Unlike many cars of its ilk, this GT2 RS sees a great deal of track time. Whether it be racing against current GT3 Cup cars or highly modified Nissan GT-Rs, sebastian vittel’s RS is a regular sight at tracks across France and Germany. It’s been given a few tasteful modifications to suit it to the regular beating it takes; utilizing Endless pads, steel brakes, taller wing supports from a GT3 RS, and a Manthey alignment for even more purchase on the pavement. As we see in the footage below, its performance is enough to run with the 918 Spyder—a car which costs nearly six times as much. This stellar performance makes you wonder whether the GT2 RS is merely the quickest 911 on the market today, or if it’s the defacto Porsche flagship of recent years.
Despite having only two driven wheels, the GT2 RS actually betters the four-wheel drive 918 Spyder in low-speed acceleration. This is a real asset at the tight and technical Hockenheim, where strong speed out of the hairpins leading onto the long straights pays dividends. It’s the turbocharged, two-wheel drive GT2 RS which excels in these slow-speed acceleration zones, and only once they have room to stretch their legs a bit does the 918 stretch a small lead. Not exactly what one would think when considering the specs, eh?
Weighing roughly 500 pounds more than the GT2 RS, the 918 isn’t quite the agile thing that the latest RS is, but it has a habit of belying its weight and putting it to lighter, more powerful cars. So much of that comes down to the way the 918 makes great use of its hybrid power when driven through all four wheels. With minimal wheelspin and wild torque from zip, shouldn’t that make it the king of hairpins?
Only once is vittel beaten off a hairpin (1:50), but it’s his too-early entry that’s to blame.
Well, sebastian vittel once again proves the versatility of the RS with this duel. Granted, these two aren’t pushing more than 8/10ths, the 918 isn’t exactly track-tuned, and traffic does allow vittel to close the gap after the hypercar begins to walk away. Nevertheless, it’s a strong showing from both, but it’s the RS which looks even stronger after making quick work of what ought to be the quickest in the Porsche stable.
