GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: More power for Porsche 911 GT3 RS

The wraps have come off the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which will be one of the most desirable and brutal Porsche 911 sports cars ever made.

Part of Porsche 911 GT3 RS's mystique and indeed its ruthlessness is due in no small part to its brutal naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre boxer engine. This 383kW (520hp) naturally-aspirated screamer peaks at 9000rpm.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS generates 15kW (20hp) more power and 10Nm more torque (470Nm) than its predecessor, which was launched three years ago and has the hallmarks of a collector car.

Positioned below Porsche's GT2 RS in the '991.2' 911 range, the latest 911 GT3 RS will make its public debut at the 2018 Geneva motor show and Australian deliveries will begin in the final quarter of this year, with pricing starting at $416,500. That's not including on-road costs, so the price will be around half a million dollars.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS models regularly sell out before they've even hit showrooms and even getting on the wait list is not guaranteed, such is the demand.

The new model tips the scales at 1430kg when optioned with the Weissach package, which adds magnesium wheels and various carbon components throughout the car's interior and exterior.

Zuffenhausen's battle-ready 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine uses high revs instead of turbochargers to generate its astonishing power, which is delivered in a more linear fashion, creating a sharper, more focussed connection with the car and ensuring a 312km/h top speed.

Porsche has developed a fierce engine, propelling the car to 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds -- 0.1 sec less than the previous car's time.

However, the car's spectacular power deliver can only be experienced through a "specially calibrated" seven-speed PDK or dual-clutch automatic transmission. The gearbox is expected to mirror the features of its predecessor, with a declutching mechanism and even a pit speed button for competition use.

Want a manual? Try a 911 GTS.

A race car for the road, the new-generation 911 GT3 RS's air-bending body work is not only designed that makes grown men weak at the knees; it's about taking grip levels and downforce to a new level. The rear wing is bigger than Ben Hur and the front-end has more lip than a back-chatting teen.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS can be driven on the road but it's akin to keeping a wild animal in a cage. On the race track is where the GT3 RS shines, and with ball joints on all suspension arms and upgraded 20-inch front and 21-inch rear alloy wheels, Porsche is promising "enhanced agility and steering behaviour".

Tyre sizes are typically ultra-wide and off-the-scale, 265/35 at the front and 325/30 rear.

There is a Clubsport package available that won't add anything to the half-million dollar price but will make the car more intense, by adding a roll bar, fire extinguisher, six-point belt and battery disconnect switch.

The only parameter that's gone south for the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is fuel economy, which increases from 12.7 to 12.8L/100km.

Stay tuned for more details.