Take the already track-honed and dynamically pin-sharp 997 GT3 as a base, mix well, and there was never really any doubt that utter brilliance was about to be achieved.

First, they concentrated on saving weight, so the rear screen and engine lid are now plastic, and the seats changed for lighter, sportier items clothed in Alcantara rather than heavy leather, as is the steering wheel. Not all the niceties are deleted however, the aircon’s still there.

These modifications mean that even with the standard-fit integrated roll-cage poking through to the chassis where the rear bench seat was, the RS weighs less than the stock GT3, though power from its 3600cc flat-six remains identical at 305 kW. But it’s not all about straight-line figures.

No, the huge carbonfibre rear wing (adjustable), ground-kissing front splitter and monstrous rubber, not to mention the implied increase in chassis rigidity from clocking the cage itself, give better clues as to why the GT3 RS exists. With RWD, that unique 911 rear-biased balance and a distinctly lenient traction control set-up, the RS was made to generate incredible lateral grip and indulge preferably but not necessarily the skilled and 911-initiated pilot with the most thrilling full-bore entertainment and workout possible on road or track.

In fact, scratch that. You can’t enjoy the GT3 RS flat-out on public roads. It’s still a thrill to drive and still absolutely uniquely engaging in this setting, but to push it you absolutely have to have the safety and wide-open spaces that only a racetrack can offer. Simply due to its limits being unbelievably high, and although you can play with traction-loss wherever you like, you do need to be confident to do so without crashing.

On the smooth tarmac of Kyalami, the GT3 RS is in a class of its own, despite a modest power deficit and half the driven wheels of the R8. Of course, the asking price is stratospheric, yet when you’re driving it, it seems like pretty reasonable value. You’ll never tire of the raspy, almost air-cooled low-revs soundtrack morphing into a hard, racecar-derived shriek as you home-in on the 8400 rpm redline, nor the endless adjustability of the chassis backed-up by the kind of rear-end grip that only irrationally placing the engine behind the rear axle can deliver.

It may be slightly compromised on the road and in terms of interior comforts, but we’re not looking for ‘Sedate Cruising Car of the Year’ here, are we?

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