Limited to just 600 vehicles worldwide, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 takes all the attributes that have made the Porsche 911 GT3 a winner on the race track and turns the performance dial up to 111% – quite literally, since the GT3 RS 4.0 offers an 11% increase in power over the regular 444 bhp GT3 RS, resulting in the first ever 500 bhp (or thereabouts) naturally aspirated 911.

But being a GT3, the new limited edition RS 4.0 doesn’t just make the headlines due to the power of its engine – the engineers at Porsche have sought to make this the fastest ever GT3 on the track, as ably demonstrated by an official Nürburgring-Nordschleife lap time of 7:27 minutes.

The new model transmits thoroughbred motorsport technology through to its innermost core. The flat engine’s crankshaft has been lifted unchanged from the 911 GT3 RSR racing car’s six cylinder engine and the forged pistons’ connecting rods are made of titanium.

The flat six 4.0-litre engine, the biggest 911 engine ever, is also the most powerful naturally aspirated engine with 123 bhp/litre. It achieves its maximum power of 493 bhp (500 PS) at 8,250 revs per minute and delivers its maximum torque of 460 Nm at 5,750 rpm.

The 911 GT3 RS 4.0, available exclusively with a six-speed manual sports transmission, sprints to 62 mph from a standing start in 3.9 seconds and, with its gearing designed for the racing circuit, takes it to the 124 mph (200 km/h) mark in under 12 seconds.

The driving dynamics of the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 are the result of a meticulously set of upgrades. In order to best exploit the increased power, the chassis settings of the new car have been revised. This includes the set-up of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), an electronic damper adjustment system that actively and continuously controls the individual damping forces for each wheel and the rear axle and which now features additional ball-joints for greater adaptability.

In addition to using suspension components from the 911 GT3 RSR racing car, weight reduction has also been an important target for Porsche’s development engineers. Equipped as standard with light weight components such as bucket seats, bonnet and front wings made of carbon fibre, plastic rear windows and weight-optimised carpets, the two-seater’s ready-for-road weight is just 1,360 kg, delivering a power-to-weight ratio of 363 bhp/tonne.

Despite the rumour of ‘several’ unique colours, the limited edition RS 4.0 comes painted in Carrara White as standard, emphasising its proximity to the functional purity of its motor racing roots.

Trademark characteristics are the wide track, the low ride height, the large rear wing with adapted side plates, the typical central twin tailpipe and the aerodynamically optimised body. The lateral front air deflection vanes, so-called ‘flics’, making their first appearance on a production Porsche, testify to the precision of the RS 4.0′s aerodynamic engineering. They create increased downforce on the front axle and, together with the steeply inclined rear wing, bring the vehicle into aerodynamic equilibrium. As a result, aerodynamic forces exert an additional 190kg at top speed, literally pushing the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 onto the road.

Inside, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 features lightweight sports bucket seats in carbon fibre covered in black leather/red Alcantara with ‘RS 4.0’ in red on the headrests.

The steering wheel and gear shift lever are also trimmed in Alcantara with red stitching. Carbon fibre door entry guards with ‘RS 4.0’ logos are fitted to each sill and a dashboard trim strip in carbon fibre with a ‘RS 4.0’ logo runs across the inside of the car above the glovebox lid. As is characteristic of the 911 GT3 RS, the Clubsport package – comprising half roll cage, seat belt harnesses, fire extinguisher, battery cut-off switch – is a standard feature of the 4.0 model.

The 911 GT3 RS 4.0 is limited to 600 examples worldwide and will go on sale in July 2011 priced from £128,466.

At a Glance

Audio Samples

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  Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Opening the throttle

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  Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Accelerate away from standing start

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  Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Drive Past

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  Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Cornering

Gallery

The 911 GT3 RS 4.0 is a special edition model, to be produced in a limited run of just 500 units, and will feature a full roll cage, lightweight headlights and a 90-litre fuel tank. The big news however is its naturally aspirated GT3 RS 4.0-litre engine, which will offer the same amount of power as the standard 911 Turbo (368Kw/500bhp) and around 50 bhp more than the current 3.8-litre GT3 RS.

The GT3 RS 4.0 is likely to become the final 997 variant, before production of the new 998 version of the 911 begins later in the year. The GT3 RS 4.0 will receive new graphics, several exclusive paint options, a newly developed aerodynamic package including that monster rear-wing, a two-tone Alcantara/Leather interior, plus some suspension modifications to take advantage of its lighter weight and higher power output. The price in Germany will be Euro 179,880, around the same as a 911 Turbo S and 20% up on the standard GT3 RS.

Porsche are due to reveal the car in full during May, so look out for more news during the next week.

Gallery

Instead Porsche have chosen to call it the Cayman R and if you’re familiar with Porsche naming convention then you’ll already realise that such a distinction is important. The Porsche alphabet reserves the letter R for very special sports cars in its range: R for responsive and refined – but most especially for racy. Porsche claims that the new Cayman R combines all these attributes without compromise.

To clarify any doubts that may emerge over the ‘R’ designation, Porsche will not be offering an optional ‘track pack’ for the Cayman R (i.e. half-cage, harnesses etc), their rationale being that it’s not a 911 GT3 Club Sport type of car – the 911 remains the motorsport standard bearer for Porsche – however it will be more than up to task of being used on the track, just as the Boxster Spyder is.

With 55 kilograms (121 lb) less weight to carry around and with ten horsepower more than the Cayman S, the new mid-engine coupé from Porsche is designed principally for road use and with its specially adapted sports chassis, it provides an even more precise driving experience than the Cayman S.

The new mid-engine coupé is powered by the same 3.4-litre 326 bhp six-cylinder engine already fitted in the Boxster Spyder. In standard configuration it transmits its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox that propels the car from 0 to 62 mph in 5.0 seconds. Or there is the option of the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) that reduces this acceleration increment to just 4.9 seconds. For even more impressive sprinting performance, the Cayman R can be supplied with one of the optional Sport Chrono packages, reducing the 62 mph sprint down to 4.7 seconds.

The new mid-engine coupé is capable of a top speed of 175 mph (282 km/h) with the manual gearbox, or 174 mph (280 km/h) with PDK. Its NEDC fuel consumption is 29.12 mpg (imp) with six-speed gearbox and 30.37 mpg (imp) with PDK. The main aim during the design of the Cayman R was to improve the two-seater even further in its performance, driving dynamics and agility through consistent weight reduction. With a DIN unladen weight of just 1,295 kilograms (2855 lb) the Porsche engineers were able to reduce the power-to-weight ratio of the coupé with standard manual gearbox to just 3.9 kilograms per horsepower, and 4.0 kilograms per horsepower for the PDK version.

Porsche have focused on reducing weight through removal of convenience equipment and the user of lightweight components - the result is a loss of 55 kg compared to the Cayman S achieving a DIN unladen weight of 1,295 kg.

The largest savings were achieved through the use of lightweight components and doing without convenience equipment. As for the 911 GT3/GT3 RS and Boxster Spyder, an optional lithium-ion lightweight construction battery is also available. In addition, the top model in the mid-engine coupé is equipped with the lightest 19 inch wheels the entire Porsche range can offer. The complete rim set weighs less than 40 kilograms.

The Cayman R’s purpose and purist character can be seen at first glance. The extended silhouette of the bodywork, which has been lowered by 20 millimetres (0.79 in) compared to the Cayman S, combined with the distinctive fixed rear spoiler, the high-quality silver-painted wheels and numerous sporting highlights on both the interior and exterior, ensures an individual appearance. The black-framed headlights, black exterior mirrors and the “PORSCHE” lettering on the side – in contrasting black or silver, depending on the body colour – take design cues from classic Porsche racing cars.

The “R” designation first appeared on a Porsche with the 911 R of 1967. It was created for racing sport use in a small series of 19 cars. The “R” was a prototype based on the standard coupé with a 210 horsepower Carrera 6 engine and, thanks to its many plastic components and extremely sparse equipment, weighed only 830 kilograms (1830 lb).

[styledbox type="general" width="600" align="center"]Watch the driving footage of the New Cayman R on SkiddPlayer[/styledbox]

The new Porsche Cayman R will go on sale from February 2011 after being launched at today’s LA Auto Show. It will retail in the UK at £51,731 list or around £57,000 when fitted with those all-important PCCBs. We’ll have further information and pictures later in the day and will be broadcasting a live Porsche webcast from Los Angeles at 18:55 GMT (19:55 CET) later today. Visit our LA webcast page at http://www.skiddmark.com/lawebcast for more information.

