996 GT3-RS
I was fortunate enough to get a ride in Ulf's 996 GT3-RS Friday. I was most impressed!!!
Especially, we took it quite quickly on a very bumpy "D" road which was mountainous and had a few 2nd gear hairpin corners. The car was fantastic! Totally controllable on the throttle (even over the bumps). The lack of bump steer was actually noticeable. The wheel would not shake at all as the front hit quite large bumps (unlike my Turbo and the GT3 while will move quite a bit). Turn-in was excellent.
The only negative is that the brake cooling ducks will bottom on the ground simply from compression of the suspension. They were bottoming all of the time. Obviously they will not last and something must be done (Turbo ducts maybe?).
The tyres were Corsa with additional tread depth and deeper rain cuts. Very nice! They will make nice track rain tyres.
The most impressive thing to me, and in fact the most surprising was that the car was entirely manageable on the street. we were able to have conversations at normal volumes (something I'm not always able to do in the Turbo). The suspension is firm but far from unreasonable (even travelling at speed on one of the bumpiest roads I know).
The engine sounds quite different to the GT3 (exhaust system changes no doubt). Most noticeable is the loppy idle (I'm sure due to the single mass flywheel). That alone gives the feel of a very serious car. The car only had 500 km on it so too soon to tell if the engines might be in some way "special".
For the more hard core Porsche customer who understands what he is getting into, I think that they will be most happy with this car.
That said though, I doubt that the majority of GT3 customers will be faster in the RS than they would be in the GT3. It will take a very good driver to really feel the improvements between the two cars and to take full advantage of them.
I will post some photos later once I have had time to redact the license plates.
Oh, yes, it really is that shade of blue.
Stephen
Especially, we took it quite quickly on a very bumpy "D" road which was mountainous and had a few 2nd gear hairpin corners. The car was fantastic! Totally controllable on the throttle (even over the bumps). The lack of bump steer was actually noticeable. The wheel would not shake at all as the front hit quite large bumps (unlike my Turbo and the GT3 while will move quite a bit). Turn-in was excellent.
The only negative is that the brake cooling ducks will bottom on the ground simply from compression of the suspension. They were bottoming all of the time. Obviously they will not last and something must be done (Turbo ducts maybe?).
The tyres were Corsa with additional tread depth and deeper rain cuts. Very nice! They will make nice track rain tyres.
The most impressive thing to me, and in fact the most surprising was that the car was entirely manageable on the street. we were able to have conversations at normal volumes (something I'm not always able to do in the Turbo). The suspension is firm but far from unreasonable (even travelling at speed on one of the bumpiest roads I know).
The engine sounds quite different to the GT3 (exhaust system changes no doubt). Most noticeable is the loppy idle (I'm sure due to the single mass flywheel). That alone gives the feel of a very serious car. The car only had 500 km on it so too soon to tell if the engines might be in some way "special".
For the more hard core Porsche customer who understands what he is getting into, I think that they will be most happy with this car.
That said though, I doubt that the majority of GT3 customers will be faster in the RS than they would be in the GT3. It will take a very good driver to really feel the improvements between the two cars and to take full advantage of them.
I will post some photos later once I have had time to redact the license plates.
Oh, yes, it really is that shade of blue.
Stephen
