We review the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

No beast so fierce

Porsche has hinted that its designers took cues for the vehicle’s form and shape from the shark. It’s therefore perhaps unsurprising that, while not the most beautiful design, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS does look built for ferocious purpose.

Like a predator, muscles bunched and ready to strike, this car cuts a fearsome silhouette. You can feel its angry power in every swell of its aerodynamic body.

The Weissach package opens up the opportunity for a host of add-ons, including racing stripes and a huge Porsche logo emblazoned on your rear wing for that motorsport look.

Even without this Club Sport upgrade, you know you’ve got a track car on your hands. Massive air intakes and vents at the front are guarded by titanium-coloured grilles, the aerodynamic rear spoiler, lightweight glass windows and the bonnet-based NACA air ducts, which keep the front brakes cool with their dual airflow.

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS sports large exhaust ports at the back, and the underside features four additional fins for further aerodynamics.

As practical as a Porsche can be

Just how practical is the Porsche 911 GT2 RS? Stripped down and streamlined, this car has been crafted from the lightest materials possible and designed to be exceptionally fast.
Compared to a family estate, the 911 is woefully impractical but if you’re paying the £200,000 plus price tag, it’s unlikely you’re buying this car for sorting out the school run – even if your kids will wish you were!

Great brakes make for extremely comfortable road handling and the fixed-in-place backrest seats are surprisingly comfortable on longer journeys, and electrically adjustable at the base.

The limited luggage storage area is located under the bonnet and, while not vast, you’ve certainly got space for an overnight holdall or a little shopping. When you consider that they had to fit this area over the engine site, you have to admit that when it comes to working with limited space, Porsche designed it very well.

A new take on a classic, Porsche levels up

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS sports an advance on the latest 911 Turbo engine from 2009. This new 691bhp 3.8 litre flat six has 40% greater power than the same engine block could come up with almost 10 years ago. This new fuel injected engine has overtaken its predecessors in terms of headline power too by a mighty 80bhp.

As with all GT2 models, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is rear-wheel drive, but that doesn’t amount to a car that’s limited by traction. The engine weight on the rear axle compresses the tyres into the road and means you can get 60mph in 2.7 seconds. This is a monstrously powerful car capable of an incredible recently recorded top speed of 212.5mph.

Cementing a reputation with well-built cars

It’s an unfortunate fact that the more luxurious a car, the less reliable it tends to be. In previous years, Porsche has fared very poorly in the reliability stakes. Oil leaks, clutch problems, and little to no battery power were well-documented occurrences to Porsche owners, but recent surveys suggest this is now changing for the better.

Porsche has worked hard to increase reliability and is now starting to build a reputation for itself as a highly dependable brand in today’s luxury car market.

While there have been multiple tweaks to the engine, the basic design is now the power behind the second generation of 911, which has already proved reliable. Most of the technology present here in the 911 is related to Porsche’s luxury cars and SUVs, which always scores very highly. Display screens have rapid response time and no recorded history of crashing.

There can be no doubt that Porsche makes fantastic looking cars that are thoughtfully built and drive incredibly well.

Every essential a racer needs – and a little extra

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is fitted with a handsome sport-style steering wheel that can be adjusted both vertically and axially. It’s ergonomically designed for a great grip that’s also incredibly comfortable.

The high-tech dash presents everything you need to know for driving on the road or on the track, with five instrument dials facing you in the cockpit and a digital display. The 4.6-inch screen is multifunctional, updating you from the car’s on-board computer. Engine power, boost, and tyre pressure, as well as audio levels and satellite navigation, can all be monitored here in full colour.

The eight speaker Sound System Plus package delivers high-quality sound, but if you want a little more kick, you can upgrade to the Bose surround sound with its 100-watt subwoofer and turn the car’s cockpit into an all-out concert.

The Porsche Track Precision app allows you to analyse your drive in conjunction with your smartphone. You can clock lap times, compare statistics and routes, or share driver information.

If you choose the Club Sport option, you can get your racing head on with a six-point connecting racing harness, a half roll cage, emergency battery cut-out prep, and a fire extinguisher, you’ll be ready for lapping that track.

