The latest piece of wicked metal to roll out of Weissach traveled to the home of the world's greatest road race for a special family reunion. Cue the Isle of Man: Home to MotoGP star Cal Crutchlow, this tiny island has hosted the world famous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy road race since 1907, in which competitors compete for the best time on the 37-mile mountain course on some of the most demanding roads on earth. Porsche feels the trust that riders put in their bikes is the perfect metaphor for the qualities of the 911 GT3 RS.
Its constant and detailed feedback to the driver make this Porsche thrive on the historic TT course. Joining a pair of 991.2 cars on the Isle of Man is a mouth-watering line-up of historic Porsches, ranging from the previous generation 991.1 and spans all the way back to the first 2.7 RS – the car that started it all. For 50 weeks of the year, the Snaefell Mountain Course is a regular road with houses, shops, and towns littering the way. So while the priceless convoy snakes through the tiny island past famous landmarks like the Ballaugh Bridge or Parliament Square in Ramsey, locals are busy going about their business. Immune to the high speed procession.
The GT3 RS comes into its own as the roads narrow and twist. Porsche says the proximity of the grassy verges demands concentration, but the unforgiving road is exactly the kind of environment the GT3 RS thrives in, using it’s mid-range punch and insane grip to navigate safely. Improvements to the car, like a faster PDK shift time, modifications to the rear axle steering, new spring rates, and 8 per cent more aero downforce make themselves noticeable. “The streets are not exactly a race track around here – they’re very bumpy and more like a British B road – but the car is coping very well,” says Andreas Preuninger, Director GT Model Line “It is very precise, it has a lot of traction and it’s a joy to drive it on these roads.”
