful machine.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Even before the dogleg that is Turn 7, you can feel the downforce at play and the car even touches the track over some slight bumps at well over 250 kilometres per hour. Even at that speed, the GT2 RS feels very stable, the car only moving slightly following track undulations. This is one impressive and very powerful machine.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Less than one hundred of these cars will make their way to Canada with a base price of $334,000, and loads of options that will make prices go well north of that. As an example, the GT2 RS I drove at CTMP featured the Weissach package as well as a few other options for a total cost just a shade under $400K.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Titanium exhaust system with flaps to alter the sound of the engine.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - NACA ducts cut into the front hood provide cooling for the carbon composite brakes.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Ducting on the engine cover feeds air straight into the turbochargers.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Centre-lock magnesium wheels offered as an option.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Aero elements on the front fenders to smooth out the airflow.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Cockpit.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Gauge cluster.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Carbon sport seats part of the Weissach package.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Fire extinguisher fitted to the front passenger footwell.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS - So, which one do you get? GT2 RS or GT3 RS? Tough question. Even though I was mightily impressed with the Alpha Dog that is the twin-turbocharged GT2 RS, I would choose the normally aspirated GT3 RS which felt both lighter and slightly more responsive. The GT3 RS is a precise tactical weapon and the GT2 RS is a blitzkrieg-style, all-out assault on performance. But to each his own, and both cars deliver a thrilling experience. One thing is certain, 911 RS cars are only available during the short window that signals the end of the line for the current-generation 911 Carrera and heralds the imminent arrival of the next model. Get yours while you can.
