The facts and figures behind every version of the Porsche 911 RS and 911 GT3 RS
Anoraks of the 911 world unite
IN THE eyes of the sort of driving enthusiast who will wake with the birds to enjoy an uninterrupted tour of their favourite roads, there can be few finer cars in which to make the trip than an RS version of the Porsche 911.
Browse the used Porsche 911 cars for sale on driving.co.uk
Launched in 1972 and sold in Britain the following year, the 911 Carrera RS was conceived and engineered with the intention of helping Porsche to succeed on the racetrack. Homologation requirements allowed the German sports car maker to include larger, 2.7-litre engines, racier bodywork – such as the distinct “ducktail” rear spoiler – and weight-saving features that would go on to become RS hallmarks.
The formula may not have changed greatly since, but the technology, power and performance of the latest 911 GT3 RS, based on the latest 991 series model, is a world away from the original 1972 RS. To show just how far things have come, Driving has compiled a handy spotter’s guide to every generation of the 911 RS and 911 GT3 RS models – some of the most sought-after cars ever to take to the road.
Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901)
Highly sought after by car collectors today, the original RS set the template by which all future RS models followed. Its statistics would be humbled by those of today’s Golf GTI, but in its time it was one of the quickest, most responsive cars on the road.
Introduced: 1973
UK price when new: £6,112 (Sports lightweight), £7,193 (Touring)
Total production: 200 (Sports lightweight), 1,308 (Touring), plus 17 homologation models and 49 RSR models built for circuit racing
Engine: 2.7 litres, flat six
Power: 207bhp @ 6300rpm
0-62mph: 5.6sec
Top speed: 150mph
Gearbox: 5-speed manual
Weight: 960kg-1,075 kg
Porsche 911 Carrera RS (964)
After a lull of 17 years since the 911 Carrera 3.0 RS appeared in 1974 – a 3-litre version based on the “G series” 911 and, with just 110 built, one of the rarest cars made by the company – Porsche presented the 964 generation 911 RS at the British motor show in Birmingham. A rare, 3.8-litre evolution of the car would follow in 1993.
Introduced: 1991
UK price when new: £63,544
Total production: 2,282
Engine: 3.6 litres, flat six
Power: 256bhp @ 6100rpm
0-62mph: 5.4sec
Top speed: 162mph
Gearbox: 5-speed manual
Weight: 1,195 kg
Porsche 911 Carrera RS (993)
This was the last of the air-cooled 911s, and many would say the best-looking too. Performance was a noticeably improvement over that of its predecessor, and a popular option at the time was the Club Sport package.
Introduced: 1995
UK price when new: £68,495 (Club Sport £74,795)
Total production: 1,014 (Club Sport 227)
Engine: 3.8 litres, flat six
Power: 292bhp @ 6500rpm
0-62mph: 5.0sec
Top speed: 172mph
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Weight: 1,270kg
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (996)
The 911’s signature flat-six engine switched to water cooling, but in a technical twist the first GT3 RS took what was in effect an air-cooled engine crankcase from Porsche’s Le Mans-style racing cars and converted it to water cooling.
Introduced: 2003
UK price when new: £84,230
Total production: 682
Engine: 3.6 litres, flat six
Power: 375bhp @ 7400rpm
0-62mph: 4.4sec
Top speed: 190mph
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Weight: 1,360kg
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
Using the bodywork from the four-wheel-drive version of Porsche’s 911 gave the 997 generation 911 GT3 RS a wide stance and impressive grip on a racetrack. However, substantial improvements would be made (see below).
Introduced: 2006
UK price when new: £94,280
Total production: 1,909
Engine: 3.6 litres, flat six
Power: 409bhp @ 7600 rpm
0-62mph: 4.2sec
Top speed: 193mph
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Weight: 1,375kg
As the miles wore on, I started to think that maybe I could live with this car. And then I started to wonder how it would be possible to not live with it. I was falling in love.
Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Porsche 911 GT3 (2010)
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.II)
Subtlety is not an approach used for the appearance of GT3 RS sports cars, but the evolution of the 997 version – with its 3.8-litre engine – took that to a whole new level, with optional graphics packages that helped other drivers identify this model. Just in case they missed the huge wings and growling engine note.
Introduced: 2010
UK price when new: £100,760
Total production: 1,519
Engine: 3.8 litres, flat six
Power: 444bhp @ 7900rpm
0-62mph: 4.0sec
Top speed: 193mph
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Weight: 1,370kg
Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 (997.II)
This is the GT3 RS that is the most coveted of all. It had a 4-litre version of the flat-six motor and produced 493bhp – the same as the latest 991 model. And because it has a manual gearbox and few driving aids, purists are drawn to it like bears to honey.
Introduced: 2011
UK price when new: £128,466
Total production: 600
Engine: 4.0 litres, flat six
Power: 493bhp @ 8250rpm
0-62mph: 3.9sec
Top speed: 192mph
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Weight: 1,360kg
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (99I)
Controversy strikes: like the GT3, the RS has an automatic gearbox and four-wheel steering. Its wide body, however, is based on that of the Turbo, and the tyres are preposterously wide. If you want to know all about the latest, 991 series 911 GT3 RS, read Driving’s full review of the mean machine.
Introduced: 2015
UK price when new: £131,296
Total production: still in production
Engine: 4.0 litres, flat six
Power: 493bhp @ 8250rpm
0-62mph: 3.3sec
Top speed: 192mph
Gearbox: 7-speed PDK automatic
Weight: 1,420kg
