Hardcore Porsche 911 GT2 RS 30 | 06 | 2017

THIS IS THE new Porsche 911 GT2 RS unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The stunner from Porsche’s Motorsport division will it’ll set you back £207,506. (Related: Porsche reveals most powerful 911)

Only the fourth to enter production since its introduction to the Porsche line-up in 1995, it’s the first GT2 to be launched since 2010.

Powered by a heavily reworked version of the twin turbocharged 3.8-litre flat six-cylinder engine used in the latest 911 Turbo, the new rear-wheel-drive GT2 RS delivers 690bhp. That’s a stunning 325bhp more than the standard 911 Carrera and 79bhp more than the previous GT2 in 2010.

According to Porsche, the new model will hit 62mph from standstill in 2.8secs. That’s 0.1sec inside the official time quoted for the quickest-accelerating 911 to date, the 911 Turbo S.

The new 911 GT2 RS also accelerates on to a maximum of 211mph, matching the top speed of the plug-in hybrid-powered 918 Spyder. That means the new 911 is not only the quickest-accelerating, but also the joint-fastest road-legal series-production Porsche model yet.

The new 991-series GT2 RS is actually 100kg heavier than the previous 997-based 911 GT2, tipping the scales at 1470kg. That’s despite the bonnet, front wings, exterior mirror housings and many of the air duct surrounds being carbonfibre. It’s also got a magnesium roof.

However, if you want to shave a further 30kg from the car’s overall weight, Porsche is offering a £21,042 Weissach Package; this includes the adoption of carbonfibre for the roof and roll bars and magnesium for the wheels.

The car runs on the samesized wheels and tyres as the 911 GT3 RS: 20in centre-locking rims up front shod with 265/35 tyres and 21in rear wheels with 325/30-profile rubber.

The 911 GT2 RS uses a revised version of Porsche’s ZF-sourced seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and mechanical locking differential.

The 911 GT2 RS also gets the four-wheel-steering system from the 911 Turbo and comes as standard with carbon-ceramic brakes.

Inside the cabin, there’s a combination of black leather and red Alcantara upholstery, plus a carbonfibre trim, sports steering wheel with paddle shifts, and carbonfibre-backed motorsport-spec seats.

A Porsche Communication Management system, which groups infotainment functions — including Porsche Track Precision, a circuit telemetry app — into a central touchscreen-based unit, is standard on the car.

However, if you want the Chrono Package — which expands the Porsche Communication Management system’s functions to include a performance display, and can be used to show lap times — that’s a box you need to tick on the options list!

Oh … and there’s also a special Porsche Design watch, available exclusively only to buyers of the new 911 GT2 RS.

Related: New £5m Porsche Centre for Scotland

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/Scotcars

Jim McGill