Here in North America, we have been fortunate enough to get most of the major Porsche models ever since their inception. Despite this, some models have been considered to be forbidden fruit for western shores. Today, I am going to talk about one of those models, after finally being able to see it in the flesh, and that car is the 996 GT3RS.

The world got it first glimpse at the 996 in full production form in September of 1997, at a time in which Porsche was facing financial struggles. When first revealed, it was criticized for being very similar to the then-new 986 Boxster, aka its little brother. The similarities were the result of having to cut costs in order to make the model more profitable. To this day, fans refer to the 996 as the “ugly ducking” of the 911s.

Both the Boxster and the 996 proved to be profitable for Porsche, and so, the 996 was given a facelift for the 2002 model year. It was given the Turbo headlamps, which were different from those of the Boxster, and the 3.4L flat 6 had its displacement increased to 3.6L, in addition to the adaption of the Variocam system with these engines. The Carrera 4S was also introduced for this model year, which was essentially a 911 with the widebody Turbo look, but with a naturally aspirated version of its engine.

2003 saw the introduction of the facelifted GT3 and for the first time, the GT3RS. Comparing both cars, the GT3RS was a more stripped out version of the GT3. Weight was saved by ridding the interior of unnecessary components, installing a polycarbonate rear window, and having the PCCBs(Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes) as standard. In addition to this, the RS model had an air collector which used pressure build-up to supply extra air to the engine at high speeds. Add as well a new wing made from carbon fibre as well as a roll cage, and you got yourself Porsche’s ultimate track monster at the time. Now, as cool as it seemed back in 2003, North American Porsche enthusiasts were unfortunately not able to obtain the GT3RS new, as it was not sold in North America due to the car having a roll cage, which are not permitted on cars meant for road use.

Fast forward to 2019, and cars have finally begun to land in North American shores, to be more specific, Canadian shores. Canadian law allows the importation of a road vehicle from a foreign country that is not the US if it is at least 15 years old. My local dealer, Pfaff Porsche, got the opportunity to display a privately-owned example which originated from Japan. This particular car has the wheels and side decals in blue(red was the other option in terms of colour). If you ask me, this is my favourite specification for the car, and I must also say that I like how this example is essentially untouched in terms of modifications done to the car. Due to this, I felt as if I was looking at a time capsule.

Looking closer at the car, you can notice some smaller details you may not notice from afar, such as the detail of the carbon fibre on the rear wing, the carbon fibre wing mirrors, and the sticker that is the Porsche crest on the hood. You can also see the detail of the side decals, which 17 years later are still intact, in addition to the blue paint on the wheels. Going to the rear, and you can see the now-coveted GT3RS sticker/badge, which looking closely, is the same typeface used still to this day.

In all, this is a car that I really wanted to see in person, and I am glad I did. I recall seeing the Top Gear review of the car from 2003 with Jeremy Clarkson ripping it around the test track. While the facelifted 996 GT3 did reach North American shores, the RS model is just on a whole different level, as evident by the later cars produced. While subsequent GT3RS models did go on sale in North America, it is interesting to revisit the car that began the modern day RS craze. Now, if only this car could be driven on the track like its meant to be. I hope to be able to continue to find cars just as special for these “Spots” post. There was another special car sitting in the showroom not too far from the RS, which I will be posting about soon, so be on the lookout for that. I hope you enjoyed reading this special post just as I enjoyed writing it.

Best Regards,
Juan Reyes-Abreu

Special thanks to:
Pfaff Porsche, and the owner of the vehicle for having the car on display for everyone to see.
Stuttcars for the facts on the 996 GT3RS.