2009 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S

Porsche currently offers fifteen road-going variations on the 911 theme. With coupes, targas and convertibles; rear- and all-wheel-drive; normal aspiration and turbocharging; and an array of higher-horse S models, it should be easy for any Goldilocks to find the right type-997.

If your penchant for Porsche should move you to the track, options have until now been limited (relatively speaking) to the GT3 Cup and GT3 RSR. For 2009, Porsche will offer a GT3 Cup S which slots somewhere in between the two. The car is designed to compete in accordance with FIA GT3 regulations.

Building on the 2007 GT3 Cup, the Cup S adds some details from the GT3 RS road car. The wider RS bodywork means more room for rubber underneath. Tires measuring10.5 inches wide up front and 12 inches in the rear are mounted on three-piece, 18-inch BBS alloy wheels with center locks. An adjustable front splitter and a wider rear wing increase downforce versus the non-S Cup car.

Bigger tires and aero aids should help the GT3 Cup S put its extra power to the tarmac. The 3.6-liter flat-six engine gets optimized engine electronics and a modified exhaust system that bring power up to 440 hp (an increase of 20 over the GT3 Cup) while torque measures 317 lb-ft (up 7). Like the GT3 Cup before it, that power is routed through a six-speed sequential gearbox. Brakes were not ignored and have been upgraded to scrub off the extra speed caused by the added grunt.

The whole package will cost 250,000 Euro (about $362,000 at current rates). Owners of GT3 Cup cars will be able to purchase a kit to get their machines up to S specs.

We'll take ours in one of the retro neon colors offered on the GT3 RS.

Click the links below for high-resolution GT3 Cup S images, as well as a gallery of its street-legal, hot-orange sibling.