If the new 911 GT3 isn't hardcore enough for your tastes, you're in luck. Porsche just revealed some details of the new 2010 911 GT3 RS ahead of its Frankfurt motor show debut, and as always, it's the closest thing to a street-legal 911 racer money can buy.
As always, the GT3 RS serves as a homologation special for the race-spec 911 GT3, and a number of racing parts actually appear in the production model. Rear "seats" are removed, a giant rear wing (yes, it's functional) is bolted on, and both a roll cage and racing seats are installed.
Like the latest 911 GT3, the new GT3 RS receives a slight increase in displacement -- the naturally aspirated flat-six now displaces 3.8 liters -- and accordingly, sees an increase of power. Porsche rates the new engine at 450 hp, 15 hp more than a normal GT3, and for those keeping score, 35 hp more than the last GT3 RS. Don't look for a dual-clutch gearbox here. Porsche's only fitting the car with a six-speed manual transmission, equipped with shorter gear ratios inside and topped by a short-throw shifter.
Engineers haven't forgotten the chassis. Porsche's Active Suspension Management and nifty Active Drivetrain Mounts are both standard on the GT3 RS, but special attention was paid to the suspension itself. Both front and rear tracks are widened (necessitating the use of fender flares on the front wheel wells), allowing 9-inch-wide wheels to be used in front. 245/35 ZR 19 tires are fitted in front, while 12-inch-wide wheels, shod with 325/30 ZR 19 rubber, lie in back.
Porsche hasn't revealed much in terms of options or other content, other than to say a weight-saving lithium ion battery is optional, and the wild livery you see here is par for the course. Pricing is estimated to begin at $132,000, not including destination charges or other taxes.