Matt LeBlanc might be new at testing cars, but it doesn’t take too long to appreciate his sincere, yet entertaining style. Especially when a 911 R is involved.
With 493 HP (500 PS) at its disposal by the 4.0-liter flat-six engine taken from the RS, the 911 R could very well be the best rear-engined Porsche ever created. It’s the (wealthy) aficionado’s car of choice, mainly due to its capabilities of providing its ancestor’s brute, raw essence, in a new, modern, safe, and easy to handle (unless provoked) package.
The 911 R proves that there’s no need to drive an old-school “widowmaker” just to experience Porsche’s purest form – that is, if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one of the 991 limited-edition units.
And there’s another problem with it, as Matt LeBlanc demonstrates: the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Unlike the 911 R, it doesn’t waste your time being nostalgic, nor by making you change gears using a “peculiar” third pedal right next to the brake. No, it’s a no-nonsense, track-oriented machine that costs less, munches asphalt at a faster pace, and makes you look like a track-day hero.
Now, that’s going against the majority of Porsche fans, who can’t stop raving about the manual-box R, but the man’s entitled to his opinion, right?