This years event will be held in Dusseldorf on 27/28 November and joining the ranks of the world class starter field is 2009 Supercup champion Jeroen Bleekemolen. The 29-year-old driver from the Netherlands won the GTC class of the American Le Mans Series this season at the wheel of a 911 GT3 Cup and knows the Cup-911 from many years of racing. In 2008 and 2009 he won the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup and in 2008 he clinched victory in the LMP2 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours with a Porsche RS Spyder.

In Dusseldorf, Bleekemolen is up against the likes of Formula 1 pilots Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel as well as World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb and ex-World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx. “I’m proud to be part of the Race of Champions for the first time,” says Bleekemolen. “Obviously, I’m hoping to contest as many heats as possible with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – not one of the participating drivers knows the car like I do.”

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, based on the road-legal 911 GT3 RS sports car, is powered by a 3.8-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine delivering 444 bhp. The spectacular sounding race exhaust system features a fully controlled catalytic converter. The rear-engine concept and the wide track give the racing-911 excellent traction and razor-sharp handling. Pilots operate the sequential six-speed gearbox manually whilst power from the high-revving engine (max. 8,500 rpm) is distributed to the wide rear wheels via a mechanical differential.

“I’m very pleased that the racing elite from all over the globe will be seen driving the world’s most produced race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup,” said Hartmut Kristen, Head of Motorsport at Porsche. “I’m sure that fans and drivers alike will gain just as much pleasure from the spectacular sound and the superb handling of this vehicle.”

This marks the return of the Race of Champions to Germany since 1989. The event will be broadcast by the German national TV, ZDF, with many international broadcasters transmitting the live feed.

We’ve got some great British Porsche drivers, not least Tim Harvey who won this year’s 2010 Carrera Cup GB, but we’ve also been pretty successful in the premier Mobil1 championship with Sean Edwards, Nick Tandy and last year’s Carrera Cup GB champion Tim Bridgman.

For the 2011 season, drivers in the Carrera Cup GB will get to use the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car that the Mobil1 series used to great effect in 2010. The latest 911 GT3 Cup racer is based for the first time on the 911 GT3 RS road car, with the weight of the motor sport derivative reduced significantly versus the already lightweight road car. So for the first time GT3 RS drivers will be driving a true road going version of the race car.

As a consequence of being based on the 911 GT3 RS, this is the first 911 GT3 Cup car to feature the 44-millimetre (1.73”) wider body at the rear, which provides increased space for even larger wheels and slick tyres. Wider front wheel arches also clearly show that the front wheels/tyres are likewise bigger which, combined with other evolutionary changes, has enabled the dynamic performance of the latest car to reach new heights.

Engine capacity is up by 0.2 litres over the prior GT3 Cup car, with power output rising by 30 hp more than before. Thus the rear-mounted 3.8-litre six-cylinder horizontally-opposed power unit develops 444 bhp, and drives the rear wheels through a sequential six-speed manual gearbox and limited slip differential.

Emphasising the Porsche ‘track to road’ philosophy which has guided the company since its beginnings in 1948, the power unit featured in the new 911 GT3 Cup is largely identical to the production engine in the 911 GT3 RS – and offers the same 444 bhp output and identical maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm.

The 911 GT3 Cup race car is designed by the same team based in Weissach, near Stuttgart, Germany, responsible for the iconic Porsche 911 GT3 and RS road cars. In keeping with the lightweight, race-bred credentials that are synonymous with Porsche RS models, the road car weighs 1,370 kg but as befits its single-minded motor sport purpose, the 911 GT3 Cup race car tips the scales at just 1,200 kg, resulting in even sharper performance on the circuit.

From the outside, the new 911 GT3 Cup clearly demonstrates its RS road car origins while at the same time maintaining the purposeful appearance of a race car. The striking daytime driving lights come straight from the current generation of the 911 and the front body panels are the same as on the 911 GT3 RS. However, the front spoiler lip is 15 millimetres (approx 0.6“) lower to provide significantly more downforce on the front axle.

