There are few thrills in the automotive world quite like the sound of a Porsche's engine revving to its redline, and nowhere better to experience that than Anglesey Circuit in Wales. In a recently aired episode of Fifth Gear, we witnessed a showdown unlike any other—the 992 GT3 RS, a road car designed for track supremacy, went up against the track-only GT3 Cup car. This showdown begs the question: Can a car built for the street take on a hardcore racing machine in a battle for lap supremacy?
Setting the Stage
Porsche is synonymous with performance and engineering excellence, and the 992 GT3 RS exemplifies this reputation. This model is marketed as the highest-performing road car ever produced by Porsche, boasting a 518 hp engine, finely-tuned aerodynamics, and a stunning top speed. However, the GT3 Cup car is a vehicle with a singular purpose: to dominate on the racetrack!
Tale of the Tape: Specifications Comparison
While the GT3 RS comes equipped with all the intended modern comforts, it does share some similarities with its intensive counterpart. The key stats highlight the differences:
- Porsche 992 GT3 RS: 518 hp, 3.4-litre flat-six engine, weight approx. 3,200 lbs, top speed of 196 mph.
- Porsche GT3 Cup: 500 hp, 4.0-litre flat-six engine, weight approx. 2,780 lbs, built exclusively for racing.
Both cars exhibit exceptional engineering, but what becomes immediately apparent is the weight advantage held by the GT3 Cup. The road-going GT3 RS is laden with necessary features, while the stripped-down GT3 Cup is focused solely on performance.
The Race: A Glimpse of Track Genius
To truly understand how they fare against each other on the track, let’s see how this race unfolded. The Fifth Gear team first let the GT3 Cup take to the track. The driver delivered a sensational performance, completing a lap in an astonishing time of 1:08.2. This moment set a new benchmark lap for Anglesey, underlining just how thrilling and responsive the GT3 Cup is on the circuit.
This performance brought into sharp focus the vast engineering difference between the street-focused GT3 RS and the purpose-built GT3 Cup. The racing machine is much more agile; the driver needed total concentration to push the limits of speed.
GT3 RS - The Crowd's Favorite
As the dust settled, it was time for the GT3 RS to strut its stuff on the same winding, challenging circuit. From the moment it hit the asphalt, the car exhibited jaw-dropping precision and elegance. Initial impressions from the driver suggest the GT3 RS comes close to the excitement of a full-race experience, making it one of the ultimate driving experiences among street-legal cars.
Still, it fell short of the GT3 Cup’s lap time, clocking in at 1:12.64, a considerable 4.4 seconds behind the racing brethren. While it was a phenomenal time for a road-car, this gap illustrates the chasm between street performance and track dominance.
The Verdict: A Close Encounter of the Race Kind
At the end of the day, the GT3 RS proved itself to be an exceptional example of a street car capable of putting down impressive lap times, placing it among the fastest road cars on that circuit. Despite falling significantly short against the GT3 Cup car, its strengths lie in its versatility and how it caters to enthusiasts who desire the best of both worlds—an exhilarating performance on the track combined with an everyday usability.
In conclusion, while the GT3 RS may not have outrun its racing counterpart, both vehicles represent the pinnacle of automotive engineering. It’s a thrilling experience to witness their capabilities juxtaposed, and for enthusiasts, each car offers a unique thrill that continues to reflect Porsche’s storied legacy of performance.