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New Porsche 911 GT3 Spotted Flying On Nurburgring, Sub-7m Lap Time Rumored

When Porsche introduced a new 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six for the 991.2 incarnation of the 911 GT3, we knew the engine would become a key member of the lineup. Meanwhile, the unit has been adapted for the GT3 RS, as well as for the Speedster swansong. And we can expect the N/A boxer to stay with us for the 992 Neunelfer - the most powerful clue towards this seems to be the soundtrack of the new 911 GT3 prototype.
New Porsche 911 GT3 Spotted Flying On Nurburgring 1 photo
Photo: Carspotter Jeroen/YouTube
I've brought along a piece of footage that shows a 992 GT3 test car blitzing the Nurburgring (more on the pace of the tester below).

And the soundtrack of the rear-engined machine clearly says "atmoshperic engine". Now, Zuffenhausen engineers have also ensured the engine complies to the latest emission standard when coming up with the 2020 911 Speedster application.

And while I'm not sure the individual throttle bodies of the 1,948-unit edition will make it to the 992 GT3 (these do reduce cold startup emissions, though), the Otto Particulate Filters definitely will. Then again, Porsche explains that a new muffler design means the result is actually 10 kg lighter, despite the said pair of filters.

Then again, aficionados wonder if the OPF hardware has made the 9,000 rpm engine less vocal. And while the said Green Hell clip does allow us to sample the voice of the unit, we'll have to wait for the production 992 GT3 to show up before an actual comparo can be made.

With the new eight-speed PDK on the 2020 911 Carrera S not appearing to be sharper than the 7-speed unit it replaces, perhaps the GT3 implementation will do something about this.

And since so many Porschephiles were thrilled by the return of the six-speed manual on the 991.2 GT3, this should show up on the list of options for the newcomer.

Returning to the Nurburgring assault of the 992 GT3, you should know the Porscha is expected to enter the sub-7 club. And while the outgoing model's 7:12.7 already seems amazing, there are plenty of chassis changes (think: wider tracks) that mean the said goal could be within reach.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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