Downforce on the rear axle is also increased by the rear wing, that is extended in width from 1.46 to 1.70 metres (57.5 to 66.9”) and now mounted higher up in a development feature reminiscent of that fitted to the even faster 911 GT3 R raced in international FIA GT3 series. The rear bumper valance with its distinctive air vent openings and LED technology rear lights, in turn, come straight from the GT3 RS road car.

The wider front wheel arches and the flared rear wheel housings provide ample space for even wider wheels. The front axle rides on three-piece light-alloy rims measuring 9.5 J x 18 (previously 9 J x 18) and running on 24/64-18 Michelin racing tyres. The width of the three-piece light-alloy rims on the rear axle have increased by one inch, and now measure 12 J x 18 with 27/68-18 tyres.

The cockpit of the new 911 GT3 Cup caters more than ever before for the specific needs of the race driver. An additional vent in the upper part of the front lid, for example, provides the driver with a better supply of fresh air. The controls for the Info Display are now positioned directly on the steering wheel which houses a total of six switches that control a variety of functions including the pit-lane speed limiter, windscreen wipers, and lights. In addition to fore-and-aft adjustment, the steering wheel may now also be adjusted for height, as on the 911 road car.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup costs £94,600 plus VAT and deliveries to customers will begin in early 2011.

The complete 2011MY Nissan GT-R model line-up now includes six versions – the “Pure edition,” “Black edition,” “Premium edition,” “SpecV,” “Club Track” and “EGOIST” – allowing customers to choose the exact level of dynamic performance and style to meet their various needs. The “Club Track” version is for racing use only, whilst the “EGOIST” version that can be custom-ordered according to the precise desires of each individual customer. I’m not sure I’d want to brag about my car being called the Nissan GT-R EGOIST though…

The 2011MY GT-R features improved engine output and torque (Now 522bhp and 612Nm), greater fuel efficiency, revised handling, a refreshed exterior with improved aerodynamics, revised interior treatment and new wheels and tires. The large number of enhancements for the new model year is part of the continuous advancement of the GT-R design, technology and performance since its debut in December 2007. Nissan has also enhanced the level of after-sales support for GT-R owners.

The GT-R receives subtle improvements to its exterior design – downforce is increased by about 10%, while the coefficient of drag is further reduced from 0.27 to 0.26. Stability is also improved by enlarged bumper and grille openings. You’ll noticed the new front-bumper design with double rectifier fins and high-intensity daylight running lights – the design increases front downforce by about 10%, while also reducing air resistance inside the engine compartment. Rear downforce is also increased by about 10% through use of a new rear bumper air outlet and this features a lower centre of gravity than the previous design.

The newly designed tailpipes now ape those first launched on the SpecV and adopt a enlarged diameter.

Interior changes are widespread, designed to lift the quality of the GT-R and includes a newly shaped instrument panel pad and navigation system display finisher, velour-like coating for the GT-R steering wheel emblem, a new seatback design with leather-appointed Recaro bucket seats on the Black Edition, based on the structure of Pure edition and Premium edition seats.

The SpecV receives the same engine modifications as the base model, except maximum torque is improved to 632Nm when high geared boost is used.

Perhaps the most interesting news is the rumour that the 2011MY GT-R has improved upon its Nürburgring lap time, dropping it from 7:26.4 to 7:20 and bettering the time set by the latest 911 GT3 RS. It looks like 2011 might well be another bumper year for face-offs at the The Green Hell.

Nissan UK have confirmed a new on the road price of £69,950 (incl 20%VAT) for the base GT-R, with prices for more extreme versions reaching over £130,000 in the markets in which they’re sold. The standard ‘no extra cost’ specification list remains as strong as always with Premium Connect HDD satellite navigation, Bose stereo system, iPod™ connectivity, hard drive music storage, Bluetooth phone connection, 20” alloy wheels, runflat tyres, and individual climate control air conditioning. Add that to the performance delivered from the V6 twin turbo through the GR6 twin clutch system, with the aid of the 4 wheel drive system, and the GT-R remains untouchable at the price.

