Porsche GT2 RS vs GT3 RS Comparison

When it comes to high-performance consumer cars, there are only a handful of brands that come to mind; Porsche is certainly on that list. Two of the most impressive Porsche’s to date are the GT2 RS and GT3 RS. In this article, we’ll be diving into the many similarities and differences between the GT2 RS vs GT3 RS such as performance, tuning potential, rich history, and more.

Whether you are a seasoned Porsche enthusiast or new to Porsche, this article will walk you through two of the top contenders in the supercar sector.

What Does RS Stand For?

Let’s clear something up quickly before getting into the meat of the post. What does RS stand for? This is a common question when it is seen on models like the GT2 RS and GT3 RS. Essentially the “RS” stands for RennSport, which translates to “Racing Sport”. In short, it was Porsche’s way of designating more track-focused or high performance-oriented models. For example, the GT2 RS features many high-performance additions that the GT2 does not, like being lighter and producing more power.

What Are the Main Differences Between the GT2 RS and GT3 RS?

For starters, let’s provide a high-level list of the main differences between the two and then get more descriptive further down the post.

• They are both high-performance versions of the infamous 911
• The newest 911 GT2 RS (2019) put out 691hp and 553 lb-ft out of the factory
• The newest 911 GT3 RS (Present) puts out 518hp and 342 lb-ft out of the factory
• The GT2 RS is essentially the big brother to the GT3 RS
• The Porsche GT2 RS has twin-turbo engines
• The Porsche GT3 RS has naturally aspirated engines

All About the Porsche GT2 RS

The Porsche 911 GT2 was first introduced in 1993 for the 993 generation, the 911 GT. In all honesty, this is probably our favorite GT2 generation from a style standpoint, and only 57 of these were built. In 1999, the 996 GT2 was introduced. The 996 GT2 was more consumer-focused, as opposed to race-focused. Then came the 997 in 2007 after a brief hiatus. In North America, there were only 213 units produced.

Did you notice we haven’t mentioned the GT2 RS yet? That’s because the RS version was not introduced until 2010 for the 997 generation. The GT2 RS weighed less and was quite a bit faster than the GT2. Only 500 997 GT2 RS’ were produced globally. Lastly, in 2017 the last and final GT2 RS’ would be produced. The 991 GT2 RS made more power than its predecessor by a good amount. There were 1,000 units produced for the 991 GT2 RS.

All About the Porsche GT3 RS

The Porsche 911 GT3 was first introduced in 1999 as the 996.1 generation. The original 996 GT3 was focused on racing. The 996.2 generation was introduced in 2004, which featured the Carrera 4 shell and had more power, and upgraded brakes. Same thing as the GT2 RS, the GT3 RS was not introduced at the beginning. However, in 2003, the GT3 RS was released, but was never sold in the US or Canada. The GT3 RS featured many performance upgrades over the GT3.

Then in 2006, the 997 generation was released. It featured two different GT3 RS generations, the 997.1 and 997.2 with a total of 1,000 units sold in the US and Canada. After a four-year hiatus, the 991 generation introduced two versions of the GT3 RS, 991.1 and 991.2 with a total of over 9,000 units built. Lastly, the present GT3 RS generation, the 992.1 GT3 RS. As of now, there are 4,000 units built.

The Porsche GT3 RS 4.0

The GT3 RS 4.0 was a special version that was produced only in 2011. The 4.0 came from the 4.0L flat-six engine, which happens to be the largest engine offered in a street-legal 911. This engine is also one of the most powerful six-cylinder NA engines in any production car.

Porsche GT2 RS vs GT3 RS Performance

This is where the fun begins. In this section, we’ll be delving into the performance for the 997, 991, and 992 generations of the GT2 RS and GT3 RS.

997 GT2 RS & GT3 RS Performance

The 997 GT2 RS featured the same engine as the GT2, which was a 3.6L TT (Twin-Turbo) flat-six but had upgraded turbos, intercooler, pistons, and engine management system. One of the things we like most, aside from the sick engine, is the 6-speed manual transmission. This beast of an engine put out 612hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. It had a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 205mph.

