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Seven months after starting its project to build a Porsche 911 GT3 rally car for FIA World Rally Championship RGT regulations, what was once a dream is now reality for Tuthill Porsche.
On Thursday, August 21, FIA scrutineers finally affixed the all-important barcode of approval to the roll cage of Tuthill Porsche’s 911 GT3 rally car, agreeing its conformity to exacting RGT regulations and allowing the team to run on this weekend’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland: ninth round of the 2014 World Rally Championship.
“Building an RGT rally Porsche was a must-do adventure for us,” says Tuthill MD, Richard Tuthill, who pilots the groundbreaking 911 on its debut event alongside Stéphane Prévot, one of rallying’s most respected co-drivers. “Tuthill Porsche has rallied Porsche 911s for almost forty years, and our fortunes are inseparable. The new RGT rules finally opened the modern world rally stage to the joy of a Porsche 911, allowing us to create a car that our instincts said fans would appreciate, and privateer drivers would be proud to compete in.”
Popular reaction to the Tuthill Porsche 911 RGT has been remarkable; the car surrounded by a ceaseless throng of cameras, fellow competitors and excited supporters since its first test on Monday.
“The enthusiasm has been humbling: it’s a privilege for us to be here,” continues Richard. “Rallying is the greatest form of motorsport and the more spectators it can gather, the better. Allowing elegant GT cars like the Porsche 911 to compete on premier rallying events could reconnect our sport with fans that may have lost interest because modern WRC cars remain smooth and unruffled in all conditions. RGT cars have a different look, make a different sound and move around a lot more, especially in corners.
“While we must run this event with a 36mm intake air restrictor that costs us around 100 horsepower, we are delighted to debut in Germany and begin to explore our car’s capabilities amongst such prestigious company. As the Tuthill Porsche 911 RGT evolves, we will work with the FIA’s technical experts to develop the balance of power to weight, and eventually realise our goal of an RGT Porsche that is exciting to drive, and to watch. The aim for our debut weekend is to enjoy driving a very cool Porsche, entertain the spectators, learn more about our protégé and bring it home safely.”
ADAC Rallye Deutschland runs from August 22-24. Follow @Tuthill_Porsche for regular updates or track event progress at www.wrc.com.
