Speculation is rife after a picture seeming to show a scale model of the 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS was supposedly leaked online.
The image pubilshed by Jalopnik shows some detail changes over the current 2014 911 GT3 including wider front wheel arches and double-bubble roof bulges – but the most dramatic aspects are the use of the Turbo bodyshell, a first for the RS, complete with large vents in front of the rear wheelarches and – controversial, this – on the front wings.
Could these point to the use of a turbocharger, another first for Porsche’s track-focused edition? Potentially, but don’t forget that the 911 RSR racers have scoops aplenty, and they’re not turbocharged.
What do we already know about the 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS?
Speaking to CAR in 2013, head of GT series production Andreas Preuninger confirmed that the RS would keep the GT3’s dual-clutch PDK transmission – but there’s ‘no chance’ of the manual gearbox that petrolheads covet.
Confirmed also was the use of a lightweight titanium exhaust system and a general move ‘towards a more extreme side’ than previously seen, as evidenced by the less-than-subtle aero package the leaked RS is sporting front and rear.
Then again, this is only a toy model car… it could all be a hoax, don’t forget!
Expensive composites for new GT3 RS?
It is believed that the 2015 GT3 RS will have extensive use of composite materials, especially as Preuninger confirmed to CAR that the regular GT3 would not: ‘We could get another 5-7kg out of the GT3 with expensive exterior parts, but the car would be another £20k more expensive. And we have to leave room for the RS version…’
Another rumored improvement for the RS is the inclusion of a newly developed lightweight lithium ion battery. It did not feature on the regular GT3 as it could not yet handle the power demands of the rear-wheel-steering system.
So is the leaked 2015 GT3 RS the real deal?
We think there’s something in this unusual spot. Porsche insiders have hinted there’s substance to this supposed early leaked image – and it wouldn’t be the first time a toy car spilled the secrets on a production model.
Long-time 911 fans may be shocked if the RS does indeed come with a turbocharger, especially having already had to deal with the introduction of electric steering and the GT3’s PDK-only gearbox option since the 991-generation 911’s introduction in 2012. But with the automotive world moving towards turbocharging on the whole, is Porsche just playing the game?