Though Marcus Vandenberg’s Roads Untraveled tends to focus on Japanese performance cars, he occasionally highlights the odd domestic or European car. He’s admitted to having a soft spot for 911s in the past, but they’re not exactly within his wheelhouse.
He’s sampled quite a few turbocharged 911s, and a 991.1 GT3 RS, but this is arguably the wildest of Porsche’s offerings he’s sampled. This 991.2 RS sports a series of modifications that convince its Nurburgring-frequenting owner he’s fulfilled the potential of this Lizard Green RS.
The aptly dubbed Kermit—yes, named after an amphibian and not a lizard—sports an Akraprovic exhaust for a little more power, presence, and noise. Aftermarket coilovers, a Nurburgring-spec alignment, smaller wheels, and Trofeo R tires fulfill the potential of this street-legal track toy. On a cold morning somewhere outside Vancouver, Vandenberg gets to flirt with the limit of this green GT3 RS and a spirited country blast. What a lucky man.
Vandenberg is given to a bit of hyperbole, but it’s still clear that he’s not making a puff piece here. The car’s urgency and directness obviously resonates with him. Along with a brief history of the GT models for the last twenty years, Vandenberg describes why the car speaks to him, the merits of natural aspiration, and the refinement of the latest version with no shortage of enthusiasm. There aren’t many cars which get people to giggle quite like this one.
Considering his experience with Supras, Lancer Evos, and Skylines making twice the power, he’s still staggered by the straightline speed. These desensitized days, a 520-horsepower Porsche doesn’t raise eyebrows like it used to, but it’s obvious the grunt of the 4.0-liter and the urgency of the PDK leave him smitten. Needless to say, he’s already saving his shekels for the day he can make one of these his own.
Launching the car puts Vanderberg somewhere in between the realms of terror and ecstasy.