The king of customisation

There’s plenty of room for making the cockpit your own. With Porsche’s unique customisation scheme (Exclusive Manufaktur) owners are free to add plenty of features and put their personal stamp on their car. The body colour of your car can also be echoed throughout the interior, adding highlights from the gearstick to the driver’s wheel.

There’s room to personalise your seats too. The standard Porsche 911 GT2 RS version comprises dual fixed-in-place backrest buckets, but the seats can be swapped out for something less deep with collapsible backrests, or the super comfortable fully adjustable Sport Seats Plus. If you opt for the Weissach pack, they can even come styled with fine stitching.

You really feel the outside on the inside, with the muscular modifications on the exterior influencing the space inside. Rather than feel confined, it just creates an eager excitement of exactly what car you’re driving, and the experience in store for you once you fire it up.

The Alcantara leather makes for a durable easy-clean finish that also provides a superior grip on the driver’s wheel and gearstick.

Flexible power at your disposal

If you’re not big on noisy motors, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is not for you. When the exhaust is open, the booming growl that explodes will scare the wits out of everyone and everything in its vicinity. At a standstill, rev the engine and you will be assaulted by the roaring exhaust – a volley of bangs and snarls rise up over a continuous rushing sound from the oversized turbos. This engine is seriously irate and is built for a ferocious purpose.

However, keep the car in auto and leave your finger of the exhaust trigger, and the GT2 RS is a very smooth and leisurely ride. The drive is incredibly comfortable; imperfections in the average road are hardly felt and although it’s an expensive way to go, it would make an excellent commuter car in terms of comfort.

Of course, you didn’t buy this car to amble along the road though, so open up the throttle and you’ll really find out what you’re driving. The massive torque output means you’ll more than likely be thrown back in your seat. At high speed, this could be the most exhilarating ride of your life.

There lies the rub. You have incredible speed and power at your fingertips, but how often are you going to get the opportunity to let this ferocious beast loose? While the engineers have designed an incredible experience at high speed, it’s a shame that they haven’t balanced the usability and enjoyment by making it a more engaging drive at less than turbo speeds

Impossible unless you double your money

Historically, Porsche’s fuel injected line-up has always seemed reasonably affordable in comparison to its competitors, but with the new GT2 RS, it feels like the pricing is much more in line with its rivals

The original Porsche 911 GT2 RS price is £207,506, but if you’re willing to spend an additional £21,402, you can add the Club Sport package (Weissach pack). The problem is it’s near impossible to buy one. Produced in such a limited quantity, many are earmarked by the time they are first shown to the public.

The adage that it’s a lot easier to sell a Porsche than to buy one has never been truer when it comes to the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Resale values show the car at double its original price and you have to have some serious disposable income to consider this a viable option. Some 2018 registrations can already be found on the secondhand market with asking prices of almost £500,000.

Formidable stopping power with motorsport tech

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS specification utilises motorsport technology for everyday driving. The Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) is present here, with all its awesome stopping power.

The Supercup-proven PCCBs supply consistently powerful stoppage at any braking distance, on any terrain, in any weather. They not only deliver great grip and superior traction, but make for a very comfortable drive on rough roads.

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS spec ships with frontal, side impact, side curtain, and knee protection airbags for both driver and passenger. Standard seat belts are fitted and the windows are collision conscious.

For extreme race conditions, you can add the Weissach pack for extra safety. Screwed into your bodywork, a roll cage gives you added protection and you’ve got a six-point racer seatbelt and fire extinguisher.

Cut loose in this superb brute

If you must have the fastest, noisiest monster in the line-up, then the Porsche 911 GT2 RS should be top of your wish list. If the thought of going full throttle down the road with your heart in your mouth makes you giggle until you’re silly, then this is the probably the turbo-charged ride for you.

Far too noisy for neighbourhoods or even for most track days in the UK, it’s a crying shame that most 911 GT2 RS cars will be bought not to drive, but as assets.

If you can double the original price-tag and pick yourself up a 911 GT2 RS on the secondhand market, it’s probably worth going the extra mileage and getting one with the coveted Weissach package. With the extra features and racing styling, it will definitely add capital to your investment.