2016 Porsche 911 R: It's Perfect
What It Is: A Porsche GT3/GT3 RS with a manual transmission and no garish aero addenda. What it really is: the answer to our sweatiest dreams.
Why It Matters: Because dreams matter. And because in one of those dreams, our old friend, the Porsche 911, is not just an accomplished grand-touring car but still the heart of the brand’s performance credibility.
Platform: The R is based on the so-called 991.1 version of the 911, not the updated-for-2017 991.2. That means the R won’t have the new headlights, taillights, or infotainment system that came with the update, about which we care not even a little bit. What we do care about is that, since it’s based the R on the outgoing 911 platform, Porsche will sell the car for only a year (and only 991 copies will ever be built). The suspension will be essentially the same as the GT3s’, although, since the R is to be the street-focused version and because it won’t have a big downforce-generating rear wing, it will be tuned a little softer than its track-rat brethren. Like on the RS, the R’s front trunklid and front fenders are carbon fiber and its roof is magnesium. Hope you like silver or white because those are the only colors available. Buyers can opt for red or green over-the-top stripes to jazz up either paint color. In a nod to vintage-Porsche dorks, the interior will be offered with Pepita (read: a type of houndstooth) fabric inserts for the seats. Carbon-ceramic brake rotors will be standard on the two-seat R, but a stereo and air conditioning will be options.
Powertrain: The rear-drive-only R will be powered by the RS version of the 4.0-liter flat-six engine. That means 500 glorious, naturally aspirated horsepower at 8250 rpm and 338 pound-feet of torque at 6250 rpm. Unlike the PDK-only GT3/GT3 RS models, the R comes solely with a six-speed manual transmission. Why not the seven-speed manual that’s available on lesser 911s? The R was deemed to be the wrong kind of car to pull a big overdrive gear.
Competition: Pfft!
What Might Go Wrong: What might go wrong already has gone wrong: All 991 examples of this instant collectible have been spoken for. Not that we would have been able to afford one to begin with.
Estimated Arrival and Price: Those lucky few who snagged a copy of the 911 R paid at least $185,950. That’s steep. Of course, in 1973 each of the roughly 1500 911 2.7 RS models probably seemed expensive, too. Deliveries begin this summer.
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