The Porsche 911 RSR
In 1931 Ferdinand Porsche founded the company “Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH” and one of the company’s first assignments was to build a “Volk” car or “car for the people. The result of this assignment was the Volkswagen Beetle. Using many of the components of the beetle, the Porsche 64(which is considered to be the first vehicle of what was to become the Porsche Company) was developed. The Porsche 64 received its name because it was based on the sleek look of the type 64 racing car and was only a drawing until three type 64 racers were built. It is here that Porsche’s long and proud history of producing high quality sports cars, SUVs and sedans began and the 911 RSR continues to adhere to the high standard set by Porsche.
The 911 RSR is a mid-engine (more on this later) track only version of Porsche’s famed 911 supercar. Crafted in the Porsche Research and Development Centre in Weissach and the Motor Centre in Flacht. The 911 RSR is the culmination of passion, engineering, proud tradition and artistry. This stunning machine is the proud head of the 911 family and was created with the purpose of conquering the challenges in international Grand Turismo racing.
The tunnel vision towards the singular purpose mentioned earlier shown by Porsche when creating the stunning 911 RSR is further evidenced by its amazing collection of specs. The water cooled six cylinder, 4 liter engine produces approximately 510 horse power managed by six-speed sequential constant-mesh gearbox. As always with the 911, its timeless shape remains constant however weighing in at approximately 2, 740 lb it is lighter than many of the other members of the 911 family, resulting in a reputable power to weight ratio.
As mentioned earlier, when building the 911 RSR, Porsche had a mission of mastering all aspects of the GT endurance race scene. In 2017, the RSR, as the new spearhead, will be looking to uphold the long history of countless successes generated by Porsche and the 911 family at the most gruelling long-distance series in the world: the FIA WEC including its showpiece event, the 24h of Le Mans, as well as the IWSC in North America.
The mandate for the RSR team to master all aspects of GT racing was not without its challenges. So while the timeless 911 shape has remained, not everything has stayed the same. When someone says Porsche 911, a few things come to mind. That shape, world class performance and an engine positioned over the rear axle. With the 911 RSR however, Porsche has for the first time in its illustrious history decided to move away from the rear-engine and reposition it. The 911 RSR is therefore extremely unique as it is the first mid-engine 911.It is therefore not unexpected that many 911 purists would argue that this is a break from the rich history of the 911 but Porsche and the 911 we must note have always been about success and progress. The transition from rear-engine to mid-engine was seen as essential for the RSR to remain competitive in WEC’s LMGTE-PRO and IMSA’s GTLM classes. Both of these classes are ruled by power to weight ratios of each car using air intake restrictors and ballasts. The repositioning of the engine in the RSR will help the Porsche in these aspects. The RSR therefore had to adapt not only to survive but to thrive in the racing arena it was crafted for. Porsche have made the RSR mid-engine and track only in order to accomplish its mandate of mastering the GT racing scene. In this car, Porsche have kept what has made 911s great but also allowed it to undergo an evolution. All of this was done in order to prove that the 911 RSR has earned the right to wear the 911 digits.