Rejoice: the Porsche 911 GT3 is back,
and it’s better than ever, says Greg K. after a day caning it
The Geneva show, March 2013: world debut
for the new Porsche 911 GT3. “The performance figures will really surprise
you,” enthuses Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s development boss. “But it is not the
performance figures that make it so memorable. It is the emotional appeal. It
gets under your skin.” It isn’t every day you hear a German engineer indicate
that the driving experience of his new car will be emotional. But then Hatz is
a passionate bloke, especially when it comes to motorsport. And as tradition
dictates, the new 911 GT3 has plenty of that in its genes.
The
Porsche 911 GT3 is back, and it’s better than ever
Fast-forward to today and I’ve just stepped
from the car after an hour’s driving on smooth, winding country roads not far
from where it is produced, in a suburb of Stuttgart, and it is hard to imagine
what more anyone could possibly ask for in a road car. Like its predecessors,
the new 911 GT3 has been developed to provide a platform for Porsche’s
lucrative club sport motor racing activities. However, it also stands on its
own as a road car. It is simply sensational.
It stirs the senses on many different
levels. For a start, there is the styling. To look at the new third-generation
911 GT3 is to know immediately that it is no ordinary 911 Carrera S. There is a
satisfying menace to the appearance that shouts Le Mans, Spa Francorchamps,
Monza. Unique touches include a deep new front bumper with a trio of sizeable
air ducts and prominent splitter, a further duct ahead of the bonnet, new
exterior mirrors and a subtle sill element beneath the doors. The rear is
dominated by a giant wing, with a ram air intake for the rear-mounted engine
and a new bumper with vertical air ducts. The basic body shell is shared with
the 911 Carrera S, with aluminum for the wings, roof, doors and engine lid.
Compared with its predecessor, the new 911 GT3 is 118mm longer, 44mm winder and
35kg heavier, at 1430kg. torsional fully reflects the progress made in other
911-series 911 models in its high-quality dashboard, center console and trim.
There are unique instruments, including a big central seats are fashioned from
carbon fiber and the pedals from aluminum. Tick the right boxes on your order
from and you’ll even get twin-zone air conditioning, like that applied to the
early pre-production prototype we’ve been handed for the day.
The
new 911 GT3 is 118mm longer, 44mm winder and 35kg heavier, at 1430kg
Slot the key into the ignition and the new
911 GT3 fires with a bark every bit as attention-grabbing as that of its
predecessor. There is a mischievous pulse to the engine at idle, a nod to the
motorsport-derived engine and its performance-enhancing trickery. Press a
button on the center tunnel to engage Sport and the familiar bass heavy rumble
hardens in character and increased in volume.
Gear selector into Drive and we’re away
with a fleeting nudge of throttle. The steering feels urgent and beautifully
weighted. The dual-clutch gearbox automatically picks up second and then third
as we run up the hill from Zuffenhausen, showing a new user-friendly
disposition to the Porsche road-racer. Given its narrow sporting focus, the
latest 911 GT3 rides with great composure with its adjustable dampers set to
Comfort at low speeds.
As we hit the autobahn, a searing surge to
the far side of 155mph reveals another thing: a truly mighty engine. From 3.8
liters, it produces a wonderfully sonorous 468bhp at 8250rpm and torque is
324lb ft at 6250rpm. Subjectively, there is far more mid-range shove and
greater flexibility than in its predecessor. The inclusion of direct injection
for the first time also provides a new level of smoothness, high-end
determination and an exhaust note that begins to assault your inner organs as
you set sight on the 9000rpm limiter. Although meeting only Euro5 emissions
standards, it is also claimed to return over 22.0mpg on the combined cycle. And
no, it doesn’t come with anything as mundane as automatic stop-start.
The
latest 911 GT3 rides with great composure with its adjustable dampers set to
Comfort at low speeds.
Not sure about you, but I just don’t buy
into the argument that the 911 GT3 ought to receive a standard six-speed manual
simply to preserve its purity of purpose. When was the last time you saw one on
a Le Mans winner? Exactly. This seven-speed dual-clutch auto allows you to
enjoy the GT3 on more levels than ever before, as well as adding to its
performance potential. Not once during my day did I think that the new
rear-wheel-drive Porsche would be better served by a conventional transmission.
Anyone who suggests the lack of a manual takes away some of the raw emotion is
unlikely to have experience the car in the way that Porsche intended. Yes, it
really is that good. The latest Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is no ordinary
dual-clutch gearbox, but one developed specifically for the rigors of sports
car racing. The shift quality of remarkably smooth yet has a rifle-bolt action
at the business end of the dial. Revised gearing, said to be 15 per cent
shorter than the old 911 GT3’s, combines with added shove and scary traction to
endow Porsche’s latest road-racer with an official 0-61mph time of 3.5sec,
eclipsing its predecessor by 0.4sec. Top speed is 196mph.
