2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Chassis

Adding to driving dynamics: the dynamic engine mount system is available as an option in the 911 GT3 and is standard in the 911 GT3 RS. This electronically controlled system minimizes noticeable oscillations and vibrations in the whole drive system, particularly the engine.

The engines in the 911 GT3 models are bolted to the body using two mounts. According to Newton’s law of inertia, a body will continue to move in a uniform straight line unless it is made to change its direction by a force acting upon it. Put more simply: when you are driving into a turn, the vehicle will follow your steering but, at first, the mass of the engine won’t. This means that the rear of the vehicle is pushed outwards after a time lag because of the inert forces from the engine’s mass acting on it.

The dynamic engine mount system minimizes this effect. The steering angle, longitudinal and lateral acceleration values are constantly recorded by sensors and the stiffness of the two engine mounts is changed automatically according to the driving style. This is achieved using a magnetizable (magnetorheological) fluid and an electrically generated magnetic field. The magnetizable particles align with each other and the fluid’s viscosity changes. This alters the stiffness and absorption of the engine mounts: softer for greater comfort and less vibration when driving normally, harder for a more direct driving feel when driving more sportily. Similar characteristics to those of the 911 GT3 race cars where the engine is bolted directly to the body.

The dynamic engine mount system also reduces the vertical oscillations of the engine when accelerating under full load. The result: greater and more uniform We’ve always considered the laws of physics a challenge. Thankfully our engineers haven’t. The new dynamic engine mount system. force on the rear axle, increased traction and better acceleration.

In everyday driving and on the racetrack, this means more stability in most driving situations.

Wheels

The 911 GT3 models run on onepiece 19-inch GT3 wheels. They are painted titanium-color on the 911 GT3 and a contrasting color on the new 911 GT3 RS. Taken directly from motorsport is the central locking device with ‘GT3’ or ‘RS’ logo. The advantages over a conventional five-hole screwed fitting include better driving dynamics and performance thanks to fewer rotating masses and, of course, faster wheel changes. A huge advantage – especially when racing.

The wheel dimensions on the 911 GT3 are 8.5 J x 19 with 235/35 ZR 19 tires (front) and 12 J x 19 with 305/30 ZR 19 tires (rear). Those on the new 911 GT3 RS are even more impressive: 9 J x 19 with 245/35 ZR 19 tires (front) and 12 J x 19 with 325/30 ZR 19 tires (rear). Road-legal sport tires provide the necessary grip for the 911 GT3 models, although the lower tread profile presents a greater risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.

The latest Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is provided as standard. Through the display on the on-board computer, the system gives a warning before the tire pressure becomes too low in the case of either slow or very sudden loss of pressure.

Porsche Stability Magangement (PSM)

To contribute towards safety and driving stability within the dynamic range, the 911 GT3 and new 911 GT3 RS are fitted for the first time with Porsche Stability Management (PSM). In addition to the anti-lock braking system (ABS), it includes two automatic control systems: Stability Control (SC) and Traction Control (TC).

Stability Control (SC) stabilizes the lateral dynamics using sensors which constantly monitor the vehicle’s speed, yaw velocity and lateral acceleration. From this information it is possible to calculate the actual direction of travel. If the vehicle deviates from its course, Stability Control (SC) might initiate selective braking on individual wheels to stabilize the vehicle within the limits of its driving dynamics.

Traction Control (TC), with its integrated automatic brake differential (ABD), anti-slip regulation (ASR) and engine drag-torque control (EDC), regulates the longitudinal dynamics of the car. This sportsoriented traction control improves handling when accelerating on different road surfaces. It also prevents the rear of the car from oversteering if a wheel loses traction under full power. However, the intervention threshold is relatively high, which means that it is rarely employed in normal dry conditions.

A unique feature of PSM on the 911 GT3 models is that the control interventions of both systems are delayed and can be disabled completely in two stages. This enables greater driver involvement, for example, when on the racetrack. Stage 1 disables the Stability Control (SC) via the ‘SC OFF’ switch in the center console. In ‘SC OFF’ mode, the system does not intervene if the car goes offcourse in the lateral direction. In addition to specific steering movements, the vehicle can now also be controlled with the throttle to drive very dynamically around curves. Traction Control (TC) is still active in this mode.

Stage 2 disables Traction Control as well via the separate ‘SC+TC OFF’ switch. In this mode both lateral dynamic control and the traction control functions are deactivated. The driver now has full command of the vehicle.

In both stage 1 (SC OFF) and stage 2 (SC + TC OFF), the lateral dynamic control is not reactivated again even when there is hard braking within the ABS range. This strategy enables motorsport derived dynamics for personalized performance on the racetrack. Compared to the 911 GT3, the PSM in the new 911 GT3 RS is set for even higher performance.

The anti-lock braking system integrated in PSM (ABS 8.0) remains active in all of these settings. ABS ensures that the braking distance is as short as possible for greater safety.

Porsche Active Suspension Management

Both 911 GT3 models have Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), an electronic damper adjustment system, fitted as standard. PASM actively and continuously controls the individual damping forces for each wheel according to current road conditions and driving style. Both models are also 1.2 inches lower than the standard 911 Carrera.

At the press of a button, the driver can choose between two setup modes. ‘Normal’ mode is designed for sporty driving on general roads and on the racetrack in wet conditions. ‘Sport’ mode is especially for maximum lateral acceleration and the best possible traction on the racetrack.

Depending on which mode is set, and the road conditions detected, the system automatically selects the best damper application within the two setup ranges.

A range of sensors monitor the movement of the body during acceleration and braking or on uneven surfaces. The PASM control unit then specifically adjusts the damping force, depending which mode is selected. Pitch and roll are reduced and the road contact of each individual wheel is optimized.

In ‘Sport’ mode the suspension is automatically set to a harder rating specially designed for use on the racetrack. The system will detect any unevenness on the surface and then, to improve road contact, it switches within a few milliseconds to a softer rating within the sport or stiff set-up range. When the track surface becomes smooth again, PASM returns to the original harder rating.

In ‘Normal’ mode, if the driving style becomes more dynamic, the system automatically switches to a sports-oriented rating within the normal set-up range. The suspension becomes stiffer so that driving stability and safety are increased.

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