2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS cuts sub-seven minute Nurburgring laptime

UNTIL today, just four production cars had lapped the Nurburgring Nordschliefe in less than seven minutes – the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Lamborghini Huracan Performante, Porsche 918 Spyder, and the Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV.

But now, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS can be added to that list, having officially clocked a Green Hell laptime of 6:56.4 at the hands of Keven Estre.

Driving duties were shared with Lars Kern, who piloted the GT2 RS to its outright record time of 6:47.3.

The 2018 GT3 RS is now placed third on the production car laptime leader board, just ahead of the 918 Spyder’s 6:57.0, and is a full 24 seconds faster than the previous GT3 RS’s best Nurburgring laptime.

Powered by a race-bred 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine with 383kW and a 9000rpm redline, the GT3 RS can accelerate to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds, before topping out at 312km/h.

Estre says the GT3 RS’s strengths lie in braking performance and mid-corner speed, with the road-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber helping elevate the speed, while keeping everything pointing the right way up.

“Through the fast corners and on the brakes in particular, the GT3 RS is unbelievably close to our racing car GT3 R. This is also thanks to the new generation of tyres for road going sports cars.”

Frank Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars said the lap time is indicative of the race-bred nature of the brand’s GT vehicles.

“No other Porsche model gets as close to racing as the new GT3 RS. Many innovative ideas from top-level motorsport were transferred; for example, from the 911 GT3 R. This is what our philosophy for GT models is about: Highest technology must be fascinating but tangible. In this regard there is no harder test for our ideas than the Nordschleife.”

Andreas Preuninger, Director GT Model Line, said both Estre and Kern were able to bank consistently fast laps in the GT3 RS.

“All four lap times of both drivers were below seven minutes and only tenths of a second apart. This proves not only the outstanding power of the GT3 RS, but also its extraordinary driveability at the limit.”

Previously, McLaren claimed its P1 hypercar lapped the Nurburgring in less than seven minutes, but never provided an exact time… or proof.

The GT3 RS is on sale in Australia from $416,500, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the final quarter of this year.