911 GT3 RS

Make
Porsche
Segment
Coupe

Enthusiasts and the Porsche 911 R may as well be polar opposite ends of a magnet. The car is so desirable that buyers are ponying up hundreds of thousands extra over the car's $184,900 base price in hopes to own the manual and wing-less GT3 RS. In theory, those two alterations make the 911 R the best enthusiast car on the market, but when it comes time to see just what it's made of, does it's price justify the performance? Or maybe the better question is, is the premium worth it?

To find out, Motor Trend put one to the test to find out.

Those looking for the latest car to blow away acceleration tests and lap a race track faster than latest Ferrari or McLaren will be disappointed because the reason for the extra price isn't unbelievable performance. Instead, the 911 R banks on being a car that holds up its value by providing the greatest number of smiles per gallon. With only 3,021 pounds to lug around, the 500 horsepower made by the 4.0-liter flat six gets to wield its power to make tire smoke and rattle a driver's bones with a battle cry unencumbered by sound deadening material. We love this car for obvious reasons, but we also have high hopes for it. Maybe one day, manufacturers will see the success of the 911 R as an invitation to build cars based on emotion and not for setting records.