Porsche unwraps new 911 GT3 R racecar for 2023

Ferrari isn’t the only one unveiling a new-for-2023 GT3 racecar this week. Say hello to the new Porsche 911 GT3 R race car. Effectively, this is a Porsche turn-key race car that you can buy, provided you’ve got the means – more on this later…

Based on the current 992-gen 911 GT3, development for this new GT3 R began as far back as 2019, according to Porsche. Much of the improvements Porsche made were aimed at making this new GT3 R racecar easier to drive for a broader skillset of drivers.

This includes new KW-sourced suspension hardware and tuning. According to Porsche, the double wishbone front and multi-link rear setup now offers more precise steering plus reduced wear on the rear tires. Additionally, it also sports five-level damping adjustments.

Additionally, the new suspension also allows for the underbody to be elevated, thus improving airflow to the rear diffuser without increasing drag. Other aerodynamic improvements can been in the new rear wing, which now gets a swan neck-type mounting.

Bolstering the GT3 R’s handling further, Porsche have also repositioned the rear wheels further back, which in turn saw the wheelbase extended by 48mm from 2,459mm to 2,507mm. This was done n tandem with the adoption of the new suspension towards improving handling and tyre wear.

Whilst here, it’s also worth highlighting the new AP Racing-sourced braking hardware the new Porsche 911 GT3 R is brimmed with. Featuring 390mm rotors up front and 370mm rotors at the rear grabbed by six- and four-piston calipers respectively, both are also tied to an updated fifth-gen racing ABS suite that promises reduced lock-ups and lower wear on both the brakes and tyres.

As for powertrain, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R still harnesses the Stuttgart brand’s signature free-revving naturally-aspirated flat-six mill, but its displacement sees a bump up to 4.2-litre from its previous 4.0-litre figure.

Said mill outputs 565 HP to the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential racing transmission with steering-mounted paddle-shifters, both lifted from the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

Notably, the powerplant has been titled by 5.5-degrees, which grants more space to house the rear diffuser. This also prompted the repositioning of several auxiliary hardware to further improve upon the racecar’s overall weight balance.

Other notable features present on-board this stripped-out racecar’s cabin include the all-important racing roll cage and harnesses with the latter sporting new and improved clasps, adjustable pedals and steering wheel offset, as well as a newly repositioned racing seat that’s now closer to the centre.

Like the rivalling Ferrari 296 GT3 unveiled earlier this week, the new Porsche 911 GT3 R will make its racing debut at the upcoming Daytona 24 Hours 2023 event in January. With all its new bits confirming to the FIA’s new regulations, it will also be eligible to compete in the famed Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time as well.

Again, like the rivalling Ferrari GT3 racer, this Porsche will also soon be available to discerning privateers and gentleman racers, so as long as they can pony up and meet its reported US$567,210 (approx. RM2,524,936) price tag…