Here is your first picture of a production 311RS Evo X. #01 as it’s known has been a long time coming. #00 was driven across the country more than four (4) times for everything from the Texas Mile, the Modified Tuner Shootout, a film, and even two random road trips to test how realistic a 311RS could actually be.
This first image says a lot about the 311RS Program, it’s come full circle, we’ve done it. From here it only gets better, trust me..
Why wear a horse or an alligator on your chest when you can wear a 311RS? Exactly the same thought we had! The 311RS Polo has arrived and will be available on our web store shortly. For now email info@311RS.com with questions or to place an order.
Speaking of horses on Polos…maybe Mumphrey should have his own polo? We think so too.
It seemed impossible at first, but with careful planning and plenty of skilled labor we had made it happen.We had prepared 311RS #01 for delivery in less than 3 weeks. From start to finish, everything had gone (somewhat) according to plan, including booking an unreal delivery location – Wynn’s Sunset Terrace.
Overlooking the main pool at Wynn Las Vegas, the Sunset Terrace couldn’t have been a more picturesque location to deliver 311RS #01. It had room for #00, #01, and of course ‘ol Blue, the Gates311 Evo X that started it all. We were to deliver the car last night on the opening night of SEMA, with the entire lot of Automotive press in town the timing was just right. On the other side of the country, something far more powerful than even Mumphrey (1 horsepower fyi) had taken control of our situation.
There is no way we could predict the owner of #01 being stuck on the east coast due to a Hurricane, no chance. Especially since the owner was in Las Vegas just the weekend before. With family and a home to care for back east, there was no way to stay in Las Vegas. You see, Hurricane Sandy is a legitimate catastrophe and the delivery of an automobile is nowhere near as important as human life, but my god was I devastated to have to make the call to the Wynn and cancel our event. Especially the night before after the deposit had been secured..
I survived, and again this is nothing compared to what thousands of families, animals, and businesses are enduring because of Hurricane Sandy, but I do feel like we really lost out on a huge opportunity. Luckily, we are able to move forward with the program and look to dial the car in even further. The owner lives and works in NYC, so look for a delivery event to take place out there in early 2013.
Today it finally hit me. We’ve done it. We’re building the first production 311RS!! It will be based on the 2013 Evo X pictured above. Starting with a fresh Evo X for #01 will be a huge improvement over the Jim Russell Racing School tracked-out beast we built #00 with.
#00 was just that, a prototype. We built it as simply as possible while including everything necessary and nothing more. #01 will be getting all of that plus so much more. Time to ding into the notebook and take this thing to the next level. Keep an eye out for plenty of details and some upgrades throughout. Maybe even a throwback or two.
After all of this development with #00, what’s next? #01 of course. Recently we’ve secured the intent to build the first production 311RS, known internally as #01. Before we build all eleven (11) cars, we need to build one that will represent what a production 311RS will look like. One of the main components of the 311RS Program is all of the options that will be available to owners. We didn’t develop the world’s fastest Evo X for nothing.
The intent with #01 is to give people an idea of what’s possible while building their 311RS. It will stay true to the 311RS concept, while sprucing it up a bit in every aspect – Exterior, interior, and of course performance. #01 needs to be special, and it most definitely will be. Look for it to debut around the End of October in Las Vegas.
That’s the news for 311RS up to this point. There is much more coming in the next few months that I can’t wait to share. To any potential owners … know this – We have been working as hard as possible to make the 311RS the best it can possibly be, something that we chose not to rush. That said, I am not relaxing on this, we are just being thorough. If you have any specific questions, please email us at info@311RS.com
It’s slightly depressing to think the Summer of 2012 is almost over. Days on the lake, weekends at the track, girls not wearing many clothes… things I will miss most about this summer. But it’s with great excitement I can announce that with the summer 2012 coming to a close, the 311RS Prototype (#00) has completed it’s final phase of development.
The goal of this final phase of development was to publicly test the 311RS through a series of grueling events that would put #00 through the ringer. Pushing the car as hard as possible to display it’s ability, reliability, and most importantly allow the world to see how well put together the 311RS is. We left off with a brief article covering our trek to Texas for TX Miles 2012, which was a huge success.
