The New Porsche 911 R You Ready?

The 911 R

50 years ago Porsche started using the R designation for a 911 that would be made for rallying, Targa Florio racing, and speed-record driving. Fast forward to 2016 and they are using it to denote the lightest 911 body on tap to the most potent NA engine available under the roof. 

Platform

The R is based on the 991.1 and not the 2017 991.2 model, that means the car does not have the new headlights, taillights, or infotainment system. What comes with being built on the older platform is that the car will only be produced for a year with only 991 copies being built. With the car being a GT street oriented Porsche, it doesn't need a big rear wing for high-speed downforce help. This helps people to see the purity of the lines with the Carrera and the beauty of the details by designing a zero frills car. However, the devil is in the details and this car is filled with deliciously nefarious minutia. Like the RS, the R's front trunk lid and front fenders are carbon fiber and the roof is made of magnesium and the exhaust is a titanium unit. The car weighs in at  1370 kilos with a topped off gas tank and all fluids providing a car that's light and very responsive. Carbon ceramic brakes are standard so you can bring a spirited drive down to legal speeds when needed. If you'd like the creature comforts of air conditioning and a stereo, you will have to ask for those optional, but free, features. 

Powertrain

The R will be powered by a naturally aspirated 4.0 flat-six engine derived from the RS model that it also borrows some body parts from. The R is rear-wheel drive only and is mated to a six-speed manual to cater to the crowd that desires more control over their vehicle. The rear axle steering will do a lot for the car's agility and will help with driver enjoyment of piloting a nimble car through the twisties. At low speeds, the specially adapted system on the new 911 R will steer the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels. Adversely, during high-speeds driving, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as that of the front wheels. 

Performance

500 horsepower, 4.0-liter six-speed manual transmission, 0-60 in 3.7 seconds, top speed over 200 mph; this is a non-aero, no-nonsense GT Porsche. This is the new 911 R. There is an extendable spoiler rather than a fixed rear wing. The 911 R is 44 mm wider at the rear than the 911 Carrera. 

Wheels and Tires

The 20-inch wheels come directly from the GT3, including the center-lock setup. The matte Platinum Silver paint used on the wheel is unique to the car and men to parrot the unpainted look of the 1967 911 R's wheels. If you don't like the matte silver look, you can shell out $675 to have the wheels painted Platinum Satin or high-gloss black. 

For the tires, you can have either the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Dunlop Sport Maxx Race tires, which are the same for size and spec to the ones on the 911 GT3. Porsche wants you to know that you will have no problem drifting and sliding with the provided rubber on the R. 

Inspired by the Past

One-piece carbon fiber buckets are swaddled in chocolate brown leather; the seat and back cushions are fabric and finished in a houndstooth pattern. Just like they used to be way back when and coming back into prominence thanks to Porsche shop Singer and classic Porsche aficionado Magnus. The 911 R wants you to push it in order to get the best out of everything it has to offer. This Porsche is a collection of parts and cues to heritage because it is an unfiltered manifestation of everything the brand believes in, with the past and present joining together. 

Miscellaneous

U.S. market cars won't get the polycarbonate rear and side windows like the European counterparts. Conventional glass will add 7 more pounds to the car, but Porsche lists the weight as the same for each variation.

Found on the passenger side of the vehicle is a little collector plaque with the specific build number of the car out of the total 991 global production run. 

What do you think of the new 911 R? Discuss it here in Rennlist.com 

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