Stripped to its bare essentials, the 911 RS offers a racecar feel for the road. For about $ 16,000 more than the basic 911 Carrera you get wind-up windows instead of push button electrics, no air conditioning, no central locking, lightweight front seats, thinner glass, an alloy front luggage lid and 300bhp instead of 285bhp. On the face of it you pay more and get less. Some people won't understand all that. You can almost hear them saying: Wind-up windows? Hardly any quicker than the standard Carrera? And you pay more? But the RS isn't a Carrera with the bits taken off. It's built an RS from the ground up. Forced to choose one of these cars, this is probably the one I would go for. With the possible exception of air conditioning, I wouldn't miss the add-on luxury. At 1270kg, the RS weighs 100kg less than the ordinary Carrera and that is significant. It translates into finer, faster responses. The difference isn't night or day but if you appreciate such things it is important. Porsche knows this: that's why the RS exists.
On another level, its enough to say that the RS has excellent power steering that on the move is light, positive and informative. Like the GT2 it has a hard rimmed steering wheel - beautiful to look at but you need gloves to cover any serious distance on twisty roads. The seats look spartan but in use they are great. As you would expect, there's a bit more noise inside and a bit more 'go' than you get with the standard car. But then that noise is very enjoyable and the ride is surprisingly good.
Verdict - Less really is more. The leaner meaner RS is an enthusiast’s dream. It has that rare but oh-so desirable lightweight feel and quicksilver responses. Although only slightly quicker than the standard Carrera in a straight line, its extra alertness is a defining factor. This is one serious driving machine. But a practical everyday car too. This is perhaps Porsches finest road creation since the 1973 RS 2.7.
0-60 mph 5 seconds
Top speed 277 km/h / 172 mph
Transmission 6 Speed Manual
Displacement 3746 cc / 229 cubic inches
Horsepower 300 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque 262 ft lbs @ 5400 rpm
Compression Ratio 11.3 : 1
Here are some photos:
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