We had suspected that the true intention of the GT2 RS was to kill its driver. Or if not that, then at least to bring about a state of euphoria from escaping a near-death experi­ence. With all that power hanging behind the rear axle and full deactivation of all driver’s aids by pressing the “SC + TC Off” button, calamity would seem inevitable.

In our experience, however, the GT2 RS turned out to be quite docile. The massive (325-mm rear section width), track-ready Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires keep the back end glued, although the surge of power when the variable-vane turbochargers deliver all 23.2 pounds of boost produces lots of serpentine back-end writhing. This is the only rear-wheel-drive car in the world with torque steer.

More surprising is that the RS is tolerable in city driving. The stiff suspension is compliant, the clutch takeup is progressive, and low-end tractability is ample. But it’s clear the GT2 RS is built for a different purpose than picking up Chinese take-out. The racing seats—real actual racing seats with removable cushions and a hole in the bottom for an anti-submarine belt—are the type that you fall into and climb out of. They’re very comfortable, albeit tight against the upper back of our wide American frames, and they eliminate some of the user-friendliness we associate with the familiar 911 interior. If you didn’t realize that this is not your everyday Carrera, your ears will tell you so within the first 50 feet. The lightweight polycarbonate that replaces the rear glass welcomes in every exterior noise, and the fender wells audibly report every piece of dirt thrown from the tire treads. On the highway, the din is such that it physically wears on you. Keeping the radio and air conditioning—standard items—is advised if your GT2 RS plans involve any minor amount of time away from a track.

The true motives of the GT2 RS are revealed in its major controls, which are as heavy as the car itself is light (3085 pounds, 19 fewer than a VW GTI). The clutch, shift lever, and steering all seem counterweighted by anvils. This forces the driver to make deliberate inputs; you cannot master this car with half-measures.

We note that this is the only car of the trio with a manual transmission. Driver involvement is at the center of the GT2’s mission. Seventy-to-0-mph braking distances are essentially a tie here, and at 145 feet for the Porsche and McLaren (146 for the Ferrari), nearly the shortest we’ve ever recorded. The Porsche separates itself in brake feel, with a stiff pedal that is easy to modulate with an even application of pressure. The steering offers the most feedback and transmits the most information about available grip, which undoubtedly helped the GT2 RS achieve the best slalom speed.

Don’t read too much into the 3.3-second 0-to-60-mph time. Unaided by launch control or a self-shifting gearbox, the GT2 RS doesn’t leap off the line. At higher speeds, the McLaren and Ferrari’s advantage is negated—the Porsche’s 100-to-150-mph time of 7.8 seconds is equal to the MP4-12C’s and 0.7 second quicker than that of the 458.

On the road, the GT2 RS’s capabilities seem endless. You can brake later, carry more speed through a corner, and dial in more throttle than seems sensible only to realize that the limit is still a long way away. Far from being terrifying, the GT2 RS’s vast supply of  horsepower is easy to manage, provided you keep the tachometer to the right of the 4000-rpm mark at 12 o’clock. And despite the sustained high revs, the Porsche produces the best fuel economy, both in our observed 15 mpg and with EPA figures (16 mpg city, 23 highway) high enough to dodge a gas-guzzler tax.

The GT2 RS’s highly visceral driving experience comes at a cost. As mentioned, the interior is noisy and without creature comfort. On uneven road surfaces, the stiff ride reaches its limit and makes the RS wobble from the crest to the trough of every bump. Its singularity of purpose means the Porsche is forced to lap the roads around supercar Eden.



Click for Full Size






Click title for the source