ALGARVE, PORTUGAL – The most fearsome, trackworthy Porsche is no longer the naturally aspirated GT3. If Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times mean anything to you, the wondrously capable 918 Spyder has also been eclipsed. The latest King of the ‘Ring and sharpest weapon in the Porsche lineup is the $294,250 911 GT2 RS, a twin-turbocharged, 700 horsepower, rear wheel-drive monster that demolished a lap of the 12.9-mile 'Ring in 6:47.3.

The bespoilered 911 steals the crown from the Lamborghini Huracán Performante by 5 seconds, and is a stunning 10 seconds faster than the all-wheel drive, 887-horsepower 918 Spyder. So when I was invited to sample Porsche’s latest, greatest at the undulating Portimão Circuit in southwestern Portugal, I couldn’t pack my bags fast enough.

A 700-horsepower 911

The GT2 RS’s power gain over the 580-horsepower Turbo S comes from bigger, variable geometry turbos; an updated crankcase and pistons; and a novel multitube air filter that enhances the 3.8-liter flat-6’s breathing.

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Cooling is also key to the performance equation, especially since the engine is at a natural disadvantage due to its aft-mounted layout. Aiding the task is a mechanism with twin nozzles that spray the intercooler during high-temperature conditions, reducing intake temps by as much as 70º F. The system is fed via a carbon fiber, frunk-mounted reservoir. Badass looking NACA ducts on the hood feed air to the massive 16.1-inch carbon ceramic front rotors.

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Aggressive lightweighting is an equally critical part of the go-fast approach. Ditching some 300 pounds compared to the all-wheel drive Turbo S for a curb weight of 3,241 lbs, the GT2 RS incorporates a carbon fiber front lid, a magnesium roof, polyurethane front and rear aprons, and a titanium muffler, among other bits. Nylon door straps may shave a sliver of weight, but we’ll call Porsche’s bluff on this one; the material appears to be used to create a sense of occasion and deference to 1970s-era RS cars. Removal of the rear seats is a more legitimate move, as it shaves 21 pounds.

As for the chassis, for the first time in a road-going Porsche, the suspension benefits from steel ball joints all around, replacing rubber bushings. Buyers can also opt for the $31,000 Weissach package, which saves an extra 40 pounds through carbon fiber sway bars, magnesium wheels, and carbon fiber for the front lid, roof, and rear wing.

911 GT2 RS mode

I’d normally consider my tester’s garish red Alcantara headliner overkill, but when I twist the ignition key with my left hand, I soon forget it when I hear deliciously rough-edged thrum whose bite is as loud as the car’s visual bark. There's no Sport or Sport+ mode or small steering wheel-mounted manettino dial you’ll find on lesser Porsches: the only drivetrain settings here are PDK Sport (which shifts the dual-clutch 7-speed more aggressively), stability control off, and stability and traction control off. Man mode, indeed.

Though it feeds even more decibels into the cabin, the sport exhaust button doesn’t exactly beg to be pressed; any more engine sound, and even the hardiest among us will wish we'd packed earplugs.

Similarly dramatic is the seating posture in the fixed carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic bucket seats, which nestle me deep into a form fitting shape that constricts lateral movement. Buyers can also order the more conventional 18-way electrically adjustable seats, but I far prefer the hardcore perches, which seem to fit the GT2's personality more aptly. Naturally, a five-point racing harness is also available.

There’s a whiff of turbo lag as I accelerate from low rpms, but the escalating ramp up of power produces incredible acceleration as long as I have the nerve to keep the right pedal buried. The car can launch to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds—and get this: its top speed of 211 mph is electronically limited due to the tires. Porsche estimates the fully unleashed engine could attain 220 mph.

Though it requires a certain amount of discipline not to overcook a corner due to the GT2's addictive power delivery, the throttle response never pulls any unexpected punches. While the screaming engine is most definitely turbocharged and unapologetic in its outrageously boosted power delivery, once I wrap your head around the nature of that high-powered beast, the relationship between my pedal inputs and the engine’s responses becomes intuitive. Revs are accompanied by wonderfully raw, reassuringly resonant exhaust noises.

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Glued down but tail happy

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires feel reassuringly glued down in the dry, hardly making me miss the Turbo S’s all-wheel drive configuration. And while a brief spell of rain yielded predictably early rear-end breakaway during even moderate throttle application, the traction and stability control systems work seamlessly enough to keep all but the most twitchy of drivers feeling confident.

Though turn-in doesn’t feel quite as razor sharp as it could at lower speeds, that sensation is actually intentional. For starters, the GT2 RS’s more aggressively tuned rear-axle steering can’t countersteer as much as the Turbo S's because the 21-inch wheels take up more space within the wheelwells. But the steering is also a bit looser on center because the tail wants to rotate rather easily. Of course 700 hp and 553 pound-feet of torque have something to do with that.

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But there’s also a natural tendency for the GT2's tail to kick out off-throttle. According to Lars Kern, the Porsche factory driver who set the Nürburgring record, the car he drove at the ‘Ring used milder rear camber and toe settings to keep the rear end planted during hard braking. Aiding rotation is the Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Plus system, which uses an electronic rear differential lock and brake vectoring. Handle the steering and throttle clumsily mid-corner, and you’ll quickly go from slight understeer or neutrality to oversteer. But manage them smoothly with minutely modulated adjustments, and the car rewards you with outstanding grip and confidence-inspiring poise.

Also helping plant the GT2 RS is the huge rear tail, which in concert with the adjustable front aero, produces up to 1,000 pounds of downforce at top speed. While the traction control light flicked frequently at the 2.9-mile Portimão track, only once did it feel like it was intrusively (and thankfully) saving my bacon—when I momentarily lifted while entering the final, high-speed corner for fear of running wide. By quickly recovering the tail yaw, the system set me back on the proper trajectory and prevented potential gravel-spraying shame. In moments, I was back in the game, tailing Kern at an indicated 180 mph at the end of the straightaway.

Hardly a cruiser

You won’t be surprised to learn that this track-focused beastie does little to accommodate its occupants when negotiating public thoroughfares and highways. The ride is relatively firm and controlled, but it’s also surprisingly compliant in its soft setting, especially with the Weissach package. Porsche says it doubled the spring rates and halved the roll bar stiffness in the GT2 RS, and I believe it. The sticky tires serve up a lot of road noise and that 700-horsepower monster out back also creates a royal drone that might leave more sensitive passengers complaining.

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Still, the treat belongs to the driver, who is rewarded with an endlessly involving amount of feedback from the steering, chassis, and engine. For anyone who has ever complained that the velvet hammer 911 Turbo S is too refined to be stimulating, the GT2 RS responds with a twin-turbocharged wallop.

Fierce, focused, and wildly capable, the GT2 RS offers a startlingly powerful expression of Porsche’s ability to build ultra-high-performance sports cars. Beyond its clinically informative Nürburgring lap time, the GT2 RS stokes desire because it offers one of the most ticklishly entertaining, giggle-inducing ways to get from A to B.

—Basem Wasef

Porsche provided travel and lodging to Internet Brands Automotive to bring you the firsthand report.