Porsche 911R: 'purist's' car revealed in Geneva

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Porsche has pulled the covers off its star for this week's Geneva Motor Show – the new 911R - but pictures leaked online having given fans a sneak preview.

The first grainy, pixelated pictures were published on a Dutch Porsche enthusiast blog, detailing the car inside and out. Since then, Porsche has revealed all about its new, limited-edition driver's 911.

The 911R is essentially a 911 GT3 sans wings but with some unique additions. In the back sits the same 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine with 493bhp and 458Nm of torque, though unlike the GT3, it sends power to the rear wheels through a manual gearbox, foregoing the paddle-operated PDK setup that now dominates the 911 range.

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"That should be a timely tonic for Porsche purists who've had their noses put out of joint by the recent move to turbocharging and PDK automatics," says Auto Express, adding that the while it's arguable the brand has recently caused some trepidation for the purist crowd, the 911 R should be the perfect tonic.

As for looks, the 911R wears a similar bodykit to the GT3, with largely the same bumpers, the same central twin-exit exhaust setup at the back and identical centre-lock alloy wheels. But it loses the rear wing and some other aerodynamic aids, while the red stripes running from the bonnet to the engine hatch and the Porsche graphics down the side are new. In place of the large spoilers sitting on the back of the GT3 models is a normal, retractable unit, plus there are carbon fibre bucket seats in the cockpit as well as fabric door handles and a new steering wheel.

According to Autocar, the 911R has been created for a 2017 release to pay homage to its 1967 namesake as a 50th anniversary celebration. The new car will place an emphasis on "simple driving pleasure", focusing purely on driver interaction, feedback and feel and not competitive lap-times.

Given the original placed an emphasis on lightness and used fibreglass-reinforced plastic panels for much of its bodywork, it is no real surprise that similar weight-saving measures are to be found on the 911 R – extensive use of carbon fibre and plastic windows shed 110lbs.

The engine will be a massive pull factor for many, though, says Auto Express. The 4.0-litre flat six can propel the 911R from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds, before topping out at 201mph. The pace nearly matches the 911 Turbo, but the naturally aspirated nature of the R means it will only return 21.2mpg – though this is hardly the point.

"The new 911R, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, is the kind of Porsche you dream up with your mates in the pub," says Top Gear, highlighting the sheer emphasis on hard driving, including the option to spec without air conditioning or, indeed, evan an audio system for even more weight saving.

Production will be limited to just 991 examples and with a price tag of £136,901, it's more than £5,000 above the 911 GT3 RS. "That’s probably the cheapest a 911R will ever be," says Top Gear.