#00 recorded an inspiring 3.9sec 0-60 time, ran through the 1/4 mile in 12.4 @ 111mph and continued down the mile to a GPS recorded 163mph pass. A C6 Z06 runs 165 for reference. The posts below give you a look into the process in which we put the 311RS to the test. What we found turned out to be very promising, and quite shocking really.
Driving impressions are one thing, details are another. Having the summer to drive #00 allowed me to fine tune each aspect of the setup that would eventually make up a production 311RS. I need this car to be perfect, not only so the eventual owners’ expectations are met, but for myself. This car is a big deal to me, it has my name on it and that alone is enough to make absolutely certain the car is perfect. When modifying a car there are always things that you’ll want to address. With #00 there were a few things in particular – ride height, rubbing, suspension settings, and tire pressure.
When developing the Gates311 Evo X, we focused solely on the chassis before adding any serious power. In doing so, we learned a few tricks to getting the car as low as possible without compromising the functionality of the suspension and chassis. What we learned directly translates to the 311RS. I wanted the ability to run the car at a similar ride height as with my race car. With only JRZ RS1s on the car, I am happy to report that we’ve done it. Valving and spring adjustments have been made to standard RS1 offered by JRZ to allow us to run the car real nice and low. Better for aero, center of gravity, weight transfer, and of course looks. We do offer suggestions when raising the suspension in the event one of the owners needs slightly differ from my own. Cool part is that as low as the car is, I have been able to avoid scraping the JDP front lip to death.
Running #00 low also allowed us to perfect the fender modifications necessary to fit the 18×10.5 +18 Ce28Ns and the 285/35/18 NT05s. Initially the tires and the fenders got along great. It was love at first contact. But there was no way that a production 311RS would be allowed to rub, so I spent time at AMS Performance engineering a few solutions. I’m happy to say that we’ve solved the rubbing issues. Take the car to the track or pack 5 people in the car, it doesn’t matter.
Details like suspension settings and tire pressure are things that we’d naturally have to sort, but we had some fun with it. Working directly with the manufacturer of the parts, we are able to get information about the parts that are otherwise out of reach. With that knowledge, we created different settings packages for almost every situation imaginable. You’re going on a road trip? Perfect, here are the settings we suggest to maximize fuel economy and comfort. That’s right, we also have a road trip tune from AMS. You’re taking your 311RS to the track? Try these settings if you’d like to push the car hard. You get the idea. There are plenty of other settings we’ve got dialed, but we’ll keep those between us and the eventual owners of the cars.
Having #00 in Mpls for the summer meant I had access to it any time I was home. The car was designed with it the intent of being a street car that you could live with on a daily basis. Turns out that’s exactly what it is. Just as the JRZ RS1s are great on track, they are even better on street. One of the most important ingredients in the 311RS recipe is ride quality. It had to be livable on the daily. A properly suspended car is one that will take abuse on track without abusing you on the drive home. That’s exactly how the 311RS-spec RS1s are damped – Firm, yet plush, without being harsh. On the street you immediately notice how well this car drives. It’s incredibly responsive and communicates as it should, all of what you want to know and nothing you don’t. You feel the bumps, but they do not punish you as with typical overly stiff aftermarket suspension systems. Just enough to let you know exactly the characteristics of the road you are driving on.
Beyond the ride quality, the goal of the street driving portion of this final phase of development was to see how the car would interact with everyone else. Other drivers, passengers, on-lookers, etc. Visually the car looks pretty aggressive being as low as it is, and of course with bright blue Volks and matching stripe. What I’ve noticed is that others tend to really enjoy the car, even with a quick glance. While it’s aggressive, it’s also very clean and unobtrusive. We wanted to the car to have a timeless look. It’s not easy to do when there is a bright blue racing stripe down the side of the car, but I think the 311RS makes it work quite well.
Passengers love the 311RS. Initial assumptions are that they (the passengers) are going to be put through a wild ride, and while that is usually true, the car at least provides them with a smooth wild ride. 350whp isn’t a crazy amount of power, but this car is all about balance. 350whp makes for an incredibly fun car. Turbo lag is non-existent with the OEM turbo which is why we chose to keep it on the base 311RS model. I live in an area that mixes city driving with country roads so on each drive I get to experience the best of both worlds. Cruising to the city, the car is civil and appropriately quiet, while providing plenty of fun.
