
2011 Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RSR Pilots: F. Perrodo, E. Collard, M. Palttala Team: ProSpeed Competition Race: DNF (LMGTE-Am class) at Le Mans in 2014 Spark - S4333 (resin)
Published 06/14/17
Introduced as Porsche’s flagship GT racer in substitution to the 996 GT3, the 997 was a slight improvement over its predecessor. The new engine was a 3996 cm³ six-cylinders boxer with 24 valves and DOHC that produced 455 hp. Porsche also issued 18” BBS wheels fitted with 12”-wide tires on the front and 13”-wide on the rear. The new huge wheels improved a good deal cornering and traction in general. But maybe the most important improvement was the headlights. The design department (finally!) dropped the ungodly terrible fried-egg style of headlights. Instead, Porsche used elegant round ones, like it’s only proper and decent for a 911. Finally the Earth was spinning around the sun again and happiness returned to the land…

ProSpeed’s GT3 RSR #75 (chassis #WP0ZZZ99ZBS799912) didn’t exactly do good in the race. It had to abandon the race because it lost a wheel (😮) on the 194th lap. Nonetheless, even if it’s a DNFer, the car is still very special – it’s an art car. ProSpeed commissioned Belgian graphic artist Loïc Poncelet and he created the Triskelion Porsche. A triskelion is a triple spiral with rotational symmetry, found in Celtic traditions. The symbol relates to earth, fire and water, and mainly using colors Poncelet transferred that to the livery.

The artist’s work is beautiful, and in scale the model looks absolutely g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. And, of course, Spark’s craftsmanship is totally stunning. Consequently, I’m really enticed to open a subsection* in my Le Mans car collection only for art cars where this little beauty would definitively shine.
*Who am I kidding? This GT3 RSR #75 is only the first. Oh dear, it is true, this 1:43 business really is a bottomless pit… 😫