Hardcore 911 gets 4.0L flat-six and manual fun
Porsche’s track derived GT3 model has now taken over the 992 guise with the long-awaited unveiling of the 992-series 911 GT3.
The new GT3 is described by Porsche as “a highly athletic road car fit for high-performance driving on track balanced with the demands of everyday use”.
Porsche Motorsport as usual has been greatly involved in the making of the GT3’s development, with the aim to mirror “pure racing technology into a production model more consistently than ever before”.
The new model features a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six, making 10bhp more than the previous gen GT3 at 503bhp, and allows the car to hit a top speed of 199mph (198mph with the PDK gearbox). It can also cover 0-62mph in 3.4sec. The engine, as with the old GT3’s, is capable of revving to a dizzying 9000rpm. Porsche quotes combined fuel economy figures of 21.7-21.9mpg, with CO2 at 283-304g/km, depending on the car’s specification.
It also gets significant aerodynamic and technological upgrades, which in turn helped the new model to set a sub-7min lap time around the Nürburgring. The car has a claimed kerb weight of 1418kg with the six-speed manual gearbox and 1435kg with the seven-speed PDK automatic.
The 911 GT3 profits from large exterior advancements with the intention to enhance aerodynamics and cooling. The most noteworthy addition is a new ‘swan neck’ manually adjustable rear wing, adapted from the 911 RSR racing car. It works with a rear diffuser with large slats for increased downforce, that can also be adjusted into a ‘Performance’ position to increase downforce but Porsche claims this mode is reserved “strictly for outings on the circuit”.
Changes to the front of the GT3 include a deeper front bumper with extended openings for optimized brake cooling, a large central intake, plus a Carbon bonnet with integrated air outlets, inspired by motorsport.
A number of customisation options via the Porsche Exclusive range are available, including carbon mirror tops, darkened headlights, a redesigned rear light cluster and Guards Red or Shark Blue paintwork for the edge of the wheel rims.
An extensive use of carbon fibre helps the new model lose only 5kg to its smaller predecessor, carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) is used to make the bonnet, lightweight glass is also present, “optimised” brake discs and forged alloy wheels are listed alongside a lighter rear seat compartment, furthermore, a lightweight exhaust system, which saves 10kg, features “infinitely” adjustable flaps to ensure a “highly emotional sound experience” while still meeting the latest emissions and noise regulations.
The 992 GT3 has a extensively revamped and race-inspired front suspension layout that uses double wishbones for the first time. The rear axle, meanwhile, is a modified multi-link set-up from the standard 992 with rear-wheel steering.
The “optimised” brake discs, 408mm discs on the front axle and 380mm on the rear have yet to have any detail if there is an optional carbon-ceramic system. The standard wheel choices are 20in at the front and 21in at the rear, with 255/35-profile Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres at the front and 315/30 items at the rear. The 911 GT3 can also be had with optional, more track-focused Michelin Cup 2 R tyres.
The new 911 GT3 interior shares almost all of its structure with the standard 992 911’s, albeit with lightweight gains such as the necessary rear seat delete and reduced sound deadening. However, there is no longer the option to delete the air conditioning to reduce weight further.
Alongside abundant use of Alcantara trim, sports seats and a half roll cage, there is one major change over the standard 992 models and that being the gear selector. Rather than the shift-by-wire toggle switch, the PDK-equipped GT3 features a shifter that looks almost identical to the manual gearbox’s lever. Porsche GT boss Andreas Preuninger specified this feature because he prefers shifting via the centre console than using paddle shifts.
The other main new cabin feature is a ‘track screen’. When selected, this reduces the information displayed on the two digital displays located either side of the central rev counter to essential information needed on track, such as tyre pressures, oil pressure and temperature, water temperature and fuel level. A motorsport-derived shift assistant provides coloured bars to show revs on these screens, along with a shift-up light.
On sale now for a price of £123k, the first deliveries of the new 911 GT3 are expected to begin in May, with UK customers getting invited to explore their new car’s abilities at the Porsche Experience Centre in Silverstone.