Rated R

by Michael Tashjian
Technical Chair





Rated R

911R -I love you.  Typically a phrase reserved for your wife, child, or mother, but
today many use it with the 2016 911R in mind.  The new 911 R pays homage to the
911R of 1967 of which only 20 examples were produced.  The 2016 911R had
production capped at 991 (of course), which makes it one of the rarest modern
models from Porsche.  Every few years Porsche comes out with some sort of unique
911 with a catchy name like & "Design Edition" "Black Edition" "Millennium"
typically to clear out the model generation chassis/panels to make room for either
the facelift or completely new design.  Enthusiasts and admirers alike take notice
when a badging in particular occurs, such as GT, RS, GTS, and obviously R.  For
the past 25 years I personally have been waiting for a pure, honest, uncompromising
911 to hit the shelves of my local Porsche dealer.  In the early 90's it was the RS
America and today it is the 911R.  To say it was love at first site may be a stretch as
the allocations had already been filled an oddly enough I was not given one, I knew I
should have picked up a 918 with the Porsche financial 200 year payment plan. 
Once I got over the initial depression of not expecting a delivery of a 911R I decided
to wait patiently to drive one.  In the interim I spent my days drooling over images of the bucket seats and stripes down the hood.  After many agonizing months of
waiting I finally had a client bring one by for a protective wrap and obvious invitation to test the car out together on the Grand Central.  Before reverse was even engaged I knew this was the 911 for me.  The rattling of the flywheel, raw unadulterated sound of the exhaust, and snug fitment of my athletic physic in the houndstooth upholstered bucket seat sold me to the tune of 200K over list at the time.  Before things go form PG to rated R in my driving experience lets looks at some quick stats:

2016 911R
911 Produced
3021 lbs. -seriously they could not shave the 21 lbs. to make it an even number ;-)
6-speed gearbox
4.0-liter engine from the GT3RS
8500 rpm down from 8800 on the GT3RS due to the 
6 speed manual transmission 
500 horsepower
Auto Blip under sport mode for those of you with little feet
Carbon Front hood
Magnesium roof
Plexiglas rear and side windows (NON US)
Optional AC

1967 911R
19 produced and additional 4 prototypes
1764 lbs.
2.0 liter 
210 horsepower @ 8000 rpm
Dual ignition
(1) Fitted with Sportomatic 
Titanium connecting rods
Doors, fenders, hood fiberglass 
No ashtrays or sun visors 

Now back to the almost sexually explicit description of the first drive that may not be suitable for all readers.  As I finally slide into first gear and released the clutch of
which is almost orgasmic, the car took off with more grace than any other Porsche I
have driven before.  It was smooth but violent.  Nervous but controlled.  Sort of the
utopian environment described to you at a young age of which you equated only to
some girl named Mandy or Nicole.  The scream from the 4.0 liter motor through the
exhaust is only comparable to “watching a movie” in the basement of your girlfriends house in high school.  Brakes, well the PCCB is just perfect-nuf said.  Driver comfort? Oddly enough it is like a Lexus with a tubular chassis and RS spyder
driving position coupled with a 959 sense of entitlement.  The rest of the experience
I am holding onto as to share it would leave the readers blush. If/when at all possible get behind the wheel and I promise the experience will be ______. I LOVE THIS CAR.

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