The new 718 Boxster will be joined by a second world premiere from Porsche at the Geneva Motor Show next week, one that the company simply describes as a “a strictly limited-edition vehicle”.

Porsche wouldn’t give out any other details on the surprise car, but we’ve heard from multiple sources that it’s going to be the new 911 R, a back-to-basics performance version derived from the GT3 and GT3 RS without some of their crazy aerodynamic addenda, but more crucially, with a seven speed manual gearbox.

We’ll remind you that both the 911 GT3 and its even more hardcore GT3 RS sibling can only be had with Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission.

While some sources say that the 911 R will get a slightly de-tuned version of the GT3’s normally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six with around 450hp instead of 468hp (475PS), others claim that Porsche may just give it the GT3 RS’ naturally-aspirated 493hp (500PS) 4.0-liter flat-six.

Other changes to the car that pays tribute to the original 1967 911 R are expected to include a no frills interior with lightweight sport seats, skinnier tires and a modified chassis setup.

Note: Prototype 2017 Porsche 911 R pictured

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