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We’ve seen the high markup currently being attached to the 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The bottom line is that if you’d like to have one immediately then you have to pay. But how much? With this car, a Lava Orange example with 28 miles on it, I hope to satisfy that curiosity and see what one might go for. The owner of this GT3 RS has put it up for auction with no reserve. For those who might genuinely be in the market for a GT3 RS I imagine this would also be worth investigating, either to get a sense of the market or even to buy it. Lava Orange isn’t quite as bright as previous orange variants Porsche has released. In pictures it reminds me somewhat of Blood Orange, which is one of my favorite 911 colors and was only available in the late-60s and early-70s. As with any brightly hued vehicle the color won’t be for everyone, but a GT3 RS deserves this sort of color anyway. Why hide? This particular example seems fairly highly optioned, of perhaps most significance the carbon ceramic brakes were selected, and came with a sticker price of $209,735.
The Ultraviolet 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS remains up for sale and the price has come down by $20K. I wanted to revisit this one because while this was the first GT3 RS in this color I had seen at the time I featured it, I have now come across a few others (all with equally high prices) and I’ve come to like the color a lot more. In direct light like we see here it does come across as an extremely bright purple, but in other pictures that are more shaded the color is much more subdued and, dare I say, extremely attractive. It will always be a niche color, there is no doubt about that, but seeing it again I think it’s less outlandish than I initially considered and really can fit the persona of the car quite well.
The below post originally appeared on our site December 6, 2015:
In my write-up of the new GT3 RS, I mentioned the Cayman GT4 as a useful alternative for those seeking a traditional manual in their performance car now that Porsche has decided the GT3 RS will no longer come equipped with one. So why not have a look at the new GT4? Like the GT variants with which we are all so familiar for the 911, the Cayman GT4 takes aim at the track. It uses the 3.8 liter flat-six from the 911 Carrera S with 380 hp, sources much of its stiffer suspension from the GT3, and drivers must accept some compromises to refinement and everyday usability in the name of less weight. Those weight savings are countered by weight gains from much of the more stout components on board meaning the GT4 comes in at nearly the same weight as the Cayman GTS. In appearance, the GT4 is clearly distinguished from its siblings by a front fascia akin to that of the GT3 and GT3 RS, its lowered ride height, more pronounced rear air inlets, and a rear wing. Suffice it to say, no one will confuse the GT4 for a standard Cayman. And, of course, the only transmission on offer is a 6-speed manual.
The 911 GT3 RS. The ultimate expression of a road-going icon. We’ve talked about this model quite a bit in the context of the 997 GT3 RS, which at this point appears will be the last of these models to feature a manual transmission rather than PDK, but we haven’t actually featured one. The GT3 RS itself also happens to be my favorite car so I’ve had my eye out for these for a while now, and I’ve seen quite a few of them coming up for sale. But for some reason this one really stood out (hint: it’s the color) and I finally decided to feature one. First things first: this is almost a ridiculous color, no better evidenced than by its name – ultraviolet. This is PURPLE in it most purple purpleness. But that’s fine and frankly these are the sorts of colors that I like to see on a GT3 RS anyway. That ridiculousness is propelled by a 4.0 liter flat-six throwing 500 hp at the 7-speed PDK transmission, which then delivers it all to the rear wheels as the rpms scream toward 9000. In typical GT3 RS fashion the interior has less frills, features lighter sport seats and it lacks rear seats altogether. That loss of weight along with the revised suspension will help these 911s keep up with the best other car makers can offer. I’m going to withhold my assessment of the styling of these until I see one in the flesh, but there’s a lot going on and I’m not sure I’m totally on board. About their performance there should be no such reservations.
There are two Mercedes-Benzes in the current lineup that really light my fire. That would be the evergreen G-Class and one of the newest arrivals, the AMG GT. This is a car that has taken the fight directly into the Porsche 911’s backyard, albeit in a different form. As has been noted by the folks over at flüssig magazine, this car bears a bit of a resemblance to the timeless Porsche 928, especially when you consider the sloping rear end and the way the bumper tapers inward towards the bottom edge. “It’s the 928’s successor,” states Andy McCulley, flüssig magazine contributor and 928 owner. I always wondered what would have come had Porsche followed up on its great GT car. Well, Mercedes-Benz grabbed the ring and ran with it.