Source: GTR Owners Club UK

You’ve just been eaten for breakfast by a fettled Suzuki Swift and a GTR that seems to be piloted by the ghost of Stefan Bellof and you understand the Nordschleife is a place where you could spend your entire life getting it wrong.

It was my first time in Nürburg (Germany, in fact) and its undulating centrepiece was every bit as terrifying as its lauded reputation. Just the afternoon before a biker had had a big one, closing the circuit for several hours. So when – on a sighting lap – someone binned their FWD Seat Ibiza at 35mph on the fourth corner, I became more than a little anxious.

The briefing before was the first confidence shaker. Although it was a Destination Nürburgring trackday, where no motorcycles and coach tours could cause issues, the message was simple: “Of the 250 cars out there we expect 20-30 incidents today… don’t drive like a cock.” I read that as “you will crash but try not to, and if you survive you wouldn’t be able to pay the bill anyway.” I’ll take the Pearly Gates, then.

The fact I was with friends using one of their cars meant there were further punitive consequences, should an M3 CSL find itself buried in the Adenauer shrubbery. But I suppose if there’s one way to ruin your life, turning the M-car connoisseur’s codpiece of choice into an inferno of twisted metal and carbon is one of coolest methods…

Aside from the aforementioned Ibiza mong, the laps behind the pace car were free from drama yet humbling. One thing a PS3/Xbox cannot prepare you for is the dramatic change in elevation that increases momentum quicker than you anticipate (eg Foxhole) and instantly makes you regret the last round of Bitburgers the night before. Not exceeding the 120km/h limit for this first hour may have seemed churlish to those experienced ‘Ringers, but trust me in greasy conditions getting close to this around the high-speed corners requires an inordinate amount of focus.

The Green Hell. Sounds scary, but it’s a friendly place when you get to know it

Soon after people were taking to the track for their ‘hot’ laps unconcerned with the nice layer of drizzle one of the Eiffel’s microclimates had just issued. Not wanting to seem a bit limp, Team CSL (as I shall refer to us) exited the pit lane with ephemeral optimism. It was a poignant, spiritual moment. The leaden skies draped over the rich green hills resonating to a soundtrack that was mostly Porsche flat-6. Now was the time.

Dipping into Tiergarten the asphalt appears wide and inviting and the compression mild compared to the upcoming sections. Through the pit straight you plunge down the Hatzenbach in a section of fast left-rights then over the infamous Flugplatz where you are uncertain about where to lift and where to put the anchors on. The lap seems to extend into a series of fast lefts before a long hairpin down into the dreaded Foxhole, which some can take indecently fast before braking into Adenauer Forst.

From here it gets a little blurry and confusing as you continue to descend to Adenauer Bridge then immediately start climbing back up passing the Lauda Kink, through the Bergwerk hairpin and then a ridiculously quick section on the way to the dreaded Carraciola Karussell – named in deference to Rudolf Carraciola, the original regenmeister I’m told. The ascent continues around to Brünnchen (Spyshot Central) then delivers some delicious sweeping, cresting left-rights that take you to the mini-Karussell before the long right-hander onto Döttinger Höhe and the 1+ mile drag back to the Bilstein Bridge where you decide if you want to go again.

Team CSL wasn’t completely lacking in talent – a racing licence holder, a former competitive karter and an existentialist with balls the size of Galia melons (not me and I’ve seen) – but we were rinsed lap after lap as we tentatively tried to navigate our way around. One particular German in a black R26 R really made me feel like Taki Inoue when he barged passed and disappeared out of sight within 4 corners.

If our own performances were unimpressive, the circuit complex was certainly not. Restaurants, hotels, local trade all depend upon the hallowed asphalt of the ‘Ring and bask in its rich history. People understandably worry about it turning into a sort of automotive Disneyland, but really it’s only the dedicated who want to travel across Europe to test their mettle on such a demanding circuit.

And, to be honest, it’s a guy thing. Of the 400 people in the pits there were probably 30 women and most of them looked heroically bored.

Yesterday’s first qualifying session for the 2010 Nürburgring 24 Hours was red-flagged after just three hours – with thick fog throughout the 25.378-kilometre circuit leaving race organisers with little choice but to take this safety measure. Friday qualifying was therefore tense as teams battled for grid position on what was still a very dirty and slippery Nordschleife.

