Connect with us

FIA WEC

Porsche Sells Out Mid-Engined 911 RSRs for 2018

All six mid-engined Porsche 911 RSRs sold for 2018../

Photo: Porsche

All six of the mid-engined Porsche 911 RSRs made available to customers for next year have already been sold, according to Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, who said the demand for the new-for-2017 GTE car has been “unbelievable.”

As revealed by Sportscar365 last month, the German manufacturer will support customer teams alongside its continued factory efforts in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, as part of an increased focus on GT racing.

Walliser said all six of its allocated cars for 2018 have been sold, both to existing customers and new teams to Porsche, with each car listing for 991,000 Euros, plus taxes.

Proton Competition, which has revealed plans of returning to a two-car GTE-Am effort in the WEC next year, is believed to have purchased up to four of the cars, for use also in the ELMS.

“We have some natural customers,” Walliser said. “I will not confirm them, but it’s not too difficult to judge it.

“The demand is unbelievable. We’ve never seen something like that.”

While confirming all of the cars sold in the initial batch will be raced, Walliser indicated that at least one car has gone to an Asian customer, with none likely for the WeatherTech Championship.

Additional cars could be made available for 2019, based on customer demand and the shape of the GTE regulations, which is due for a refresh that year.

“This is something we’ve done for many, many years,” Walliser said of providing customer cars. “We did it with prototypes, the RS Spyder, and GT cars all the time.

“Having Porsches in the customer’s hands, I think that’s also part of the spirit of Le Mans. If you look at the number of entries, the customers are extremely important.

“What I’ve learned with our activities in Asia, there are so many people saying that their dream is to one day drive at Le Mans.

“We have to give them that opportunity. And I would like them to drive it in a Porsche.”

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John

25 Comments
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in FIA WEC