Photo: S. Baldauf/Guido ten Brink
The Porsche 911 line-up may have seen the majority of the range going through the mid-cycle boost, but, on the racing side of the Neunelfer family, the 911 GT3 Cup still used goodies from the previous 997 generation. Well, the Paris Motor Show comes to change that - ladies and gentlemen racers, we give you the 2017 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Gone is the 460 hp Metzger era 3.8-liter flat six, having been replaced by the 4.0-liter heart of the road-going GT3 RS. Note that the boxer engine delivers 485 ponies in this configuration.
The 15 hp loss is due to the endurance racing spec focusing on extended durability, with the German automaker looking to keep maintenance costs in check.
As such, the powerplant has been gifted with a reinforced crankshaft, a heavy-duty lubrication system, as well as other goodies of the sort.
The maintenance-boosting strategy is a key aspect, given the fact that the GT3 Cup is Zuffenhausen's most popular racecar, selling in much greater numbers than the meaner RSR model - it's impossible to mention the GTE Class racecar without adding the fact that the rumor mill speculated on the lack of rear end photos in the racer's partial official release, with forum talk out there mentioning a switch to a mid-engined configuration.
However, the motorsport diet of the thing means the 2017 GT3 Cup tips the scales at 2,645 lbs (1,200 kg), which makes it 650 lbs (295 kg) lighter than the street-savvy GT3 RS.
While circuit aficionados will recognize the generously-sized rear wing from the outgoing GT3 Cup, the redesigned front and rear ends bring an increase in downforce.
On the safety front, the greatest change comes from the larger evacuation hatch, which helps emergency personnel remove the driver from the car in the event of a crash.
Porsche's latest track instrument comes with a price of EUR 189,000 ($213,000) plus tax, with the new 911 GT3 Cup set to make its debut in 2017 and reach a wider audience one year after that.
The 15 hp loss is due to the endurance racing spec focusing on extended durability, with the German automaker looking to keep maintenance costs in check.
As such, the powerplant has been gifted with a reinforced crankshaft, a heavy-duty lubrication system, as well as other goodies of the sort.
The maintenance-boosting strategy is a key aspect, given the fact that the GT3 Cup is Zuffenhausen's most popular racecar, selling in much greater numbers than the meaner RSR model - it's impossible to mention the GTE Class racecar without adding the fact that the rumor mill speculated on the lack of rear end photos in the racer's partial official release, with forum talk out there mentioning a switch to a mid-engined configuration.
However, the motorsport diet of the thing means the 2017 GT3 Cup tips the scales at 2,645 lbs (1,200 kg), which makes it 650 lbs (295 kg) lighter than the street-savvy GT3 RS.
While circuit aficionados will recognize the generously-sized rear wing from the outgoing GT3 Cup, the redesigned front and rear ends bring an increase in downforce.
On the safety front, the greatest change comes from the larger evacuation hatch, which helps emergency personnel remove the driver from the car in the event of a crash.
Porsche's latest track instrument comes with a price of EUR 189,000 ($213,000) plus tax, with the new 911 GT3 Cup set to make its debut in 2017 and reach a wider audience one year after that.
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