Here's The Porsche 911 R In All Its 493bhp Manual Gearbox Glory

Following yesterday's leak, the GT3 RS-engined 911 R has made its full debut at the Geneva motor show

01 Mar 2016

Here's The Porsche 911 R In All Its 493bhp Manual Gearbox Glory

Don’t be fooled by the lack of crazy aero, what you’re looking at here is - in essence - a 911 GT3 RS. Except, it’s rather more intriguing than that, mostly because of what you’ll find inside the cabin: a little stick poking out between the two carbonfibre front seats. With which you can change gears. Yourself.

So, this 911 R isn’t just a GT3 RS minus the aero, it’s a GT3 RS minus the aero plus a manual gearbox. Given that both the GT3 and GT3 RS are PDK automatic only, this news is enough to send your average 911 purist into a full-on crisis.

At the back you’ve the same 4.0-litre, naturally-aspirated flat-six as the RS, putting out 493bhp at 8250rpm, and 339lb ft of torque at 6250rpm. So, this is a 911 you’ll need to rev the nuts off. Good. It’ll get you from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, and top out at 201mph. Like the RS, the R has a set of fancy dynamic engine mounts that stiffen when required. Also like the RS, it places a lot of emphasis on low weight, but at 1370kg, the R is actually 50kg lighter than its be-winged brother.

Weight saving measures include a bonnet and pair of front wheel arches made from carbonfibre and a magnesium roof, while the rear windscreen and side rear windows are all made from plastic. There’s less sound insulation than in other 911s, no rear seat, and the stereo and air conditioning systems are optional.

While it may lack some of the more obvious aero additions seen on the GT pairing, the R has plenty going on to keep it stuck to the tarmac. There’s the same retractable rear spoiler found on the standard 911 Carrera models, a bespoke rear diffuser, and front and rear apron spoilers pinched from the RS.

Bringing things to a stop are a set of ceramic composite brakes measuring 410mm at the front and 390mm at the rear, while the tyres are 245mm wide at the front and 310mm at the rear - slightly narrower than on the RS.

Want one? You’ll have to be quick - only 991 will be made, and the order books are open from today. It costs a rather considerable £136,901, but given what tends to happen to the values of special 911s, that £136,901 is probably a wise investment. And don’t worry, removing those stickers is a no-cost option…

If you fancy seeing it in the metal, it’s on display at the Geneva motor show now.