Pole position for Audi

Marco Werner’s brand new Audi R8 LMS set a time late of 8:24:753 which was two seconds quicker than the old Nordschleife record and more importantly cemented pole for Werner and his team mates Mattias Ekstrom, Oliver Jarvis and reigning DTM champion Timo Scheider. Werner conceded pole didn’t mean much given the length of the race, but was still happy enough with the result.

We are satisfied to be on pole position, even though it isn’t really a very important step for a 24-hour race. At least it was dry today. I was really fighting in the car. My lap was good, I only came across traffic on two or three occasions. That is the key to success for the last few seconds, which is what it was about in the end and led to pole position.

Mattias Ekström (SE), Oliver Jarvis (GB), Timo Scheider (DE) and Marco Werner (DE) will be driving the lead Audi R8 LMS.

BMW set competitive times to secure 8th and 11th

Meanwhile Team BMW Motorsport finished eighth and 11th with their M3 GT2. Uwe Alzen (DE) clocked a time of 8:32.861 minutes in the no. 25 BMW, securing 8th with his team mates Jörg Müller (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Pedro Lamy (PT).

Car number 26 recorded a fastest lap of 8:36.840 minutes to qualify in 11th. Dirk Adorf (DE) will alternate behind the wheel of the BMW M3 GT2 with Dirk Werner (DE), Jörg Müller (DE) and Andy Priaulx (GB).

Porsche unable to match a dominant Audi, but shows that Hybrid power rocks

Meanwhile over in the Porsche camp, Lance David Arnold (Germany) was fastest with the new 480 hp 911 GT3 R clinching the fifth grid position for Haribo Team Manthey. Chris Mamerow (Germany) turned the sixth quickest lap driving the Mamerow team’s 911 GT3 R.

Twenty-four-year-old Lance David Arnold shares the cockpit of the 911 decked out in the gold bear design with two-time winner of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, Richard Westbrook (Great Britain), former DTM driver Alex Margaritis (Germany) and Christian Menzel (Germany), the reigning champion of the Asian Carrera Cup.

In 9th place for tomorrow’s race will be the Porsche GT3 R Hybrid after an excellent showing in qualifying, only 10 seconds off Werner’s pace up front. The innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid (Porsche Team Manthey) heads into the 38th edition of the 24 hour race in a strong position. “Our aim was to qualify in the top ten and we did this,” summarised works driver Richard Lietz (Austria). “Under dry conditions we weren’t able to do better due to the weight of our car. In the race we are relying totally on the efficiency of our 911 GT3 R Hybrid.”

Sharing driving duties with the Austrian are Porsche junior Marco Holzer (Germany), works driver Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), and the 22-year-old former Porsche junior Martin Ragginger (Austria). The 480 hp six-cylinder engine is supplemented by two 60 kilowatt electric motors and serves as a rolling test lab under the toughest race conditions to provide Porsche with crucial results for the further development of hybrid technology.

A difficult qualifying session for Lexus

The Lexus LFAs didn’t fare so well in the second qualifying session ending up in 25th and 28th on the grid, although this represented P1 and P2 in the SP8 class. Car 51 hit the guardrail and sustained some light damage, however both cars are fine for the race tomorrow.

Also…

WRC star Jari-Matti Latavala’s Köln Motorsport Ford Focus RS finished a strong 8th in class, with the Finn probably needing to show more restraint with his driving style in tomorrow’s race than he is used to in his day job.

The starting grid at the Nürburgring

Final qualifying results for the N24 are as follows (top 10 cars out of 250 entrants);

1 Ekström/Jarvis/Scheider/Werner (Audi R8 LMS) 8m 24.753s
2 Basseng/Rockenfeller/Stippler/Stuck (Audi R8 LMS) 8m 25.568s
3 Abt/Collard/Luhr/Mies (Audi R8 LMS) 8m 27.967s
4 Biela/Fässler/Hennerici/Kaffer (Audi R8 LMS) 8m 29.250s
5 Arnold/Menzel/Westbrook/Margaritis (Porsche) 8m 29.521s
6 Mamerow/Henzler/Hardt (Porsche) 8m 29.779s
7 Lieb/Bernhard/Dumas/Tiemann (Porsche) 8m 30.323s
8 Müller/Farfus/Alzen/Lamy (BMW) 8m 32.861s
9 Bergmeister/Lietz/Holzer/Ragginger (Porsche) 8m 34.427s
10 Alzen/Schwager/Jäger/Bert (Porsche) 8m 34.906s

The 38th Nurburgring 24 hours will begin at 15:00 local time on Saturday 15th of May and shortly after the chequered flag falls, we’ll bring you the final results here on SkiddMark.

