GT3 R: The king of Porsche 911s

The Porsche 911 derivatives continue to roll in, and the winged monster you see here is the 911 GT3 R, which is due to make its world debut on January 14, 2010, at the Birmingham Motor Show.

The race-prepped 911 is the handiwork of Porsche's Motorsport Department at the Weissach Development Centre and will be delivered to customer teams the world over as of (northern) spring 2010.

The base price (ex-Germany) for the 911 GT3 R is 279,000 euros ($451k in our money), but of course this figure doesn't factor in import duties, taxes, shipping and so forth.

Built to comply with FIA GT3 regulations, the GT3 R is effectively the successor to the GT3 Cup S, and Porsche says the main focus in developing the new model was to deliver better drivability and easier handling.

The 911 GT3 R's propulsion comes from a 4.0-litre flat-six (an increase of 0.2 litres), and this unit pumps out a robust 353kW, which is channelled to the rear wheels by a sequential six-speed dog gearbox.

The starting point for the GT3 R (which weighs a sprightly 1200kg) was the 911 GT3 Cup, unleashed a couple of months ago for one-make racing.

As per the Cup car, the GT3 R shares its extra-wide bodyshell with the road-going 911 GT3 RS, but bolt-on flares give it an even broader stance.

Like all second-generation versions of the 911, the GT3 R also comes with high-visibility LED rear light clusters.

New features designed to boost driveability include an anti-lock brake system, traction control and an e-gas with "throttle-blip" function. As such, Porsche says the newcomer is more appropriate "for the ambitious amateur racing driver".

All in all, a very tasty bit of kit. Shame it's beyond the grasp of us mug punters...

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi