Porsche reveals 911 GT3 R for 2023 season | GRR
Porsche has shown its hand for the next era of GT racing, as GTE and its long-serving 911 RSR give way to GT3 and its next World Endurance Championship GT challenger, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R. GTE leaves a big hole to fill but already, this evolved generation of GT3 cars is spreading its wings. Let’s get into the details.
Right from the off, this new GT3 R is said to pack more power, a longer wheelbase and a more sophisticated aerodynamics package with influences from the GT3 Cup and indeed, the outgoing 911 RSR.
Revealed at the 2022 Spa 24, the new GT3 R packs an enlarged 4.2-litre flat-six engine, not unlike that of the outgoing RSR. That represents a near 200cc increase in displacement, for a total output of 565PS (416kW). Of course, power outputs and indeed the base weight figure of 1,250kg, will be flexible depending on the Balance of Performance.
The crucial thing, so says Porsche, is that the delivery of that power has been optimised throughout the rev range, which makes the new GT3 R better suited to gentleman drivers. Also like the RSR, the engine has been tilted forward, in this case by 5.5 degrees, for the same purpose of freeing up space in the underside for more aggressive aero. Speaking of more aggressive aero, like the outgoing RSR, the new GT3 road car and indeed, newly-revealed GT3 class contemporaries, the R also gets a large swan-neck rear wing.
Of course per the new 911 GT3 road car, the GT3 R gets new double wishbone front suspension, which in this case is RSR derived, with a multi-link set-up at the back. This new GT3 R is expected to manage its tyres a lot more effectively as a result. Mounting points have been revised for a higher underfloor, that will send air more cleanly to the rear diffuser and reduce the car’s pitch sensitivity.
Also new for the GT3 R is LED light ‘collimator’ technology originally developed for the 963 LMDh car, illuminating a vast area of racetrack ahead of the car more crisply. Like the just-revealed Ferrari 296 GT3, there is a particular emphasis not necessarily on increasing performance, but making the latest 911 GT3 R a more accessible racing car for gentleman drivers. More drivers with a wider range of skill will be able to get more out of this new GT3 R more of the time.
“We hit the bull’s eye with the enormously successful predecessor. Accordingly, the bar for its successor is high,” said Sebastian Golz, 911 GT3 R Project Manager at Porsche Motorsport.
“Our task was less about making the new 911 GT3 R even faster – the classification within performance windows set by the BoP quickly cancels out this advantage. For us, it was primarily about our customers being able to drive the racing car fast for longer. This requires durability and that’s why we focused predominantly on improved driveability. This is reflected in the new 4.2-litre engine’s broader usable rev band, more stable and constant aerodynamics and lower loads on the rear tyres, which allow their potential to last longer.”