You can follow the race with live-timing available from the ADAC’s website, plus of course their streaming video channel and there will be many people twittering from the race including SkiddMark regular Kevin Mc Glone who you can follow at @GenevaAuto.

TWITTER: Keep track of live pictures from the race by following @GenevaAuto

Need to know

There are several important facts you should be aware of regarding this new 911 GT2 RS. Firstly and most obviously, this is the first ‘RS’ version of the GT2 variant, so it’s worth pondering on this for a moment. Porsche engineers have long been aware of the general public perception of the GT2, from it’s chilling nickname in 996 GT2 guise as “the widowmaker” through to the belief that it’s sibling GT3 variants were the ‘real’ top of the Porsche tree in terms of driving enjoyment and sporting appeal.

In reality that positioning was turned around with the Gen1 997 GT2, which was more predictable on the limit that the 4WD 997 Turbo and at least as much fun to drive hard as the Gen1 GT3 RS.

When Andreas Preuninger and his team set to work on the Gen2 997 GT2 his objective was nothing less than to put clear water between the GT3 and GT2, placing Porsche’s forced-induction model at the very top of the food chain – fastest in a straight line, fastest on track and most fun to drive. Simple really.

Porsche’s press release for the new 911 GT2 RS addresses this point in the simplest of manners – “The time: seven minutes, 18 seconds on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.” Enough said.

The statement then points out the power output of the GT2 RS, 611 bhp (620 hp) which is some 90 bhp more than the Gen1 911 GT2. And to demonstrate the ‘RS’ principle they declare that the new GT2 RS weighs 1,370 kilograms (or 3,021 lb) in road trim which is 70 kg lighter than the Gen1 GT2 that is succeeds.

The Gen1 GT2 wasn’t exactly ‘lardy’ with its stripped out, no-nonsense interior, so removing a further 70 kg from its frame can only mean the application of some pretty special light-weight materials. The new 911 GT2 RS has a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.21 kilos or 4.9 lb per horsepower, by far the best power/weight ratio in its class.

To put such performance potential in perspective, the new GT2 RS weighs the same as the current GT3 RS… but it carries 167 bhp more. Dwell on that little bit of information for just a moment.

This is the fastest and most powerful road-going sports car that Porsche have ever built. The boss is very definitely back.

This just about sums up how we feel about the new GT2 RS. Click to view on SkiddPlayer.

What does this mean on the road

The GT2 RS continues to be powered by Porsche’s venerable 3.6 litre six-cylinder boxer engine boosted by twin variable turbine geometry turbochargers, rather than the new 3.8 litre engine used in the 997 Turbo, GT3 and GT3 RS.

Power is delivered through the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, using sports tyres developed especially for the 911 GT2 RS and measuring 325/30 ZR 19. This converts its massive power into equally massive performance and acceleration on the road: 0 to 62.5 mph in 3.5 seconds, 0 to 125 mph in just 9.8 seconds, and 0 to 187.5 mph in 28.9 seconds. The GT2 RS is claimed to achieve a top speed of 206 mph, and we have little doubt about that being on the conservative side.

As if to rub salt into the wounds of its more outrageous competitors Porsche have been able to ‘reduce’ the 911 GT2′s CO2 emissions – down by approximately 5 per cent to 284 g/km and reflecting a fuel consumption of 23.7 mpg imp (11.9 ltr/100 km).

No-nonsense specification

Equally supreme stopping power on this ultra-high-performance sports car comes from PCCB composite ceramic brakes. Appropriate longitudinal and crosswise dynamics are ensured by the sporting RS set-up of the springs, PASM Porsche Adaptive Suspension Management, anti-roll bars, as well as the dynamic engine mounts and PSM Porsche Stability Management.

