I have to say, when AUTOart announced the Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RS 3.8, I was extremely excited. By far, my favourite 911 from the 997 platform. Add the Black/Gray exterior with accompanying red graphics, and what you have here is the perfect car!

Looking at the outside lines, the team from AUTOart once again replicated the 1:18 model perfectly. Shutlines and panel gaps are excellent, no issues. Exterior paint is rich and smooth throughout, and the application of the Guards Red decals and graphic work is done without issue too. More detail is found in the front with perforated grilles all around, and on top, where the hood meets front bumper. Headlights and indicators are fabricated in nice detail too.

Moving to the rear, detail is much the same as the front. Fantastic work on the rear wing, metal supports, carbon fiber wing, and red fins, all of which are crafted with detail and precision. The lower cooling vent in the center of the rear bumper does feature the appropriate grille work, but I suspect due to its small size, the cool perforated look was not applied. On the plus side, cooling/aerodynamic openings on either side of the rear bumper do support the detailed grille work.

The wheels on the Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RS 3.8 are finished in Guards Red featuring black a centre nut with a Porsche logo. Behind the wheels you’ll find complete and fully detailed calipers and rotors, which finish off the package with flawless execution. Though the shine of the rotors is a little overwhelming, I would have preferred a more subtle finish here. Finally, I can’t forget, NO CAMBER ISSUES! It seems AUTOart finally got the message and re-engineered the rear suspension design.

Lift the rear hatch to expose a monster 3.8L Porsche powerplant. Surprisingly, there is a lot more motor showing than I’ve seen in past models. Though the detail bits are here, it doesn’t have the wow factor or finesse one would like to see. Where AUTOart does shine is the detail with the hood hinges and struts. Both elements add the level of realism that takes a model from good to great! Front storage is nicely executed with full carpeting to boot and updated hinge work we’ve become accustomed to seeing on the latest AUTOart efforts.

The biggest miss on the model for me is the exhaust system. Rear tips are a hair too small, but worse still is the finish on the exhaust. It looks similar to a part you would find in a plastic model kit, unfinished and plain. Not sure what happened here, anyone want to explain?

The interior is beautiful, to say the least. Detail is captured everywhere. From the 3.8 RS logo in the upper headrest section of the seats, to the perforated space just below, it all works. Seatbelts are fabric too, and the door handles left and right as well. Fully carpeted throughout (unfortunately it doesn’t extend to the roof liner, but at this price point can you blame them?) and the nicely detailed Guards Red roll-cage complete the interior package.

This one is a must have for Porsche fans, no exception about it! Overall, the model is a near perfect specimen. What I pointed out are very minor issues with maybe the only exception being the exhaust system. Don’t let these issues steer you away, this one is truly a beauty! I think the toughest challenge will be deciding on what exterior finish to get, as the Aqua Blue is something else. Enjoy the pics!