2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
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Beginning with the legendary 1973 Carrera RS, Porsche Cars AG had a long and illustrious history of...depriving its adoring American enthusiasts of the coolest cars it makes. The 959, 964 RS, 993 RS, the 993 GT2, and the 996 GT3 RS were all conspicuously absent from the US market, and aside from what was in large part a badge job in the form of the 964 America RS, Porsche had never sold an RS model in North America when the 997 GT3 RS was introduced here less than 15 years ago. Nowadays, the notion that RS models wouldn’t be offered here is unthinkable and so the absolutely explosive excitement that greeted this car’s arrival is difficult to imagine today.
But the excitement was completely justified. The already remarkable standard GT3 was cause enough for tremendous enthusiasm: the now legendary 115 hp per liter Mezger engine descended from the Le Mans winning GT1 engine and track honed chassis were the types of ingredients that not only homologated the car for racing in the GT3 class, but make driving enthusiasts giggle like children. To this, the RS added the wider rear fenders of the Carrera 4 and significant lightening measures, all of which are concentrated at the back of the car: a carbon fiber rear wing and plastic engine lid, thinner rear windscreen (outside of North America). Contemporary measurements by Car and Driver confirmed a 60 pound weight reduction against the GT3 for US cars. In all, fewer than 1200 cars were made, of which a bit over 400 came to the United States.
To drive the 997 GT3 RS today is a revelation. Where every 991 GT car can easily be driven by any person with a driver’s license, 997 GT cars aren’t like that. This car demands not just physical strength but also significant finesse of its driver, as well as a considerably higher tolerance for harshness in the chassis. But the flip side is an incredibly raw, involving car that feels extraordinary no matter what it’s doing. It also feels worlds away from today’s cars, like a view into some world in the distant past despite only being 15 years old.
These attributes have made the cars exceedingly collectible despite being relatively new. This particular example was sold new by Sonnen Porsche in San Rafael, California in April of 2007 and retained by its first owner until late 2011 by which time it had covered 6,700 miles. Its second owner was also in the San Francisco Bay Area and retained the car until the current owner bought it in 2017.
The car is equipped with PCCB (ceramic brakes), as well as the iconic orange paintwork, aluminum footrest, floor mats, and bi-xenon headlamps. The entire car is covered with clear bra and the car has a Sharkwerks cat-back exhaust system. Prospective buyers should note that the coolant pipes have not yet been pinned or welded and that a DME report just pulled indicating no overrevs.
