At the wheel of the Porsche GT3 there are many things that cannot be confessed. To the manufacturer that the test drive will never be long enough, to the police the speed reached in some sections, to acquaintances and friends that it is not easy to leave the cockpit (in every sense). To the simple “curious” it should be explained that this iconic model does not drive like any other car. Not only because of the price, which starts at almost 177,000 euros, the 911 GT3 is not a car for everyone. You need to know how to drive it (the tires that push are the ones behind and the engine is housed at the rear beyond the rear, a solution that no one uses anymore) and you need to know how to appreciate the potential, light years away from the comforts of those who are used to using a daily ‘car.
The fourth generation is the closest road to the world of motorsport that the manufacturer from Zuffenhausen has ever built. From 1999 to today the power has gone from 360 to 510 HP (the new generation has 10 HP more than before) and the torque from 370 to 470 Nm (also in this case 10 Nm more than the outgoing model). The top speed has increased, but not so much: it was 302 km / h last millennium and now it is 320 with the manual gearbox, which is the same as the third generation. From racing cars, the new GT3 has borrowed the double wishbone front suspension and digital instrumentation capable of providing specific indications. The engineers intervened to further increase the car’s affinity with the asphalt. The new GT3 is also equipped with a rear-axle steering and also has an increased braking system. Aerodynamics have been improved both at the front and at the rear, so much so that the downforce has increased by 50% compared to the previous generation in the “basic” version, but which rises to 150% with the Performance solutions, which are reserved for the track.
Slightly larger, the new 911 GT3 remained substantially “light” (starting at 1,418 kilograms) and always without the two rear seats. It has a bonnet made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, special and lighter glasses and a revised exhaust system. When you are behind the wheel you feel like you are sitting on the ground and even if you instinctively try to adjust the rearview mirror it is impossible to avoid hitting the rear wing. The Blister Berg track is a challenging 4.2 kilometer track with several blind curves: there is not a breather. Following the instructor is an act of faith: in those laps you believe in the almighty and in the man who drives the Porsche in front, from whom you lose eye contact on more than one occasion.
On the local roads that surround the compendium it is easier to stretch, even if you could not and even if the track is almost half as wide as that of the circuit. The rumble is impressive, the noise almost embarrassing. But the GT3 is not one of those cars that you use to go shopping (the trunk has a capacity of 64 liters, 90 as an option) or to take the child from school (the second would already be too many). It’s one of those increasingly rare (and expensive) cars that embodies pure driving pleasure. In the case of Porsche, the essence of the brand. It is no coincidence that the manufacturer is keen to let you know that with this new generation, also equipped with the expressly developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires (which can be had on request), test driver Jörg Bergmeister has fallen under the 7-minute barrier ( 6: 59.927) at the Nürburgring, which is one minute less than the time set by Walter Röhrl in 1999 with the first generation 996 GT3.
The “surprise” of the GT3 is that of consumption. If the on-board computer does not deceive, after 42 kilometers behind the wheel on secondary roads, the distance indicated is 7.6 km per liter, which is even higher than that declared for the version with the manual gearbox, which is 7.5. Probably one of the few if not the only data that those who opt for this model do not pay attention to.
PORSCHE 911 GT3, the card
What is that: This is the new generation of the GT3, the road model closest to the world of motorsport made by Porsche. This new evolution, the fourth, also incorporates various elements previously proposed only on racing cars, enhanced by the exclusive setting with engine and rear-wheel drive. Stuff for refined palates. And for people who know how to drive. Really drive.
Dimensions: length 4,573 meters, width 1,852, height 1,279, pitch 2,457.
Rivals: Audi R8, Ferrari 488 Pista, Lamborghini Huracan Evo, Mercedes GT AMG R.
Engines: The road track is offered with a single engine, the evolved six-cylinder naturally aspirated 4.0-liter 510 hp and 470 Nm of torque with double particulate filter, practically 127.6 hp per liter with a weight-to-power ratio of 2.8 kg. for Cv. In the declination with the seven-speed Pdk automatic transmission it weighs 1,435 kilograms and accelerates from 0 to 100 per hour in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 318 km / k. With the six-speed manual gearbox it reaches 320 per hour, but takes 5 tenths more to reach one hundred. The declared consumptions are between 12.4 (Pdk) and 13.3 l / 100 km.
Advantages: acceleration, driving dynamics, braking system
Defects: noise, rear visibility
Production: Zuffenhausen (Germany)
Prices: starting from 176,855 euros (VAT included) regardless of the transmission, double clutch or manual Pdk. For customers of this model only, the manufacturer gives the opportunity to purchase an exclusive Porsche Design chronograph personalized with the vehicle’s chassis number at a cost of 7,750.
