At MotorTrend’s 2024 Performance Vehicle of the Year
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00:00Wow, it's electrifying!
00:13The GT3 RS, a car which surely needs no introduction.
00:17The hardest, most focused version of Porsche's current generation 911.
00:22And we've got one here at Performance Vehicle of the Year.
00:25This is very, very exciting.
00:27Let me take you through it quickly, because there are certain elements of this car which are hard to ignore, right?
00:32So much of the front is taken up by aerodynamics and cooling.
00:36Get that hot air from that giant radiator in the frunk.
00:39There isn't a frunk, but in the frunk area.
00:41Get that hot air away from the car.
00:43And certainly don't let it get involved with the engine, where it would absolutely sap the power.
00:48Porsche think by up to 15 horsepower.
00:50So they've done everything they could to get that hot air out of there.
00:54But then when we get toward the back of the car, it's all about getting the air over the hood and onto this wing.
01:00This wing, which by the way, has active aerodynamics.
01:03There's a DRS system here.
01:05So, when you're driving in a straight line, 95% throttle, straight wheel.
01:10This little guy will open, less drag, more speeds, come on.
01:15Active aero on a road car is always a good idea.
01:19And honestly, to call this a road car, it's kind of reductive, right?
01:21This is absolutely a race car, which also just happens to have license plates.
01:25So, with that said, enough talking, let's do some driving.
01:35Winding out onto the track here in the GT3 RS.
01:41Wow, you look behind you, all you can see is wing.
01:45Then you put your foot down and all you can hear is that sonorous 4.0-litre redline.
01:549,000 rpm redline and I still managed to hit it.
01:57That 4.0-litre engine, beautiful.
02:01Couldn't even turn it.
02:03So, yes, as I said, a lot of that stuff at the front end
02:07is all about deflecting the air away from that front end,
02:12getting the hot air out of that ginormous radiator and away from the engine.
02:19There's a lot of aero going on there, too.
02:22All those little strakes, they're adding to the front end downforce,
02:26which is what you want.
02:28All those little strakes, they're adding to the front end downforce,
02:31which in a rear-engined car is, of course, of paramount importance.
02:37It doesn't just stop there at this beautiful sheet metal and carbon fibre masterpiece.
02:45Even things like the suspension elements are adding to the front downforce.
02:50The front wishbones, they contribute something like 88 pounds of front downforce
02:58just from the amount of air that passes through them
03:00and the fact that they are shaped like miniature wings.
03:03That's F1 tech in a road car.
03:06Pretty cool.
03:10And then, of course, speaking of F1 tech,
03:14we've got the DRS, which will open automatically.
03:18You can also open it manually with a little button here.
03:23The wing really is
03:26an incredible piece of engineering.
03:29At 177 mph, it's generating 1,896 pounds of downforce, I mean.
03:37This thing only weighs 3,200 pounds,
03:39so that's like having another half a car over the rear axle.
03:45It's honestly incredible.
03:49Even being rear-engined, even being rear-wheel drive,
03:54the amount of tuck-in from the front end is spectacular.
03:59The steering and suspension work in harmony.
04:02The brakes, this of course has those optional carbon ceramics.
04:06They're another 10 grand, but I'm pretty sure they're worth every penny.
04:13And that's the other thing,
04:16and I know I'm about to sound a little bit silly here,
04:20but I do think this car, if you can get your hands on one,
04:24represents excellent value for money.
04:26It starts at $244,000.
04:29This one we're driving, which as I said has the carbon ceramics,
04:33has a few other options, has the VISAF package,
04:36which is another $33,000.
04:39And includes a load of nice little carbon fiber bits,
04:42different interior details, and a weight reduction of 33 pounds.
04:46That's $1,000 per pound, per my maths.
04:50This one's only $300,000.
04:53I think it's $302,000 as driven.
04:56And when you consider that this car is displaying technology and posting times,
05:01not dissimilar to cars like the McLaren Senna,
05:04and the Aston Martin GT3,
05:08and the Aston Martin Valkyrie,
05:11those cars cost $800,000, $900,000, $1,000,000, $1,000,000, $2,000,000.
05:15So this thing at $300,000, incredible.
05:18It's arguably more daily drivable than those cars.
05:22Wow. I've run out of superlatives.
05:25I'm just saying wow a lot.
05:32Gosh, the grip is endless and effortless.
05:36I cannot believe the amount of miniature adjustments you're able to make.
05:40Even whilst the car is loaded up, pulling a couple of G in the corner,
05:44this car handles everything you can throw at it.
05:47And it's very approachable.
05:49It's not all that intimidating to drive, despite its ferocious looks.
05:53And its reputation as a track weapon.
05:58Feels like this thing's big competitor here has got to be the McLaren, right?
06:01That and the Ferrari.
06:04Interesting. We've kind of got ourselves a 2024 update on the Holy Trinity, right?
06:08None of these are halo hypercars.
06:11And they all boast numbers similar to the ones hosted by that incredible Holy Trinity some 8, 10 years ago.
06:23The fact that the GT3 RS, with its naturally aspirated 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine,
06:28devoid of a hybrid powertrain or turbochargers,
06:31can offer a comparable driving experience to hypercars from less than a decade ago,
06:36and not just that, but punch up to compete with cars two to three times its price,
06:40is remarkable, to say the least.
06:43There will be a time, in the not-so-distant future,
06:46when the growl of a naturally aspirated combustion engine will be absent from dealer lots.
06:52But today is not that day.
06:54And so, we are going to enjoy this while it lasts.
07:31Transcribed by ESO, translated by —