PORSCHE 911 GT3

The most hardcore and powerful normally-aspirated 911 ever made, the GT3 RS 4.0 is a last hurrah for the current shape Porsche 911

What - Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
Where - Silverstone, UK
Date - June 2011
Price - Rs 96,34,950
Available - Now
Key rivals - Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Porsche 911 GT2, Porsche 911 GT2 RS, etc...

Ride and handling:

The question isn't how good is the GT3 RS 4.0, rather how good are you? At a base level this car is relatively easy to drive, the heavier than normal clutch, occasionally notchy manual shift and fiercely jiggly ride the only real compromises.But when you start going faster the 4.0 starts asking questions of your driving. And if you're not up to the job you can almost hear the car tut at your incompetence. If you're not breaking lap records it's not the car's fault.For such a hardcore car it's surprisingly usable on the road, once you dial into the lively steering feedback and undeniably stiff set-up. Two-stage PASM dampers and - gasp - stability and traction control are civilised stuff hardcore 911s of old would sneer at.On the track it's amazing. The engine's explosive thrust means you arrive at corners way, way, way faster than you thought you would. Just as well Porsche has upgraded the suspension to make sure you can get round them too.There's still the occasionally disconcerting front-end lightness that has always, to a greater or lesser extent, been part of the 911's handling. Ditto monumental traction out of corners once the rear axle hooks up.Rigidly mounted suspension and an aero kit that delivers 195kg of downforce at top speed are just two examples of the track inspired set-up. And the fact you have to earn the ability to exploit all this only makes the 4.0 even more rewarding.