Here's Why This Replica Porsche 911 GT3 RS Would Give Purists A Heart Attack

A mid-engine 911?

Under the skin of the 991 GT3 RS body kit, this is actually a Porsche 987 Boxster. Kit Cars with Paul79, has carried out a few of these builds. This is Paul’s second 991 GT3 RS and fifth car project overall. Like the previous 991 GT3 RS replica, this one is also based on a 987 Boxster. But what’s different about this build, is the powertrain used (more on that in a bit). Porsche purists can thankfully get a breath of fresh air since this isn’t an actual 991 GT3 RS.

Paul goes for the more affordable, mid-engine Porsche. This project is different since it is a high-mileage, 2.7-liter Porsche 987 Boxster. Needless to say, not many people will be sad about the EV conversion.

Since there are no structural changes to the chassis, the car only needs to pass the regular MOT test, like all other road-legal vehicles in the United Kingdom. The body kit is all fiberglass for except the doors. It’s done by a U.K.-based company called ANUDIMENSION, and Paul paid the equivalent of $2,000 in 2024 money.

Heading into uncharted territory

Tesla-swapped Porsches are becoming an increasingly common sight in the tuner world. Even established companies like Kalmar Automotive are offering conversion kits like the 7-97 E-Volt, and then, there is the even crazier, Tesla-powered Porsche 911, built by Ruffian Cars and Electric GT.

A lot of research on YouTube, forums, and other mediums is how Paul is going about creating this Tesla-swapped, 991 GT3 RS-looking 987 Boxster, which is no different than what many other DIY enthusiasts are doing. He has a few more things in store for this project to add that final touch.

The Tesla-swapped Porsche 991 GT3 RS replica will get bigger brakes and coil-over suspension. The real challenge will be distributing the batteries between the front and rear sections of the vehicle, to maintain a good weight distribution. After all the wiring has been sorted out, the interior will adopt the looks of the 991 and even feature a roll cage.

Why a Boxster and not a Cayman as a donor car?

So far, all of Paul’s 991 replica builds have been based on the Porsche Boxster. The reason why the Boxster is a better donor car than the Cayman is simple – less cutting is required. The Cayman’s fixed-roof requires cutting while the Boxster’s open-top layout allows for a more straightforward mounting of the 991 side-body panel, making it much easier to achieve the classic 911 roof line.

Making the body panels fit perfectly can be tricky. Luckily, this particular project was started by the previous owner, with much of the bodywork already sorted. Nevertheless, when exploring the similarities between the Porsche 981 and 991 models, the conversion seems slightly less unusual. While it takes between two and three years to finish such a build like this one, do you think it’s worth it?

Should you hate the Tesla-swapped GT3 RS replica? ""

I would say, the short answer is no. There is hardly any car enthusiast who doesn’t know what the 991 GT3 RS is and what it stands for in the world of Porsche 911s. Since this isn’t an actual 911 GT3 RS, but a heavily-modified, re-bodied Boxster, anything goes. While the 987 Boxster is one of the most affordable Porsche sports cars you can buy, it doesn’t have the same value as the track-focused 911.

The 2.7-liter flat-six that normally comes in it is also known to suffer from a few major issues, so when having the chance to swap in a more potent powertrain, why not go for it? To each their own I suppose, but at the end of the day, this is one of the most convincing replicas out there, and it certainly has go to match the show, even if it lacks the iconic sound of a high-revving boxer flat-six engine.