Porsche Unveils New 911 RSR GTE With 4.2-Liter Flat-Six

Porsche has taken off the covers to the all-new 911 RSR GTE racer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The new Porsche 911 RSR GTE will compete in the 2019-2020 FIA World Endurance Championship set to kick off at Silverstone on September 1st and will then become available to customer teams for the 2020-2021 season. It may look similar to the outgoing RSR GTE, but 95 per cent of its parts are brand new.

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The most significant change is the fitment of a bespoke 4.2-liter naturally aspirated flat-six that pumps out 507 HP. This is the largest capacity engine fitted to a 911 racer ever and replaces the outgoing 4.0-liter unit. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission with a three-disc carbon race clutch. The new RSR even features side-exiting exhausts, which allowed for the design of a more effective rear diffuser, thus generating greater downforce.

Like its predecessor, the new RSR GTE features an aluminum-steel composite body shell and carbon fiber reinforced plastic panels, and it tips the scales at a mere 1,245 kg (2,744 lbs).

The launch of the new 911 RSR GTE shows that Porsche is continuing to find ways to develop and improve its signature flat-six. Both the current GT3 and GT3 RS use 4.0-liter engines with over 500 HP, and if the new 4.2-liter proves successful on the racetrack, a development might eventually find its way into a road-going Porsche GT model.