New Porsche 911 R ride review

The Porsche 911 R was one of the stars of the Geneva Motor Show, and just two weeks after its debut, we got the chance to sit in the passenger seat. It’s the seat next to it we’d like to be in, admittedly, but as the car is being driven by Porsche’s GT boss, Andreas Preuninger, we won’t grumble.

Developed in just 13 months, the 911 R features the same 493bhp 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six as the GT3 RS. But here it’s paired with a bespoke six-speed manual gearbox in a body unadorned by big wings, flared wheelarches and huge air intakes. It weighs around 50kg less than the RS, while there’s standard rear-wheel steering, lightweight carbon-ceramic brakes and titanium and carbon-fibre bodywork.

Some 4.5kg of that weight loss is from removed sound deadening, allowing even more of the already musical engine’s note to enter the cabin. As the rear seats have been removed and Perspex windows fitted, the noise reverberates around the interior with a mechanical cacophony that’s as evocative as the 911 R badge. You can hear every element of this engine’s make-up, plus the chatter from the clutch bearing and rear diff – although only if you opt for the single mass flywheel. Preuninger insists you should, as it drops 5kg of rotational mass and makes the 4.0-litre rev even more enthusiastically.

The force from the flat-six is relentless. Such is the engine’s flexibility that six gears are enough – the first four follow the same ratio as the GT3’s. Preuninger prefers the feel of the bespoke GT-developed six-speed manual over the seven-speed box in the standard Carrera. It retains the rev match tech if you want it, but leave the Sport button off if you’re quick on the pedals yourself. You can tweak the sports exhaust, PASM suspension and traction and stability systems, too. 

Preuninger worked tirelessly on the shift of the six-speed as well as the steering, and he described the R as being about the “nuances of the driver interacting with the machine” – and he was clearly enjoying himself. Given the car’s lack of aero, it was a surprise to hear Preuninger describe turn-in as even better than the 997 4.0 RS’. 

Certainly, the speed at which the nose reacts to his input suggests he’s not lying. The way the 911 R achieves such agility yet remains supple and composed is a credit to the suspension engineers. It rides exceptionally well given its clear focus. 

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