Porsche 911 GT3 R Race Car Debuts With More Power And Better Aero

Porsche has introduced the new 911 GT3 R, and the car will be ready to make its racing debut early next year. Development began in 2019 for a customer race car based on the 992 generation, with Porsche focused on improving rideability, streamlining its handling and reducing its operating costs.

Many of the improvements Porsche made were designed to make racing cars easier to drive for a wider range of driver expertise. That includes a new suspension that makes steering more precise and reduces wear on the rear tires. Its KW shock absorbers offer five adjustment settings.

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The suspension, double-wishbone up front and multi-link at the rear, also allows the car to have a higher underbody that helps airflow reach the rear diffuser without significantly increasing drag. The rear wing now features goose-neck mounts, which further enhances the aerodynamics of the car. Helping with tire handling and wear is an extension of the wheelbase. Porsche moved the rear wheels further back, extending the wheelbase from 2,459 millimeters (8.0 ft) to 2,507 mm (8.22 ft).

Powering Porsche’s new customer racer is the naturally aspirated 4.2 liter flat-six engine, which goes up from 4.0 liters in size. The engine can produce up to 565 horsepower (416 kilowatts), which is channeled through a six-speed sequential contest-mesh gearbox with paddle shifters, which Porsche derived from the 911 GT3 Cup race car.

Porsche tilted the engine forward by 5.5 degrees to create enough room for the underbody diffuser, forcing the company to move some additional engine components. This helps to improve the weight balance of the car.

Inside, Porsche fulfills the FIA’s newly developed impact protection mandate by moving the seats closer to the center of the car. This also allowed Porsche to improve the racer’s roll cage. Adjustable pedals and steering wheel compensate for a fixed sitting position. An improved buckle for the six-point racing harness will help save about a second during driver changes.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R will be ready to race at the start of next year’s GT3 season, starting with the Rolex 24 at Daytona next January. The car will cost $567,210, and is only available for purchase through Porsche Motorsport North America for customers in the US and Canada. Thanks to changes with the FIA, the car will be eligible to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time.