2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Has 518 Horsepower and Crazy Aeros

Think about it variants of the Porsche 911 GT3 like wild geese that breathe freely and fly high while the rest of the flock grow fat on the ground, addicted to a forced induction diet. Wild and free GT3s can be, but there’s a limit to how much air an engine can move on its own. That means the 2023 911 GT3 RS can’t rely on a significant increase in power to rise above its turbocharged rivals.

With 518 horsepower, the latest GT3 RS is the most powerful naturally aspirated 911, but only slightly more than the 503 found in GT3. So raw power is not the focus here. Instead, Porsche engineers were much more interested in manipulating airflow outside the engine. The result is a flagship whose performance is measured not by how quickly the engine absorbs the atmosphere, but by how efficiently the body moves in it.

To achieve the highest aerodynamic performance, every body panel of the RS is special – even the door trim is made of carbon fiber. All over the body, air is trapped, shunted, split, and decayed. As a result, many of the aero upgrades contain all the intricacies of the work of an unlicensed plastic surgeon. Hey, if you want subtlety, get it GT3 Touring.

Grounded

A massive fender rises above the rear of the car, providing enough space for an entire spätzle buffet. This active unit contributes 902 pounds of downforce at 124 mph and 1,896 pounds at 177 mph.

The increase in downforce also results in extra drag at higher speeds, but Porsche has one trick it borrowed from Formula 1: the Drag Reduction System (DRS). While the car is pointed straight, driver-activated DRS stops the wing to reduce drag at high speeds. And to maintain top gear, the GT3’s gear ratio has been replaced with a lower gear ratio. A seven-speed PDK automatic is the only transmission offered. Both drag and transmission conspire to withdraw the GT3 RS’s autobahn card, although top speed, down from the GT3’s 198 mph, remains a respectable 184.

Suspension

The aero theme continues below, where drop-shaped control arms on the front axle improve airflow in the well. A wider front track (by 1.1 inches compared to the GT3), thanks to longer control arms and wider tires, distributes the load over a wider axle. The ball joints of the lower control arms are located lower to reduce sag under braking, and there is the ability to individually adjust the compression and rebound rates of the front and rear shock absorbers via handlebar controls.

To make room for the active front spoilers, Porsche combined the three radiators into one heat exchanger mounted at an angle in the front cargo area – making the former cargo area.

Power Plant + Performance

New camshaft profiles specific to the GT3 RS allowed Porsche to tune the performance of the existing 4.0-liter six and give it 15 extra horses. ​While horsepower may have plateaued, we’re still predicting a sub-three-second zero-to-60 mph time.

Brakes are shared with the GT3, although the 16.1-by-1.4-inch iron front discs are 0.1 inch thicker. Carbon ceramic is optional. Forged aluminum wheels are standard, shod in 275/35-20 rubber up front and steamroller 335/30-21s in the rear. The Weissach package opens up the possibility of magnesium wheels.

We do not yet know the price of this package or other options, although Porsche will surely release a configurator for the 911 GT3 RS in the near future. But we know the starting price. All these improvements brought the price to $225,250 (excluding gas tax) or about $63,000 more than the GT3.

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