Porsche 911R

[Wretched]

Purists have been grumbling about Porsche’s recent moves with the 911, but they will have it their way when the company launches what could be one of the coolest 911s of all time: the 911 R, powered by a naturally aspirated engine with around 500 horsepower—and fitted with a manual transmission.

Over the past few years, one model after another lost the manual transmission in favor of the fast-shifting but slightly heavier and (by nature) less-involving PDK dual-clutch automatic. Since the GT3 lost its manual gearbox, the only models left to offer it were the entry-level 911s. But from a traditionalist’s point of view, they are contaminated by the upcoming generation of turbocharged engines, which lack the linearity of a naturally aspirated engine.

The 911 R will correct both issues, with an ultra-strong, naturally aspirated engine, closely related to that of the GT3, and a manual gearbox, all wrapped in sheetmetal so clean and subdued that the car has been described to us as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

We expect the 911 R to bow at the Geneva auto show next March. While its numbers will be limited by a steep price and its hard-core positioning, we expect it to remain in production for a while. Sure to become a collector’s item, this 911 won’t be the fastest one, but it may perhaps be the coolest.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/porsche...mission-911-r/