Green Hell: the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS breaks cover

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The Porsche 911 is not only among the most iconic sports cars ever made, it’s also one of the most versatile. There aren’t many carmakers that can spawn a grand tourer, a convertible and a track-honed weapon from the same two-door platform, as Porsche has done with the 911.

Now there’s a new model, as the German car giant has just announced an updated version of its hardcore 911 GT3 RS.

Previous editions of the car were heavily inspired by the company’s racing machines and are often bought by fans to hurtle around the 12.9-mile Nurburgring circuit - often referred to as the Green Hell - in Germany.

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The new version will be no exception, as it features carbon fibre winglets above the wheel arches and a large wing above the rear-mounted engine.

While these appeared on the previous GT3 RS, which was released in 2015, they have been revised on the new model to improve downforce. There’s also a track-focused optional extra called the Weissach package, which features lightweight carbon fibre parts on the chassis and in the cabin.

The old car’s 3.8-litre engine has been replaced by a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six motor derived from the non-RS version of the 911 GT3. It produces 513bhp and 346lb ft of torque, says Evo, which is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed PDK gearbox.

With launch control enabled, the new GT3 RS will send you from 0-62mph in just 3.2sec and on to a top speed of 194mph.

Inside, the GT3 RS comes with bucket seats with optional racing-style six-point seatbelts and carbon fibre highlights along the centre console. It is a lightweight supercar, after all.

But you still get an infotainment system with sat nav, as well as an analogue stopwatch that sits in the centre of the dashboard.

The GT3 RS is due to go on sale in mid-April, with prices starting at around £141,000. You can also see the car in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show, which takes place from 8 to 18 March.