1993 Porsche
911 RSA
Words alone fall frustratingly short of conveying the experience of actually driving such a thoroughbred. The Porsche 911 RS America (AKA 964) was designed by engineers whose ceaseless commitment at Porsche is to create sports cars like the RS— so they themselves may savor them. To fling them along winding Black Forest roads, shifting effortlessly up and down through the gears, enjoying fade-free braking time after time. The stereo is turned off— the engine providing the music. The RS never fails to deliver an aggressive, invigorating driving experience where the balance of power and nimble agility puts the driver in control of its unbridled spirit.
| Engine | Air-cooled, lightweight aluminum alloy horizontally opposed 6-cylinder, crossflow, hemispherical combustion chambers, 2 valves-per-cylinder, resonant induction, rear mounted. |
| Displacement | 3.6 liter |
| Horsepower (SAE net) | 247 @ 6,100 rpm |
| Torque | 228 ft-b @4,800 |
| Compression Ratio | 11.3:1 |
| Fuel/ignition System | Electronic fuel injection, DME controlled with twin plug ignition, dual knock sensors. |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual. |
| Suspension, Front | Independent MacPherson struts, aluminum alloy lower control arms, uprated shock absorbers, 22mm stabilizer bar. |
| Suspension, Rear | Independent aluminum alloy semi-trailing arms, uprated coil springs with toe correction, uprated shock absorbers, 20mm stabilizer bar. |
| Brake System | Power assisted, dual circuit, 4-piston, aluminum alloy, fixed caliper, Anti Lock Brake System. Front: Vented discs, 11.73 in. Rear: Vented discs, 11.77 in. |
| Steering | Rack and pinion. |
| Tires & Wheels | Pressure cast light alloy wheels (5 spoke Turbo design) with anti-theft device. Front: 7J x 17 with 205/50ZR-17 steel belted radial tires. Rear: 8J x 17 with 255/40ZR-17 steel belted radial tires. |
| Acceleration | 0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds |
| Top Track Speed | 162 mph |
| Wheelbase | 89.4 in. |
| Overall Length | 168.3 in. |
| Width | 65.0 in. |
| Height | 51.8 in. |
| Track-Front/Rear | 54.1 in./54.1 in. |
| Ground Clearance | 4.5 in. |
| Curb Weight | 2,954 lbs. |
| Coefficient of drag | 0.34 |
| Exterior Colors | Black, Guards Red, and Grand Prix White.Optional colors are Polar Silver Metallic and Midnight Blue Metallic. |
| Interior | 2-seat Coupe with rear storage compartments in place of rear seats; sport seats with electric height adjustment, seating surfaces covered with black corduroy fabric; and 911 Carrera RS style door panels with straps to open doors that are color keyed to match seatbelts. |
| Safety Features | Driver and passenger-side airbags; three-point safety belts; power windows; one-key central locking and alarm system. |
• Limited slip differential (40%)
• Porsche CRI AM/FM digital display stereo
• Cassette radio with 2 loudspeakers
• Air conditioning with full climate control
• Electric sliding sunroof
It has been said that a sports car such as the RS could have been created only by a handful of companies in the world. Part racing car and part touring car, the RS required close coordination between Racing and Series Production Engineering. The seed for a contemporary RS was planted at Weissach, Porsche's famed Research & Development Center near Stuttgart. It happened during development of an all-out racing version of the Carrera 2 Coupe for the European Carrera Cup Series. No one recalls the exact moment the new RS was born, but it likely happened during "Cup car" prototype testing on the public roads near Weissach.
The same engineers who developed the Carrera Cup race car are responsible for the brilliant R$ America. Their goal: the incomparable road feel of a race car through reduced weight, modified steering and firmer, sportier suspension. To save weight, they eliminated the air conditioning system, power steering pump and sunroof, and replaced the rear seats with a storage compartment. The retractable rear spoiler, motor and mechanism were replaced with a lightweight fixed tail spoiler. The armrest/storage compartments were replaced with "RS style" door panels and a simple color-keyed pull strap. Luggage compartment carpeting was replaced with lightweight black fabric. And finally, to save weight and also let the driver better enjoy the engine sounds, sound deadening materials were removed from the firewall and rear quarter panels. The result: at under 3,000 pounds, the RS is the lightest of any new Porsche in the 1993 line up.