Highway driving isn’t an issue with noise or ride quality. In 5th, the car actually has a lot of torque. 5th acts as an Overdrive gear at times, but with the AMS bits and a tune, passing cars becomes very easy and quite fun. Lay into the throttle for just a few seconds and you’re already passing 90 … in a 55. In the city is where the car starts to become real fun. Minneapolis isn’t too large and the streets are still somewhat nice. If you lived in NYC, I’m not sure how much fun you’d have with a 311RS on the daily. It is still an Evo… Ripping through first, second, and third between lights is awesome. OEM turbo, AMS bits, and 350whp means you’ve got one quick and agile car.
Over this summer I’ve put 3,500 miles on the car, with a total of 19,421 miles since we created the 311RS in October of 2011. With a few trips across the US, 4,100 miles on track, and literally days behind the wheel I am confident in the 311RS. I am one of the hardest people to impress, especially when it comes to things I create, so the fact the 311RS impressed me means a lot to me personally. We knew going into this that the car would need to be great, and that didn’t seem like an impossibility. But the fact that this car has been as great as it has been came as a surprise. All around too, not just on track, which was the goal. The ideal Evo X. One that you can enjoy every day in whatever situation you choose.
Living less than 2 hours away from Brainerd International Raceway is a treat. Over the past few years they’ve spent some time and money to update the facility, and it shows. What used to be a rundown, sloppy racetrack is now a semi-pro track with FIA approved fencing and fresh tarmac. Unable to make OLoA, BIR became the obvious choice to complete our final phase of development on #00.
Every time I take the car on track I’m amazed. The setup is simple enough … but it’s so effective. I get asked all the time what is done to the suspension on the 311RS. Usually expecting a long list of upgrades, most are shocked to find that with only a set of JRZ RS1s the car is completely dialed. Stock sway bars, stock bushings, stock ball joints, etc. We spent years developing the suspension on the Gates311 Evo X, which are JRZ 3-way Adjustable race shocks, with the intent to have the best handling Evo on the planet. Anyone who has seen that car run in person will say the same thing … it looks so smooth. All of the data we collected went directly into the 311RS-spec RS1s that come standard on the car. I’m proud of that, working directly with JRZ has been a huge achievement for me.
The first time I had #00 at BIR was for a large PCA (Porsche Club of America) event. We have a surprisingly large group of Porsche enthusiasts up here so it’s always cool to run with them. First few sessions of the day were rainy making for some real fun. I’ve always enjoyed driving in the rain. It presents much more of a challenge, but the reward is worth it. The wet track teaches you to handle the car on the limit, be it through a corner, under braking, or accelerating out of a corner. You learn very quickly (or not..) how to maximize the set up you’ve got. I was running a used set of Nitto NT05s for the PCA event, which really aren’t the ideal tire for rain driving. Even so, the car spanked. I was running in Group 4 (1-4) with Porsche Cup cars, vintage 911 race cars, and high HP turbos. Unfortunately none of them had a 311RS, as they were all blue flagged and asked to let us pass.
It became even more unfortunate as the track dried throughout the day. This car is so quick out on track that it shocks people. Running a 1:45 (on street tires) at BIR is like docking with the International Space Station. Not many people do it. In the last session of the day the car was running consistent 1:46-1:47s. Near the 15min mark, I was black flagged. For what you ask? As I pulled into the pits to find out what I had done, the PCA Instructor in charge told me I was going “Too Fast.”. That’s a first. I guess I didn’t see the speed limit signs? I laughed, apologized and went on my way to finish the 30min session. I felt that I owed it to him and the PCA to show I was in fact, not going too fast. The next lap I ran a 1:45 followed by a 1:44. I felt that was enough and pulled back into the pits before causing any more trouble.
Moral of the story – 311RS is “too fast” for the PCA.
The event that wasn’t. For the 311RS that is. OLoA was selected as the 3rd and final competition event that we would enter #00 in as part of the final phase of development. A week before the event, we had to pull out. With conflicting interests, there was no way we could dedicate 10 days to OLoA.
Which was unfortunate…most of the tracks were based in the Midwest so I had a huge advantage being from the area. It was not meant to be for 311RS. It wasn’t all bad though, my friends Leh Keen and Doug Wilks took the Overall win in the TopSpeed GTR. I couldn’t be happier for them! Their car was stout.