In this throwback video, MotorWeek reviews a nimble and bare-bones Porsche.
When I reminisce on the events that led to my interest in automobiles, I distinctly remember the hours I’d spend watching MotorWeek with my father. As a young child, we would regularly sit down to enjoy the entertaining reviews that John H. Davis and crew produced. Of course, when I came across this MotorWeek Retro Review for the 1993 Porsche 911 RS America, I couldn’t help but tune in once again.
Prior to the 911 RS America’s release, Porsche planned to bring over a handful of uniquely prepared models for a Carrera Cup race series, but a struggling economy led to the cancellation of the series. That’s where the RS America comes into the picture.
Davis describes the 911 RS America as the “ultra SlimFast of Porsches,” and that’s a fair assessment. The Porsche 911 RS America featured less sound deadening than regular 911 models, and also did not include a rear seat, door pockets, or power steering. A fixed, lightweight rear spoiler replaced the motorized unit on most 911’s from the era, and the improvements continued with the addition of a sports suspension, plus larger wheels and tires.
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As a result of Porsche’s efforts, the 911 RS America weighed about 80 pounds less than the 911 Carrera 2. MotorWeek took this Porsche to Roebling Road Raceway in Bloomingdale, Georgia to test out its capabilities, and they seemed to notice the difference between the two Porsches. “Compared to the Carrera 2, the RS is noisier and takes more muscle to maneuver,” stated Davis. “But in the end, it’s more rewarding to know.”
In their testing, MotorWeek achieved a 0-60mph time of 5.4 seconds, while they ran the quarter mile in 13.9 seconds at 109mph. On the opposite front, the 911 RS America made a full stop from 60mph in just 108 feet with no brake fade.
MotorWeek thought highly of the 911 RS America, which at the time, was the cheapest 911 in the Porsche lineup with a base price of $54,800. Personally, I also love the idea of a bare bones, lightweight Porsche with pull-strap door handles and cloth-upholstered Recaro sport seats, especially if it knocks a few bucks off the price tag. What do you think of this nimble 911?
Source: MotorWeek
