Porsche has taken the wraps off its new 911 R at the Geneva Motor Show. Inspired by the classic 911 R that was produced in limited numbers in 1967 as part of a homologation process for Porsche’s sports car racing programme, Porsche says that it’s new back-to-basics 911 R is aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts.
The stripped-down, two-seat 911 R has been developed by Porsche Motorsport to project all the feel, response and interaction of Porsche’s earlier race car-based models in a modern package. The car is aimed at providing driving pleasure, rather than headline lap times.
The 911 R is powered by the same normally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six petrol engine that powers the GT3 RS. The engine produces 493bhp at 8,250rpm and 46.86kgm of torque at 6,250rpm. Porsche claims that the car can go from 0-100kph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 323.47kph.
The car also marks the return of a manual gearbox to the more sporting end of the 911 line-up in the form of a specially developed, short-throw six-speed unit that uses a bespoke set of ratios. It also features a double-declutch function that’s activated by the press of a button.
The rear-wheel-drive 911 R is underpinned by a reworked version of the chassis used in the GT3, complete with rear-wheel steering and carbon-ceramic brakes. The car largely shares its body with the GT3 and even has the GT3’s plastic bumpers and sills. It also features a bonnet and front wings made from carbonfibre, as well as a magnesium roof and plastic side windows and rear screen that already appears in the GT3 RS.
In order to save weight, the cabin of the 911 R contains less sound-deadening material than is used in its more road-biased siblings, while the rear seats, air-conditioning system and radio have also been dropped. As a result, the car weighs in at 1,370kg. Porsche is planning to make just 991 units of the 911 R, which will be built alongside other 911 models.