The 997.1 GT3 RS featured a 3.6L NA flat-six engine that put out 409hp and 299 lb-ft of torque. It had a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 193mph. The 997.2 GT3 RS received a larger 3.8L NA flat-six that put out 444hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. It had an improved 0-60 time of 4.0 seconds and the same top speed of 193mph. Both generations came equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission.

991 GT2 RS & GT3 RS Performance

The 991 GT2 RS got an upgrade over its predecessor and featured a 3.8L TT flat-six. It also received a 7-speed PDK transmission over the 6-speed manual transmission. As if the previous GT2 RS’ power wasn’t enough, this upgraded engine put out 691hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. It posted a 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 211mph. As it’s last rendition, what a way to go out!

The 991.1 GT3 RS also got an upgrade to a 4.0L NA flat-six engine that put out 490hp and 396 lb-ft of torque. It boasted an impressive 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 193mph. The 991.2 GT3 RS was equipped with the same 4.0L NA as the 991.1 with a few revisions to increase power. IT put out 513hp and 347 lb-ft of torque. The 991 generation GT3 RS also turned its back on the 6-speed manual and opted for the PDK only transmission.

992 GT3 RS Performance

The latest rendition of the GT3 RS uses the same 4.0L NA flat-six engine, but has been modified for even more power than the 991 GT3 RS’. It boasts an impressive 518hp and 342 lb-ft of torque as a naturally aspirated engine. Not many NA engines can put down what this engine does. It posts a 3.0 second 0-60 time with a lower top speed of 184mph.

Porsche GT2 RS vs GT3 RS Tuning Potential

Since the GT2 RS is twin-turboed, it is much easier to squeeze out more power than the naturally aspirated engines in the GT3 RS’. There are many companies out there that can push the GT2 RS’ to 1000hp+. However, this isn’t a cheap endeavor, but it is entirely possible! However, there are also other options out there that push the GT2 RS to just over 800hp and it isn’t terribly expensive.

The GT3 RS on the other hand is not nearly as simple to get power out of because of the naturally aspirated engines. However, 560-575hp, not whp, is entirely possible through headers, tuning, intake, cams, and exhaust.

Porsche GT2 RS & GT3 RS Racing History

These two supercars have quite a rich history in racing, so will briefly cover the achievements both vehicles have had.

Porsche GT2 Racing History

Although the Porsche GT2 RS is not a dedicated race car, it certainly showed its mark in Nürburgring Nordschleife. In 2010, when the GT2 RS was first released it set a lap time of 7:18. However, in 2017, the 991 GT2 RS set a record-breaking lap time of 6:47.3 which made it the fastest production car at the time.

Manthey Racing got its hands on a GT2 RS, GT2 RS MR, and further transformed it into a racing beast. It set another record-breaking lap in Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Porsche GT3 Racing History

Same thing with the GT2, the GT3 is not a dedicated race car, but it is one of the most track-focused 911’s in the Porsche lineup. It allows the flexibility to be a road car or a track car based on what the end consumer wants. Along with the GT2, the GT3 has also set many record-breaking laps in Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Porsche GT2 RS & GT3 RS Conclusion

To wrap up this post, we hope we provided an entertaining read on two of the most influential 911 Porsche’s to date: the GT2 RS and the GT3 RS. We decided to skip out on the exterior and interior specs, tech features, and others because we all just want to know about performance. So which is our favorite when it comes to the GT2 RS vs GT3 RS? If money wasn’t an issue, it would be a no-brainer; the GT2 RS. We love a good twin turbo and having the ability to get much more out of an engine through mods.

This is not to say that the GT3 RS is not impressive in itself! The naturally aspirated engines in the GT3 RS’ are impeccable pieces of machinery. If the RS version happens to be out of your price range, we’ve also written a post comparing the GT2 vs GT3.