2001 996.1 GT3RS

“Does it come in Black?” were the words that left Master Bruce Wayne’s lips in the first instalment of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, as he questioned Lucius Fox about “the Beast”..

I imagine that the commissioner of this 996.1 GT3RS, Andreas Knapp-Voith, had a similarly wry smile on his face when he started the ball rolling for this very special RS..

This guy knew how to order from the Options Menu..

This 2001 Porsche 911 GT3 RS was ordered on 22 March 2001 and sold to German industrial heir and sometime racer Andreas Knapp-Voith, who specified the driver training—a €3.000 cost option at the time.

All-in, the total cost of this GT3 RS was €438.480, according to the original order document. Specified in a very menacing black, believed to be the only GT3 RS sold as a ‘non-white’ example, this GT3 RS can only be described as aggressive-looking.

Backing up these looks is an engine which has been increased to 3.7 litres in size and fine-tuned by RS Tuning to produce 485 bhp and 465 Nm of torque.

The conversion to a 3.7L Motor is as I would have done at Hartech with their Oversized Engine Programme should I own a 996. A perfect way to incorporate the [inevitable?] M96 Engine Rebuild with maximising the potential of this super revvy unit and building a Sleeper 996.

Nice to see a BMC Air Filter on it, I installed one in my 993..

It is certainly stripped of all Comforts perhaps warranting an addition R at the end of this GT3RS’s moniker; this thing is built for the Track. Least of all having the Passenger Seat removed, the Front Splitter, Ducts and Aero set this 996 GT3RS to be Class winning. I love it.

All said, I don’t think it would be too hard to achieve a very happy compromise on a 996.1 C4 with that Hartech conversion, a 4WD Delete [the C4 uses the same chassis as the GT3, or vice versa] and some shrewd Suspension & Setup choices. I think the Lightweight Wheels finish it off perfectly, stock Porsche Wheel choices on a 996 can be a little underwhelming.

And the MOMO Prototipo..? Definitely..

For full details, see the ended Auction here..