Could this big-winged monster be Porsche’s 992-gen 911 GT3 RS?

Spy photographers in Germany have captured what appears to be the 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS heading back to the Porsche base near the Nürburgring, accompanied by a yellow 991.2-gen 911 GT3.

You know the GT3 RS as the sharpest naturally-aspirated Porsche this side of a full-blown 911 Cup car, and if that is indeed what we’re eyeing, the 992-gen car looks like it won’t stray from that recipe. (The wing! Look at that wing!) Aside from that floating surfboard sitting out back, there are other hints this car is a track-focused monster.

Starting at the front, we can spot a unique fascia with a huge opening meant to funnel as much air as possible to a radiator. Inlets to either side of the opening deflect air around each of the front wheels. These smaller opening will also likely include ducts for brake cooling.

Above that front clip, we see a vast expanse of mesh on the hood, and what appears to be a horizontally-mounted cooling unit stuck between the headlights. (If you squint, that hood could be a modified version of the one found on the track-only GT2 RS Clubsport.) The proliferation of mesh and body holes continues along the side of the vehicle as well. We’re used to the GT3 RS sporting air extractors above the wheel wells, but aft of the normal extractor location, there’s more mesh, likely to dissipate heat and manage air flow around the front of the vehicle.

Although there’s an outside chance that these cooling tactics help to relieve front-end heat generated by an electric motor, we’re not counting on that. We know the 992 generation is built to handle some degree of electrification, but we’re skeptical that Porsche would incorporate such technology into either the GT3 or GT3 RS. These variants are, historically, holdouts for more traditional driving experiences and characterized by their naturally-aspirated powerplants and, in the case of the GT3, an available manual transmission.

On this mule, 20-inch black center-lock wheels hide six-piston brake calipers and what appear to be carbon-ceramic brake rotors roughly the size of dinner plates. The tire of choice appears to be the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2; it looks like the fronts will measure 265/35, but we can’t get a clear view of rear size. (Go ahead and bet on a 300-plus section-width rear.)

At the rear of the car, we see portly hips seemingly shrink-wrapped around massive rear wheels. The rear-wing affixes to the car a lot further forward than the previous 991.2-gen GT3 RS. There’s also a rear diffuser, ready to keep the rear end planted during high-speed maneuvering by sorting the air rushing along the underside of the car.

Oddly, the gaping intakes ahead of the rear wheels that previous GT3 RS models have breathed through are covered on this car. This mule could theoretically be a normal GT3 with a different wing but, given everything going on at the front of the car, we don’t think that’s the case.

Expect the GT3 RS to pack a slightly more powerful version of whatever flat-six goes into the regular GT3. Our money is on an updated version of the 4.0-liter mill found in the current GT3. Don’t expect a manual gearbox in the GT3 RS, though; Porsche’s PDK outpaced the manual box long ago, and we don’t see anything changing here. Thankfully, it sounds like you’ll still be able to row your own in either of the upcoming variants of the normal GT3—the wingless Touring variant or the standard, winged GT3.

Expect Porsche to release the non-RS GT3 first—we’ve already heard and seen that out and about at various race circuits across Europe. Then, keep your eyes peeled for the all-out GT3 RS. Frankly, we can’t wait to see these two variants completed. They’re the purest forms of Porsche heritage, and the fact that an OEM still makes cars like this in today’s driving world tickles us pink. They surely won’t come cheaply, but to those who can afford them, they’ll be worth every penny.