Skip advert
Advertisement

Porsche 911 GT3 RS – performance and 0-60mph time

Absolute straight-line speed has been sacrificed in the pursuit of downforce, but the RS is still ballistic off the line

Evo rating
RRP
from £192,600
  • Staggering grip and balance; sense of occasion; configurability
  • Feeling its true magic at road speeds can be challenging

That scintillating 9000rpm engine and super-sharp seven-speed PDK ’box (now with shortened ratios and final drive for added in-gear snap) is one of the all-time great partnerships. Though not night-and-day different to the GT3, there’s a definite uptick in urgency and intensity. Against the clock 0-60mph arrives in 3.0sec, 100mph in 6.9. Top speed is 184mph, some 14mph down on the GT3 despite DRS.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Perhaps surprisingly, the engine performance is one of the more timid aspects of the RS. Yes, the wonderful, howling, naturally aspirated flat-six that revs to 9000rpm. It sounds so crisp and pure even at low speeds but somehow the low- and mid-range performance seems at odds with what your eyes are relaying and the tense, sinewy responses of the chassis. It’s no coincidence that the 5000rpm marker is located at 12 o’clock on the rev counter. That’s about where things get going.

Even at the glorious, shrieking top end, the 4-litre flat-six is no match for the grip and traction on offer, which might be a frustration for some. Certainly, the needle is swung much further in the direction of grip than power, which is unusual in this world of the 454bhp BMW M2 or an 819bhp ‘baby’ mid-engined Ferrari. With that said, on the road you’ll be gathering speed at quite a rate if you wring the engine all the way out, and the intensity of the delivery more than makes up for what it lacks in outright gut-punch.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Porsche 911 Carrera S 2025 review – a 473bhp BMW M4 CS fighter
Porsche 911 Carrera S – pictures
Reviews

Porsche 911 Carrera S 2025 review – a 473bhp BMW M4 CS fighter

A new Carrera S has arrived with supercar-baiting pace and a £120k starting price – is it the sweet spot of the 992.2 range?
25 Apr 2025
Aston Martin Vantage (1993 - 2000) review – Britain's 550bhp hand-built muscle car
Aston Martin Vantage V550 – front
Reviews

Aston Martin Vantage (1993 - 2000) review – Britain's 550bhp hand-built muscle car

One of Aston Martin's last true hand-built models, the ludicrous twin-supercharged Vantage was a muscle car crossed with a stately home
24 Apr 2025
Used Ford Mustang (S550, 2015 - 2023) review – Ford’s V8 muscle car for £20k
Ford Mustang (S550) front
In-depth reviews

Used Ford Mustang (S550, 2015 - 2023) review – Ford’s V8 muscle car for £20k

The S550 appeared ten years ago as a more sophisticated kind of Mustang, in right-hand drive and with the job of tempting European sports car buyers. …
23 Apr 2025