Drool all over the new Porsche 911 RSR

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GAWP WORTHY, isn’t it? This is the new Porsche 911 RSR race car and before you turn off and think, ‘oh it’s just a refinement of the same old 911 recipe’, it’s best to remember that when it comes to racing, Porsche is much more adventurous. The last RSR, for example, caused much fuss by moving its flat-six engine from the back, to the middle. Even Porsche itself says this new RSR is “the most spectacular 911 of all time”. Big call. A new RSR doesn’t come along that often. World Endurance Championship (WEC) regs demand a three year homologation period and Porsche claims a full 95 percent of the car is new. The only carry over components are the headlights, the braking system, the clutch, elements of the suspension and the driver’s seat. Of course, the mid-engine layout remains, though the engine itself is now larger, up from 4.0-litres to 4.2 (4194cc). Depending on the size of the restrictor fitted to comply with a racing series’ regulations, Porsche says it’s good for 515hp (384kW). The new donk is also said to offer better driveability over a wider rev band, while a new six speed sequential ’box quickens up shift times and boosts efficiency. Visually, one of the biggest changes is the exhaust, with the outlets now exiting ahead of the rear wheels. That’s right, side exit exhausts! Porsche says this makes the exhaust itself lighter and offers aero improvements, not least because it gave the designers freedom to pen an all-new rear diffuser. Created to defend Porsche’s 2018 World Endurance Championship crown, the 911 RSR made its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s first competitive hit-out will be during the first round of the WEC at Silverstone on September 1, where Porsche will campaign two factory cars.

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