Hot Wheels 2012 and 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS




One of those popular 911 castings in the Hot Wheels line is the GT3 RS.  When it debut in 2011 it was nicely detailed but I thought came up short of the GT2 that premiered a year before.  Over time I would come to appreciate the casting more, and now for 2016 the all-new GT3 RS arrives with more power and fierce looks.








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The GT3 was built by Porsche to allow the 911 into the GT3 Cup racing circuit, and in order to qualify a number of road-going cars must be built.  Since then the GT3 has always been a step down from the GT2 and all-wheel drive Turbo, but with more natural handling and performacne still way above a standard Carerra coupe.  Hot Wheels released their first GT3 as a Cup race car in 1999, but in 2011 they went for the stock road version.  The front bumpers are updated with more cooling ducts, the rear exhaust more prominent and in the center, a larger fixed rear wing, and on RS models the lower side stripe that on some models match the color of the wheels.  Inside the rear seats are removed and so are most creature comforts, including door handles replaced with pull handles, though radio and HVAC controls are added options.  The only power choice is a 4.0L DOHC flat-six that is now water-cooled and produces 500 horsepower in RS trim to a six-speed manual transmission only.  In 2016 the GT3 RS went for a larger change with a new body that has larger front ducts, front fender vents, larger rear wing, and more power.  The lightweight interior is still prominent, though the 6-speed manual is now replaced with a 7-speed PDK automated manual transmission to the same 4.0L engine with the same output.  For 2018 the 6-speed manual returns as an option.





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The 2012 casting looks the best in the 2013 release in orange with black wheels/stripe and black with orange stripe and wheels (my favorite Porsche deco).  The front has detailed headlights with a vent just below the trunk, while the bumper has large duct openings and a lower chin spoiler.  The sides show off nice body lines with lower ground effects and exterior mirrors, while the rear has a plastic rear spoiler (now metal) with an additional spoiler on the trunk, vents below the trunk, center exhaust, and taillights.  On this car the body tells the story about the details and all of them are properly done.  The interior shows off the Recaro seats with the rear seats deleted and a rollbar in place.  The dashboard has the stock 911 look with the shifter on the bottom, and the Chrono gauge on the center of the dashboard.  The base underneath is smooth until you get to the rear where you see engine details.  On the track the car might sit higher than the new GT3 or the 2010 GT2 but it handles like a proper sports car and its fast and easy to drive.







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For 2016 the GT3 RS now goes into the new 997 platform and with it an all-new casting.  In red the casting looks unfinished as the paint tends to hide most of the details including the front fender vents (I added them with a Sharpie).  The 2017 green with lower GT3 RS stripe and black wheels look proper on this car and changes the impressions of the new GT3 RS from so-so to excellent.  The front has larger headlights that are now part of the window trim like the GT2 with a revised bumper with smaller ducts and a longer chin spoiler.  The fenders are more exaggerated before and give the GT3 a more muscular look now aided by vents behind the front wheels and ahead of the rear wheels.  The rear taillights are narrow LED's, the rear spoiler larger and from what i've heard adjustable, and check out those large dual central exhausts!.







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The base shows some of the engine underneath and that's about as much as you can see on the real car as the trunk only opens to show the vent fans and a few fluid caps.  The interior is more upscale with a rising center console from the Panamera that is loaded with buttons (though not as much as the Panamera).  The touch screen is in the middle and even the gauges have a digital screen in the middle.  The rest of the interior is the bare bones of the GT3 RS with Recaro bucket seats and five point harness, rear rollcage in place of the rear seats, and door pulls instead of handles.  On the track this new GT3 handles better than the old one and feels quick though the casting is not as smooth as the old GT3 RS.  Maybe time will tell how well this new GT3 RS will age gracefully but for now the GT3 RS released in 2011 is by far the better casting of the two.









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Comments

  1. Try harder and use a fine tip permanent marker but, a gel pen for trial versions. I wish I could show you what I did to my ones.

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