When Porsche revived the GT3 badge for the 991-generation 911, it opted to drop the six-speed manual in favor for the seven-speed PDK, a decision that upset most purists.

To make up for that "mistake," Porsche created the 911 R, essentially a 911 GT3 RS without the big rear wing and with a six-speed manual transmission. Enthusiasts went wild and not only the 991 units sold immediately, but many 911 R models were flipped at incredible prices. Until Porsche introduced the 911 GT3 Touring in 2017, 911 RSs were sold for more than $700,000 and sometimes listed at more than $1 million.

It's been four years since Porsche unleashed the 911 R and it's still one of the coolest 911s ever built. It's the kind of car most of us will never get to drive, but thanks to this new video from TheSmokingTire we can get a bit more personal with the 911 R and find out what makes it so special beyond the specs.

A true sleeper design-wise, the 911 R is based on the 991-gen 911 GT3 RS in that it shares the same body and most exterior features.

It also features a unique front splitter and rear diffuser, as well as extra carbon-fiber components in the form of front and rear hoods and fenders. At 3,020 pounds, the 911 R was 110 pounds lighter than the 911 GT3 RS and the lightest 911 available at the time.

Similarities to the 911 GT3 RS continue under the hood, where the 911 R features the 4.0-liter flat-six. The mill was rated at the same 493 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. But it was the transmission that turned the 911 R into a unicorn. Instead of the seven-speed automatic in the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS, Porsche used a bespoke six-speed manual gearbox. Granted, the 911 R was notably slower than the GT3 RS because of this, but it didn't stop 911 fanatics from buying all 991 units in a few days.

Porsche 911 R specifications

The 911 R's original sticker was set at $184,900, almost $10K more than the 911 GT3 RS. Four years later and the wingless GT3 is worth $350,000 to $400,000, which is impressive to say the least.