In its looks the new 911 GT2 RS stands out clearly from the 911 GT2 above all through the lavish use of carbon-fibre-reinforced (CFR) components in matt-black surface finish, even wider wheels and flared wheel arches at the front, new 911 GT2 light-alloy wheels with central locking, as well as ”GT2 RS“ model designations on the doors and rear lid. The upgraded front spoiler lip and the rear spoiler lip made of CFR and now 10 millimetres or almost 0.4 inches higher, again in surface carbon finish, ensure the right aerodynamic precision as well as extra downforce.

Visit the 911 GT2 RS microsite for further details and the chance to configure your own GT2 RS.

The interior also exudes the flair of sporting performance in virtually every detail, featuring lightweight bucket seats made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic in carbon surface finish and lightweight door panels with door opening straps. The basic interior colour is black, contrasting attractively with features such as the seat centre sections and the roof lining as well as segments on the steering wheel rim. The gearshift and handbrake lever are both finished in red alcantara.

Should you buy one?

We are in no doubt that the GT2 RS will be a ‘great’ Porsche, perhaps one of the greatest of all time, however getting hold of one will be something of a challenge.

Limited to just 500 units, the 911 GT2 RS will be available in Europe from September 2010 and in the USA from October 2010. The retail price in Germany will be 237,578 Euro, some 48,000 Euro more than the car it replaces. But as with previous generation models, if you’re only hearing about the GT2 RS now then you’re probably already too late to snap up one of the planned 500 cars.

AUDIO FILES

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  GT2 RS – Engine revs at standstill

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  GT2 RS – Accelerating away

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  GT2 RS – Drive-by at full throttle

Since our interview with Dr Mario Theissen back in early February, through to joining the BMW Rahal Letterman team at the Sebring 12Hrs last month, we’ve been keen to witness the return of BMW to top-end endurance racing, with Nürburgring and Le Mans being the two major targets that we know Dr Theissen is eager to achieve success at.

BMW will be contesting their first Nürburgring 24h race since the all-conquering E46 M3 GTR was banned

Meanwhile there are other cars and teams where interesting stories are also unfolding. We have Lexus returning to the ‘ring with the LFA for the first time since it was released as a production car. The Gazoo team are back with a wide-bodied LFA that looks and sounds awesome. The cars will be driven by a mix of Japanese and German drivers, including Toyota master test driver Hiromu Naruse, Akira Ida, Takayuki Kinoshita, Juichi Wakisaka, Armin Hahne, Jochen Krumbach and Andre Lotterer. You can see a few images below, whilst there are plenty more images from today’s free practice on the Pistonspy website.

The Gazoo team return with their awesome Lexus LFA

Aston Martin return to the event for the fifth consecutive year in 2010, but the real interest this time is on their entry of the 4-door Rapide driven by Aston CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, Wolfgang Schuhbauer, Mathew Marsh and Aston’s development engineer Chris Porritt. More photos are available to view on Pistonspy of all the Aston’s taking part in the N24 this year.

Aston Martin have entered the 4-door Rapide which will be driven by CEO Dr Ulrich Bez

Other cars worth keeping an eye out for include the Porsche AG entries, firstly with it’s near-stock 911 GT3 RS driven by former World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl, but also Porsche’s 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be making it’s race debut under the wings of Team Manthey.

Walter Röhrl will be contesting his first N24 since 1993, unfortunately Williams F1 driver Nico Hülkenberg won't be driving but the GT3 R Hybrid will be making its race debut

There is a sizeable contingent of Audi R8s taking part (9 cars when last I counted), led by the factory supported team of Team Abt Sportsline, plus no fewer than 3 BMW Z4 GT3s and a mass of privateer entries making up the 250-car entry list.

There’s even a Ford Focus RS driven by last weekend’s WRC winner Jari-Matti Latvala, so you’re bound to find a car somewhere amongst the grid to support.

You can follow the race with live-timing available from the ADAC’s website, plus of course their streaming video channel and there will be many people twittering from the race including SkiddMark regular Kevin Mc Glone who you can follow at @GenevaAuto.