Skip advert
Advertisement

Wild Porsche 911 GT3 R racer uncovered for 2023

Based on the 992 generation of Porsche’s rear-engined sports car, the new GT3 R boasts improved driveability and up to 557bhp from a 4.2-litre flat six

The GT3 racing series is hotly contested, with heavily reworked versions of road-going sports cars going door-to-door at circuits across the globe. Now, Porsche has pulled the wraps off its 2023 challenger: meet the new Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Given that the GT3 class uses a balance-of-performance system to minimise car performance advantages, Porsche’s engineers haven’t prioritised outright pace when designing the new GT3 R. Instead, they aimed to widen its performance envelope for more consistency on the track

Key to this is the new flat-six engine, which has grown to a 4.2-litre unit for a broader spread of torque throughout the rev range. It produces up to 557bhp and remains naturally aspirated, but tilting it forwards by 5.5 degrees has allowed a steeper upkick for the rear diffuser, while certain ancillaries have been moved forward to mitigate the 911’s rear-biased weight distribution. 

Like the road-going 911 GT3, the GT3 R gets double-wishbone front suspension that has been reworked for more steering precision and less tyre wear, and there’s a multi-link design at the rear. The rear axle has been shifted backwards 48mm too, taking load off the rear tyres for improved longevity.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Porsche has fitted KW dampers at each corner, and claims that some of the car’s suspension technology is derived from the 911 RSR which races in the GTE class above. The brakes are supplied by British firm AP Racing, with six-pot monobloc callipers gripping 390mm discs at the front. 

Most of the GT3 R’s swollen body panels are carbon fibre, facilitating a 1,250kg base weight that’s lighter than the road car. The underbody has been aerodynamically optimised to reduce pitch sensitivity for more accessible performance, and the towering rear wing features swan-neck mounts to provide cleaner airflow along its lower surface. 

Inside, the new GT3 R gets a carbon fibre steering wheel with a plethora of illuminated controls for on-the-fly adjustments. Porsche has also fitted a 10.3-inch digital dashboard, safety nets and an FIA-spec roll cage. The GT3 R is priced at €511,000 (around £430,000) before taxes. 

Click here for our list of the best track day cars...

Skip advert
Advertisement

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best classic cars - the classics we’d most love to own
Best classic cars - July 25

Best classic cars - the classics we’d most love to own

These are our favourite classic cars, from British beauties to V8-engined beasts
Best cars & vans
8 Jul 2025
Updated Porsche 911 Carrera 4S arrives in coupe, convertible and Targa form
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S line up, static

Updated Porsche 911 Carrera 4S arrives in coupe, convertible and Targa form

More gaps in the 992.2 range are being filled, with the all-weather Carrera 4S arriving with or without a roof
News
2 Jul 2025
Hardcore Porsche 911 GT2 RS spied with wild aero and track-ready looks
Porsche 911 GT2 RS - front 3/4

Hardcore Porsche 911 GT2 RS spied with wild aero and track-ready looks

If you can believe it, Porsche’s GT2 RS will be even more extreme than the GT3 RS…
News
14 May 2025
Fastest Nurburgring lap times 2025: quickest cars and lap records
Mercedes AMG-One at Nurburgring

Fastest Nurburgring lap times 2025: quickest cars and lap records

Check out the top 10 fastest production cars around the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany
Best cars & vans
13 May 2025

Most Popular

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports
MST Ford Escort - front 3/4

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports

While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look
News
7 Jul 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!
Skoda Octavia vRS - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Skoda Octavia vRS is the consummate all-rounder and only £255 a month!

A three-time Auto Express Family Car of the Year winner, paired with Golf GTI power, is our Deal of the Day for 6 July
News
6 Jul 2025
New Volvo XC60 2025 facelift review: big-selling SUV gets a new lease of life
Volvo XC60 facelift - front tracking

New Volvo XC60 2025 facelift review: big-selling SUV gets a new lease of life

This refreshed Swedish SUV focuses on familiar areas of strength to take on BMW and Audi
Road tests
4 Jul 2025