Priced from €304,500

Porsche will unveil the next-generation 911 (991) at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but that doesn't mean the current model (997) is going away anytime soon. Case in point, the company has just announced a series of upgrades for the 2012 911 GT3 R.

First and foremost, the model gains a revised 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine with an optimized intake system. This enables it to produce 500 PS (368 kW / 493 hp) - an increase of 20 PS (15 kW / 20 hp).

Besides the extra power, the car has a softer front anti-roll bar and an upgraded six-speed sequential transmission (with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters) for quicker gear changes.

The 911 GT3 R represents the mid-range of Porsche's customer racing vehicles. The 911 GT3 Cup, as the top-selling race car in the world, serves as the basis. Ranking above the 911 GT3 R is the 911 GT3 RSR, built for GT2 racing, which competes in series like the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series and at the Le Mans 24 hour race.

The 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 R will be delivered to racing teams in November and pricing starts at €304,500 ($434,170).