911 R

[Jad]

OK, trying to decipher the Porsche marketing madness. The newest 'all new 911', the R, is a GT3, with normal 991 interior, rear spoiler and a 6 sp? Is that right or do the stripes make it faster

Seems like a fun car with the good old manual tranny, but it is amazing they can convince people there really is a difference between a Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera GTS, Carrera R, GT3, Turbo, Turbo S and probably others I am forgetting. All different models, not 'options" Ford brags there are a million optional configs for the F150, can't image the number for the 911 I think I need leather on the driver side vents, but not the passenger, painted, not chrome headlight washers, and .....

[ttweed]

No worries, Jad, normal people will not be able to buy this 911R anyway, since it is a limited "special edition" aimed at the collector market. Almost all of them will be snapped up by the VIP 918 owners and bubble-wrapped. We'll be lucky to even see one on the street at Cars and Coffee occasionally. It is just a 991RS without the aero and PDK, narrower tires, a 50Kg weight reduction, houndstooth inserts on the seats, and a special plaque on the dash.

TT

[ScandinavianFlick]

Actually, the 911R could be really good news for enthusiasts, for one simple reason... it proves the Carrera S manual gearbox will bolt up to a GT3 motor. So if anyone has a GT3, a sawzall, and a sense of adventure...

[ttweed]

Actually, the 911R could be really good news for enthusiasts, for one simple reason... it proves the Carrera S manual gearbox will bolt up to a GT3 motor. So if anyone has a GT3, a sawzall, and a sense of adventure...

No need to do that kind of major surgery, as the word is that the GT3 will henceforth have this 6-speed manual tranny as an option. Just sell the older PDK one and order a new one with manual...as long as you want to be slower (but "involved")...

TT

[ScandinavianFlick]

No need to do that kind of major surgery, as the word is that the GT3 will henceforth have this 6-speed manual tranny as an option. Just sell the older PDK one and order a new one with manual...as long as you want to be slower (but "involved")...

TT

I'm already slow If I was ever in the position to buy a car of that caliber, I'd want a manual. It's not a rational choice- the PDK is a better transmission in every objective and technical measure. If they are going to offer both, that's the optimal outcome for enthusiasts, as it gives us freedom to choose based on personal preference.

[Jad]

Tom, thanks for the info, the website babbles about history and emotion, but I couldn't find any facts. But lets be realistic about the 911 R sales. Porsche sells about 10,000 911's per year, and they have 10-20 models, so 'limiting' production to 991 of a slight variation isn't exactly leaving lines of buyers around the corner. I am guessing, anyone who really wants one probably can get one, but it is a nice niche version of a niche car.

I would also get the 6 sp. In theory the PDK is better, but the only reason I bought a Porsche is the driving fun. The 6 sp is more fun, therefore the better transmission! The newer cars are way too fast to push on the street and too expensive for me to consider pushing on the track, so for me, a fun mountain road at 50% is the time to enjoy a 911 and I would only consider a manual for that.

[dcarusillo]

Hey Tom,
I'll buy your GT3...... You can get the Manual and I can get the PDK (Porsche DisKount) Just let me know
Don't we all know Porsche is famous for limited run "models"...unless they can sell more. Rhymes with GT4

[c4s4pcs]

I think that the chances of Tom giving up his PDK are between slim and none - and it looks like slim is out of town...

[ttweed]

Hey Tom,
I'll buy your GT3...... You can get the Manual and I can get the PDK (Porsche DisKount) Just let me know

Sorry, Dan, the only thing that could get me out of my GT3 is a GT3RS, and I have about as much of a chance of getting an allocation for one of those as for the 911R. SInce it appears the RS will stay PDK, that would definitely be my choice if I could get one.

Don't we all know Porsche is famous for limited run "models"...unless they can sell more. Rhymes with GT4

When they put the numbered plates on them, though, they don't produce more, like they did with GT3/GT4. It is a true limited edition, then.

I have heard there are only 250 coming to the US, and that number may change, though, if they can't sell the other 741 in the ROW easily. Since there are at least that many VIP 918 owners, there may not be any left for the rest of us mortals. The only chance to buy one will be with a "market adjustment" added, like is happening with the RS right now. Since I don't have "so what?" money to burn, I'm not a buyer at $250-$350K.

TT

[John Straub]

Cool car... but also another in the endless stream of "limited editions" that started back in the mid-70s that the money men at the factory put out for people to snap up...

I would have liked them to have some creativity for a new name rather than use the iconic 911R name.

John

[Jad]

But John, Porsche just did a press release clearly explaining the purpose, "The new 911R encapsulates the principle of purity in the exterior as well as the interior."

Ah, encapsulating the principle of purity, that explains it... Pure marketing BS

[John Straub]

I agree Jad. The original "R" car was not even close to a showroom car. Now I'm waiting for the "917 Edition"...

John

[ttweed]

I agree Jad. The original "R" car was not even close to a showroom car. Now I'm waiting for the "917 Edition"...

John

Ya, John! I think the 917 edition will come in 2020, 50 years after the 917 won Le Mans for the first time.

What they mean by "purity," Jad, is that it comes with a manual transmission along with the radio and A/C deleted (of course you can add them back in as zero-cost options). Of course, the electronic nannies are all intact to keep you from killing yourself with the car and having your family sue them.

The original 911R came in at 1786 lbs., almost 500 lbs. less than the production 911 at the time. Absolutely every gram was stripped out of the car that could possibly be removed. There were 3 or 4 prototypes built and 20 production examples. Now THAT is a limited edition!

The new 911R saves maybe 50 kilos over the current RS version at 3021 lbs., over half a ton (1235 lbs. to be exact) more than the original R. The USA version won't even have the lexan windows because DOT won't allow them. I don't think the engineers made quite the weight saving effort on it as the original, and it is definitely not the same class of vehicle in their model lineup at all. That would be the GT3R, if anything.

TT

[kleggo]

I am guessing, anyone who really wants one probably can get one, but it is a nice niche version of a niche car.
.

perhaps true if you define "really wants one" as really willing to pay $XX,XXX.oo over sticker price.
GACK!