The Geneva Motor Show is always huge, but this year is shaping up to be bigger than ever. The Pagani Huayra Roadster, the 812 Superfast, the Huracan Performante and now a new GT3!
The headline news here is that Porsche have heard the cry to bring three pedals back to the GT3. While the PDK transmission still comes as standard there is – as rumored many months ago – a no cost option, six speed manual. The Stuttgart based automaker has also decided to defy their current face-lifting trend by not to strapping on any turbos. Instead, the engine is a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat six unit. Power is a shade under 500bhp. While this is the same as the RS and R variants, this engine has revised internals and a lower operating temperature. Doesn’t sound very exciting, but it does mean the face-lift retains the GT3’s 9000rpm redline. If your familiar with the GT3 soundtrack, you’ll know how good it sounds in its last few hundread rpm’s.
Claimed 0-62mph time for the PDK is a very respectable 3.4 seconds. Even with the sizable rear wing, top speed is 199mph. Should you opt for the manual, the 0-62mph climbs to 3.9 seconds. However, because of reduced mechanical losses, the top speed climbs with it, to a nice round 200mph.
As ever the GT3 has a host of features over the lower ranking Carrera’s including: 25mm lower ride height, four wheel steering and dynamic engine mounts. You get a mechanical limited slip diff with the manual or a fully active one integrated into the PDK. Despite generous splashes of carbon fibre, all those features understandably add up to a slightly bulky kerb weight of 1,430kg. Not exactly a house on wheels, but many Porsche nerds purists will be screaming that it’s just too heavy for the “lightweight” Carrera model.
There are some aesthetic changes too but as you’d expect, most of the work is in the name of aerodynamics. There’s a re-designed and lighter front bumper which has sharper lines in an effort to smooth air round the sides. Underneath you’ll find a similar set up to the wingless 911R. So, when you do slap a wing on the back, it means the new GT3 has the same downforce as 997 RS. Other external changes include new lights front and back as well a questionable pin stripe job on the wheels.
The interior is covered in alcantra and if you check the right boxes, a bunch of carbon fibre too. There are four different seat options but naturally, the fixed back carbon 918 seats are the ones to go for (especially with contrast stitching and a fancy GT3 stripe). It will come as no surprise to see the GT3 gets the updated touch screen found across the rest of the Carrera range but, like the 911R, you can spec an empty space if your feeling extra hardcore.
Prices start at £111,802. A very reasonable sum when you consider some folks are asking near on a million quid for the 911R. Assuming you’ve got the funds, the only real question that remains is, PDK or manual?