I’m about to spend the next almost-one-thousand words attempting to convey just how incredible Paul McLean’s 993 Porsche 911 RSR is.

Undoubtedly, I’ll fall short – not for lack of talent, but because, more than ever before, I wish you, the readers, could experience a day like the one I had with this car. I don’t often get so attached to a vehicle, but I must admit this is in the top three cars I’ve ever featured.

Right. Back to business: time for a serious Porsche history lesson…

The RSR badge holds almost mythical status, one you’ll never find on a Porsche road car. Why? Because RSR stands for ‘RennSport Rennwagen’ – ‘Motorsport Race Car’ in English. No matter how extreme the 992 GT3 RS might be, it’s still not a race car.

The RSR legacy dates back to 1973, with the 911 Carrera 2.8 RSR making a stellar debut in the IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) GT Series.

That Group 4-ready prototype led to a 3.0 version, then a turbocharged 2.1-litre model, and more, growing ever wilder with each iteration. Turbocharged RSRs, renowned now for their deep bumpers and massive wings (far removed from the small ducktails the cars initially sported), have become Porsche racing icons.

Today, you’ll find high-capacity flat-six engines in RSRs, competing at tracks worldwide and often leading the charge in GT3 races. Jägermeister and Brumos cars paved the way for modern titans like Flying Lizard, Falken, and Manthey Racing RSRs.

While modern RSRs are technological marvels fairly far removed from road-going 997s, 991s and 992s, RSRs of the ’90s and early 2000s still bore a striking resemblance to their street versions under the skin.

The 993 RSR, however, is my pick of the bunch. It sits perfectly in the the middle, straddling the line between race car and road car – and that’s important.

The adage ‘Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ may not apply as strongly to a Porsche as any touring car model, but a vehicle that looks like something you might see on the street really does look better on track.

And that’s what makes the 993 RSR so special. It wears the 993 GT2 bolt-on overfenders but sports the narrow rear wing of the Supercup cars. You might wonder: why not the GT2 wing? Well, the RSR is naturally aspirated, while the GT2’s raised deck lid is designed to house the intercooler above its turbocharged engine.

Don’t for one second think that makes it any less of an animal – this car is a monster in its own right.

The 3.8-litre M64/75 flat-six engine behind the RSR’s rear axle is a weapon, bespoke to the Cup 3.8 RSR models – not your ‘standard’ Cup cars. With 345hp on tap and running a custom G50/35 gearbox, the RSR is noticeably quicker than the 993 Cup that came before it.

Beneath the GT2 arches, the RSR boasts several enhancements over the road-going 993 and the Cup cars. Behind the front BBS E82 wheels, you’ll find 380mm GT2 brakes, and all four corners feature two-way adjustable Bilstein coilovers.

Paul’s car currently rides on Toyo Proxes R888R tyres, but it would have almost certainly left the factory on Michelin slicks. The front roll bar can be adjusted from the cockpit, while the chassis’s stiffness and safety have been massively improved by a multi-point roll cage.

But why does the RSR even exist, given its similarities with the 3.8 Cup?

Sure, you could romanticise it, saying, “Well, why shouldn’t it exist? Why would you even ask?” But let’s think about it logically for a second.

The Cup car was designed for ‘gentleman racers’ to compete on an equal Porsche playing field. The RSR, on the other hand, was built to win races against other GT cars, and purpose-built to be competitive in endurance racing straight upon delivery.

Yet, despite its race-focused upgrades and stripped-down nature, the interior is very much a typical Porsche affair: elegant and clean, with nothing out of place. The one exception, in Paul’s car at least, is the passenger Recaro, added to match the driver’s seat.

All 993 RSRs were originally fitted with a single Recaro race seat – appropriate, given its purpose as a race car – but Paul’s retrofitted passenger seat allowed me to experience his car on the move.

It’s a visceral experience, far removed from any 993 I’ve ridden in. The fully rose-jointed suspension and solid-mounted subframes clatter over every imperfection in the road.

The complete lack of sound deadening has turned the cabin into an echo chamber. The engine note? Incredible. It’s loud, but the real sensation comes from the vibrations that pulse through the gearbox and into your bones.

Amusingly, the brakes squeal so loud under typical road conditions that they sound like you’re honking the horn at traffic in front of you. It’s a small but telling detail of how race-focused this car is. But for all its race-ready eccentricities, circuit pedigree, and sheer rawness, there’s one thing about Paul’s 993 RSR that stands out more than anything else: the colour.

Between 1997 and 1998, only 45 993 Cup 3.8 RSRs were produced, and Paul’s is the only one finished in Pastel Yellow.

A special-order car (as if any of them aren’t special…), this South African model was purchased by a dealer who wanted a standout vehicle to flaunt his status.

What better way to do that than by commissioning a true race car to be driven on the road, painted in one of the softest, prettiest, and least aggressive colours Porsche had to offer?

Paul’s 993 RSR is more than just an extraordinary car; it’s a rolling piece of Porsche history with an incredible backstory. As a Porsche enthusiast, I yearn for it to be in my collection – not just to drive but to admire.

Sadly, I don’t have £750,000 (US$955,000) in my bank account. But if you happen to have that kind of money, then this RSR could be yours. After all, it is for sale…

Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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