Porsche 911 GT3 RSR: most successful GT race car in 2010

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is once again the world’s most successful GT race car of the year. The GT2 category car based on the principles of Porsche Intelligent Performance and the fastest racing-911 succeeded on race tracks around the globe, showing good lap times, excellent reliability and particularly low fuel consumption.

In 2010 the Porsche racing car powered by a 450 hp four-litre six-cylinder boxer engine won in the GT2 category in 2010 at the Le Mans 24 hour race, won championships in the Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series and claimed overall victories at the 24 hour races in Dubai and Spa-Francorchamps. Along the way it beat strong competitors such as Ferrari, BMW and Aston Martin.

Besides the race wins the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, based on the road-legal 911 GT3 RS, also impressed in fuel consumption stats. In fact, in the American Le Mans Series it had the best overall efficiency in the ratio of lap times and fuel consumption. Thanks to it the 911 GT3 RSR was the overall winner of the environmental Michelin Green X Challenge for the second time in succession. At the Le Mans 24 Hours, the RSR also won the Green X Challenge.

“It’s giving the right signal to place more importance on the efficiency of a racing car,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “Winning the Green X Challenge, which is a very important success for us, proves that the Porsche 911 is not only fast, but also very economical.”

With its current looks, the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of the 997 type started being sold to international customers in 2007, but has been receiving updates year after year. The most noticeable changes were made to the 2009-model. It received a more powerful six-cylinder boxer engine, whose power grew from 3.8 to 4.0-litres. Thanks to this the 911 GT3 RSR had its torque curve optimized at reduced revs and its driveability improved.

The current 911 GT3 RSR has on the redesigned front section with a large ventilation opening its most distinguishing feature. The air outlet slots, the so-called louvers, on the front hood are easily noticeable and indicate the completely revamped air ducting of the radiators, which became necessary through the new design of supply and discharge air with the installation of an optional air-conditioning unit. The 2009-model also underwent further optimization of the aerodynamics under the rear, with the rear wing now featuring a wider adjustment range.

“It’s impressive how the 911 GT3 RSR has developed from year to year. The lap times alone are astounding, because despite the restrictions imposed on us again and again by the regulations, the car just got faster every year,” says Porsche works driver Joerg Bergmeister, who celebrated the majority of his successes at the wheel of the RSR. For this reason, the five-time winner of the American Le Mans Series is not at all anxious about tackling the 2011 season: “When you finish a season you always think: now we’ve reached our limit, now the car’s gone as far as it can go. And then Porsche comes up with something new again. And I reckon it won’t be any different in 2011.”