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The first test laps have been successfully completed: At the 24 hour race in Spa-Francorchamps on July 29th and 30th, the both new Porsche 911 GT3 RSR vehicles, runned by the Manthey Racing team from Germany, crossed the finish in 14th and 15th place overall.

This result means at the same time, positions one and two in the so-called Group 2 for near-standard production vehicles which competed in four classes. Already in qualifying, factory driver Marc Lieb posted the fastest time in this vehicle category.

With this results, the race car smoothly ties up to the various successes of its predecessors. In the FIA GT Championship, the American Le Mans Series and the Le Man Series as well as at the endurance classics of Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring and the Nürburgring, the GT3 in its various versions secured many records and title wins.

Thereby, the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (type 996) was launched in 2004 and started its career with a class win at the 12 hour race in Sebring.

Built on the 911 GT3 RS, a particularly light and sporty derivative of the 911 GT3, the current GT3 RSR (type 997) is designed to comply with the A.C.O (Automobile Club de l’Ouest), the FIA-GT and IMSA (International Motorsports Association) as well as VLN (Veedol Langstrecke Nürburgring) regulations. Porsche decided to build the new GT3 RSR after analysing the relevant A.C.O. and FIA regulations in a specification which allows a minimum weight of 1,225 kilograms (predecessor: 1,125 kgs) and permits the tyre width to be increased by two inches to now 14 inches. 35 kilograms of the required additional weight may be placed as ballast in the vehicle, resulting in a lower centre of gravity.

For the normally-aspirated Porsche engine this specification allows a capacity of 3.8-litres with two 30.3 millimetre air restrictors (predecessor: 3.6-litres, 29 mm diameter). The increase in displacement was achieved through the enlargement of the bore to 102.7 millimetres with the unchanged stroke of 76.4 mm. With the mandatory air restrictors, the unit delivers 359 kW/485 hp at 8,500 revs per minute. Maximum torque increased to 435 Nm. Top engine speed is reached at 9,000 rpm. Thanks to the increase in capacity and the corresponding reprogramming of the electronics the top performance as well as the response and driveability have further improved. The new positioning of the mid-front radiator and the use of side radiators - taken from the high performance Carrera GT sportscar – contribute to the thermal health of the engine.

The new GT3 RSR features a modified version of the proven sequential six-speed gearbox of its forerunner.

The body shell of the GT3 RSR with the welded-in safety cage is ten percent stiffer than its predecessor. Distinctive wheel arches widen the body by 50 millimetres on each side. The track is enlarged correspondingly; wheels and tyres of the maximum allowable dimension can be fitted.

The relocation of the supplementary oil tank (option), the power steering and the battery to the front improve the weight distribution. The front and rear lids, the front mudguards, the wider rear, the doors as well as the front and rear panelling and wing consist of carbon-fibre composite material. The rear and side windows are manufactured from light polycarbonate.

The newly-developed aerodynamic package improves the aerodynamic efficiency compared to the forerunner (type 996 GT3 RSR) by a total of around seven percent. Airflow to and from the radiators, the brakes and the engine were further optimised. In compliance with the FIA and A.C.O. regulations the new GT3 RSR features a flat underbody.

The suspension with Porsche-optimised struts at the front and the Porsche multi-link axle at the rear corresponds to the configuration of the standard car. The modified kinematics is set-up for the wider tyre footprint and for the lowest possible camber change in rebound and compression. The new ZF-Sachs shock absorbers feature the Through-Rod-System with considerably lower chamber pressure and hence less friction than conventional dampers. As a result they offer a significantly improved response characteristic. The position of the rear axle was optimised. The axle features a new anti-rollbar, an adjustable upper link and an optimised lower link.

The brake system features six-piston aluminium callipers and 35 millimetre thick brake discs measuring 380 mm in diameter at the front and 30 millimetre four-piston aluminium callipers with 355 mm diameter discs at the rear.

Over the 2006/07 winter, 35 units of the new racing sports car will initially be built.