New Porsche 911 GT3 – ‘One Of The All-time Greats’ (Part 2)

Porsche has provided the new 911 GT3 with what it calls a paddle neutral function. When you pull both shift paddles, the clutches of the gearbox open, essentially placing it in neutral. When the shift paddle are released, the clutches engage again, as if you’re dumping the clutch on a conventional manual. Doing this at a standstill with the stability control switched off and the engine buzzing near the red line results in a burnout of monumental magnitude, followed by startling straight-line acceleration once traction has been restored. Alternatively, it can be achieved on the run.

In keeping with previous GT3, the new model receives a largely unique chassis. The layout, with MacPherson strut front and five-link rear suspension, is carried over from other new 911 models, but the individual components have been extensively modified in a move that brings about a 30mm lowering in ride height and 3.9kg reduction in weight for reduced un-sprung mass.

A variable damping system (PASM) with two levels of firmness is part of the standard kit, as is torque vectoring (PTV Plus) that included a locking differential. The center-locking, forged aluminum 20-inch wheels are nine inches wide up front and 12 inches wide at the rear and wear Dunlop Sport Maxx tires: 245/35 fronts and 305/30 rears.

The steering is also completely new and rather special. The front electro-mechanical system is a development of the 911 Carrera S’s and, as on the upcoming 911 Turbo, it works in conjunction with an electro-mechanical rear-wheel steer system. Up to 37mph, it operates the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts, enhancing low-speed agility. Above 50mph, the rear wheels are operated parallel to the front wheels for added longitudinal stability.

What we discover, once we turn off the autobahn and head across undulating valley roads, is that the complex steering system imparts a much calmer feel without any distinguishable trade-off in overall response compared with the conventional hydraulic arrangement of old. There is also exquisite, wonderfully consistent weighting. And the rear-wheel steer? Frankly, if Porsche had not revealed its existence, we might never have noticed it. Which is just the way it should be.

Few questions the mastery of the old 911 GT3, but this new one operates on an altogether higher plane, right up there with the Ferrari 458 Italia for pure, unadulterated dynamic excellence. It turns in with rabid intern, the front end settling brilliantly under hard braking and the tires biting hard to suppress any initial under-steer under load change.

You can push the 911 GT3 incredibly hard in slower, tightly apexed corner or even faster, more open third and fourth-gear bends and always feel totally assured that the rear will remain planted. There is no knife edge to navigate, merely breathtaking body control and wonderful, confidence-inspiring neutrality to the handling. Grip is abundant and traction impressive.

The two-stage stability control system, which has been recalibrated for use both on road and track, allows a small degree of throttle steer before subtly correcting your line. Switching it off opens the door to more lurid over steer. Go one further by turning off the traction control and it becomes even more accommodating. Even so, it requires a good deal of throttle provocation a quite high speeds to successfully kick the tail out. Happily, the whip-crack actions of the blinding effective steering allow you to catch it without much trouble.

Still we’re only scratching the surface of the 911 GT3’s potential dynamic boundaries here on public roads. To experience this car at its best you need a circuit, because its ability to carry big speeds through corners without any premature breakaway on road-legal tires is quite remarkable, as exemplified by Porsche’s claim that the new car has already successfully lapped the Nurburgring in 7min 25sec – two seconds faster than the even more focused 997 GT3 RS 4.0.

To experience this car at its best you need a circuit, because its ability to carry big speeds through corners without any premature breakaway on road-legal tires is quite remarkable

What the Nurburgring won’t be able to reliably reveal is the overall excellence of the new 911 GT3’s ride. Its deftly tuned chassis has pothole-defeating absorption during compression and outstanding rebound control. The brakes with 350mm carbon-ceramic discs all round are no less compelling. They provide huge and unstinting stopping power with superb levels of modulation and impressive feel, even before they’re up to proper operating temperature. I can’t think of any other road car with such outstanding stopping ability.

Our day driving the new 911 GT3 reveals a significantly faster, even more responsive yet more accessible and astonishingly user-friendly car than its predecessor. Its breadth of ability is quite remarkable and very much at the root of its appeal. You can now comfortably drive it to work in automatic mode, yet it has lost none of the customary track-derived qualities when you switch into Sport and give it all it is worth on a deserted country road. Hatz is right. The emotional appeal is a big part of what makes this car so exciting. It is one of Zuffenhausen’s all-time greats.

New Porsche 911 GT3 – ‘One Of The All-time Greats’