Photo: SB-Medien
Porsche has designed the 911 line-up in a way that caters to any enthusiasts' needs, with this leading to a range consisting of over twenty models. Despite this, modern-day requirements, such as turbocharged engines and PDK transmissions, are threatening to leave purists uncovered. And this is where the future 911 R will come into play.
Now, before you point out the GT3 and GT3 RS cater to old-school aficionados' needs, we need to mention a few things. First of all, both these models have skipped the clutch pedal.
And with the Rennsport model's limited availability (Porsche is building 2,000 units per year), it all rests on the shoulders of the GT3. But now everybody wants a huge rear wing.
Well, the 911 R prototype we see here may pack a GT3 front apron, but it has "replaced" the wing with a massive diffuser. The aero element sitting under the engine bay is something we haven't seen in previous spyshots, but this will obviously change on the path to the production model.
The R badge will bring a manual gearbox, so you'd better practice your heel-and-toe moves.
Motivation will come from the GT3's engine, with the naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six expected to retain its current 475 hp output. Speaking of which, we've recently spied the 991.2 mid-cycle revamp incarnation of the GT3, which may or may not add a bit of extra power.
Regardless, the 911 R should also be lighter than the GT3, but the rear-axle steering is expected to be kept in place. After all, even the civilian Carrera S now offers this as an option.
Alas, Zuffenhausen is only expected to bring 600 units of the 911 R to the world. Exclusivity aside, owners will also be able to take pride in the model's roots. The story of this nameplate dates back to 1967, when Porsche took a street-legal Neunelfer, added power and removed weight aiming for international sports car racing homologation. And if the upcoming 600 units sound like too few, you should know only 23 examples of the original were built.
The Porsche 911 R should greet us in Geneva as a 2017 model, so make sure you have the right driving shoes prepared by next month.
And with the Rennsport model's limited availability (Porsche is building 2,000 units per year), it all rests on the shoulders of the GT3. But now everybody wants a huge rear wing.
Well, the 911 R prototype we see here may pack a GT3 front apron, but it has "replaced" the wing with a massive diffuser. The aero element sitting under the engine bay is something we haven't seen in previous spyshots, but this will obviously change on the path to the production model.
The R badge will bring a manual gearbox, so you'd better practice your heel-and-toe moves.
Motivation will come from the GT3's engine, with the naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six expected to retain its current 475 hp output. Speaking of which, we've recently spied the 991.2 mid-cycle revamp incarnation of the GT3, which may or may not add a bit of extra power.
Regardless, the 911 R should also be lighter than the GT3, but the rear-axle steering is expected to be kept in place. After all, even the civilian Carrera S now offers this as an option.
Alas, Zuffenhausen is only expected to bring 600 units of the 911 R to the world. Exclusivity aside, owners will also be able to take pride in the model's roots. The story of this nameplate dates back to 1967, when Porsche took a street-legal Neunelfer, added power and removed weight aiming for international sports car racing homologation. And if the upcoming 600 units sound like too few, you should know only 23 examples of the original were built.
The Porsche 911 R should greet us in Geneva as a 2017 model, so make sure you have the right driving shoes prepared by next month.
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