Photo: Porsche
Ever since the dawn of the modern automobile, aficionados have dreamed about driving racecars on the street. And Porsche is, once again, ready to fulfill that dream, thanks to the freanking-tastic 2018 911 GT3.
While lesser models in the 991.2 Nunelfer line-up have sparked a debate on whether natural aspiration should be replaced by turbocharging, the mid-cycle revamp for the GT3 brings one piece of good news after another.
Then there's the massive underbody diffuser that has moved from the R to the 2018 GT3. With the helf of belly aerodynamics, the GT3 manages to generate 20 percent more downforce than the car is replaces, while preserving the latter's drag coefficient. Of course, the rear wing, which sits further back and higher, thus skipping the turbulence formed behind the rear window, also helps.
Using the new 4.0-liter boxer found in the GT3 Cup racer, the 2018 GT3 mixes the two assets mentioned above. So we get a 9,000 rpm redline while the loud pedal controls 500 ponies and 347 lb-ft of twist. And there's more. Sticking to the racetrack formula, the German engineers have reduced the internal resistance of the powerplant by redesigning the lubrication system and switching from a dynamic to a fixed valvetrain.
The scale footprint of the GT division Porsche has remained unchanged, with the PDK model weighing in at 3,153 lbs. Go for the stick shift, though, and the number drops to 3,116 lbs.
As such, the performance of the naturally aspirated flat-six bearer is mouthwatering. The clutch version can cover the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) run in 3.8 seconds, while the PDK incarnation only needs 3.2 seconds for the job.
The rear-axle steering comes with revised software, while, for comparison sake, we'll also tell you that the GT3 sits 25 mm lower compared to a Carrera S.
The standard brakes are steel units, while the PCCB carbon-cermaic units are offered as an option.
The traditional two-seater layout of the GT3 has obviously been maintained, while up front the 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus are standard (there are two other seating options, one of which will bring you the 918's full bucket units).
Perhaps the juiciest cabin detail comes in the form of the 360mm-diameter Porsche 918 Spyder wheel. As per the 991.2 facelift, the infotainment system comes with Apple Car Play, while Porsche's Track Precision App is standard.
The 2018 GT3 comes with a starting price of $143,600, with the US market launch scheduled to take place this fall. European customers, who will have to pay at least €152,416 , benefit from deliveries that are set to kick off in mid-June.
In the traditional Porsche communication manner, we still have enough tech details to uncover in the coming months. For instance, we haven't been briefed on the 911.2 GT3 tweaking for the PDK tranny.
Oh, and as for the Nurburgring lap time of this street devil, the number to beat is the 2017 Turbo S' 7:18. For the record (no pun intended), we'll mention that the 991 GT3 RS needs 7:20 to go round the Nordschleife.
P.S.: Don't think that the Porsche 911 R has been forgotten for this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show - here's the Tag Heuer one-off revealed at the Swiss event.
Porsche has dipped into the 911 R parts bin for the new GT3
For one thing, Porsche is now applying at least two lessons it has learned with the 911 R. The first sees the new GT3 gaining the R's six-speed manual as an option alongside its PDK.Then there's the massive underbody diffuser that has moved from the R to the 2018 GT3. With the helf of belly aerodynamics, the GT3 manages to generate 20 percent more downforce than the car is replaces, while preserving the latter's drag coefficient. Of course, the rear wing, which sits further back and higher, thus skipping the turbulence formed behind the rear window, also helps.
The 911 GT3 Cup racecar has landed its engine know-how to the street vehicle
Back in the days of the 991.1 generation, you had to choose - one could either go for the 9,000 rpm scream of the GT3's 3.8-liter flat-six or pick the slight hp and torque bump of the 4.0L GT3 RS mill, but with a 200 rpm drop in terms of maximum revs.Using the new 4.0-liter boxer found in the GT3 Cup racer, the 2018 GT3 mixes the two assets mentioned above. So we get a 9,000 rpm redline while the loud pedal controls 500 ponies and 347 lb-ft of twist. And there's more. Sticking to the racetrack formula, the German engineers have reduced the internal resistance of the powerplant by redesigning the lubrication system and switching from a dynamic to a fixed valvetrain.
The scale footprint of the GT division Porsche has remained unchanged, with the PDK model weighing in at 3,153 lbs. Go for the stick shift, though, and the number drops to 3,116 lbs.
As such, the performance of the naturally aspirated flat-six bearer is mouthwatering. The clutch version can cover the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) run in 3.8 seconds, while the PDK incarnation only needs 3.2 seconds for the job.
The rear-axle steering comes with revised software, while, for comparison sake, we'll also tell you that the GT3 sits 25 mm lower compared to a Carrera S.
The standard brakes are steel units, while the PCCB carbon-cermaic units are offered as an option.
The styling
Take a good look at the Guards Red example Porsche is showcasing in Geneva. Two desing changes that caught our eye in particular fashion come from the front fascia, which brings a more masculine chin and from the rear air intakes, which now sit just under the wing, as we discussed on Friday, when we showed you the first pic of the beast.The other delights
In the suspension department, the shock absorbers have a revised setup, while the rear axle gets a new spring configuration. The latter is design to bring superior comfort as Porsche's goal for the new GT3 was to make it even cozier for daily duties, while improving its track assets (more on that below).The traditional two-seater layout of the GT3 has obviously been maintained, while up front the 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus are standard (there are two other seating options, one of which will bring you the 918's full bucket units).
Perhaps the juiciest cabin detail comes in the form of the 360mm-diameter Porsche 918 Spyder wheel. As per the 991.2 facelift, the infotainment system comes with Apple Car Play, while Porsche's Track Precision App is standard.
The future looks fast
As a reminder, we'll tell you that 918 Spyder owners who were offered the opportunity to bet on the exclusivity card (991 units) of the 911 R were treated with a MSRP of 183,900 (the speculation market prices have reached obscene values).The 2018 GT3 comes with a starting price of $143,600, with the US market launch scheduled to take place this fall. European customers, who will have to pay at least €152,416 , benefit from deliveries that are set to kick off in mid-June.
In the traditional Porsche communication manner, we still have enough tech details to uncover in the coming months. For instance, we haven't been briefed on the 911.2 GT3 tweaking for the PDK tranny.
Oh, and as for the Nurburgring lap time of this street devil, the number to beat is the 2017 Turbo S' 7:18. For the record (no pun intended), we'll mention that the 991 GT3 RS needs 7:20 to go round the Nordschleife.
P.S.: Don't think that the Porsche 911 R has been forgotten for this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show - here's the Tag Heuer one-off revealed at the Swiss event.
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