If you were a Top Gear fan back in the day like the rest of us, you remember one of the earliest and arguably the best Europe specials the trio ever did. Driving through Europe searching for the best driving heaven. Clarkson in Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, May in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24, and Hammond in the Porsche 997 GT3 RS.
Let’s face it, of the three supercars, the 997 GT3 RS was the least appealing aesthetically. Fernie, as a kid, felt it wasn’t as dramatic as Clarkson’s or May’s choices, even with its futuristic jet-like rear wing. Like most youngsters of that time, he wasn’t old enough to pick up on the subtleties of the top-level Porsches.
Grown-up Fernie has a different opinion about the Porsche 997 GT3 RS. It’s not green like Hammond’s, but Orange, with a black interior. 997 GT3 RS, like its predecessors, has the same exterior design iconic to 911 Porsches, but wait, there’s more.
Naturally, what sets the 997 GT3 RS aside from the rest lies under the hood: the coveted Metzger engine. This Porsche comes with a dry sump, 3.8-liter flat-six making 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. It’s superlight owing to its carbon fiber rear wing, and plastic rear window, and plastic engine cover.
Based on Fernie’s experience behind the wheel, the 997 GT3 RS comes with a European refinement with silk-smooth revs. For a 14-year old car, he feels Porsche was ahead of the game due to the 997 GT3 RS’s perfect pin-sharp steering. It has massive brakes that make it stop on the nose when called upon.
Being superlight, with great steering, brute power, and big brakes, makes this 997 GT3 RS an absolute weapon on the track. It picks up revs phenomenally and is rapidly fast blipping down the gears.
But how did it feel on the road trip across Europe, doing 1,000 miles? Fernie feels the 997 GT3 RS is a bit stiff and clattery for a continental tour. But with that in mind, the Gallardo Superleggera or May’s Aston might have suffered a worse fate on the trip when it comes to comfortability.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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