It’s pretty obvious who’ll come out on top comparing a Porsche 911 GT3 against an entry-level 911 Carrera on a track. Given there is a considerable gap in their price of about £40,000, just how much more performance do you get for that cash? Mat Watson from CarWow put together these two iconic cars for the ultimate battle of price vs performance.
If you are looking to get a Porsche 911, you can choose to get the entry-level 911 Carrera or go full-top-end for a 911 GT3. These two Porsches are in no way comparable in performance, and the price difference between the two is also mountains apart.
The 911 Carrera is the cheapest Porsche 911 you can get (please note that cheap is expensive in Porsche ownership). Powering it is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine that puts out 385 hp and 450 Nm. It weighs 1,505 kg and runs on an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It’s a rear-wheel-drive car with the engine slung out over the back. The 911 Carrera costs about £83,000 in the UK.
The GT3, on the other hand, costs £123,000, that’s £40k more than the entry-level 911 Carrera. Powering the GT3 is a motorsport-derived 4.0-liter natural aspirated engine that revs up to 9,000 rpm. It puts out 510 hp and 470 Nm of torque, 20 Nm more than the entry-level 911. Like the Carrera, it’s also rear-wheel-drive, with a limited-slip-differential, upgraded suspension with a double-wishbone at the front and carbon-ceramic brakes.
So, how do they compare on the track? Well, Watson did a hot lap, some 0 to 60 (97 kph) and 0 to 100 mph (162 kph), and a brake test on both cars to fond out how much Porsche-performance you get for £40,000.
For the hot lap, the Porsche Carrera required 47.9-seconds compared to the GT3’s 46.1-seconds, making it a 1.8-second difference. For the 0 to 60 mph test, the entry-level Carrera needed 3.72-seconds compared to the GT3’s 3.46-seconds. For the 0 to 100 mph test, the 911 Carrera did it in 8.70 seconds compared to the GT3’s 7.53 seconds, and for the brake test, the 911 Carrera stops in 87 meters compared to the GT3’s 82 meters.
From the race data, it looks like there is very little performance for the £40k price difference. However, there are a lot of dynamics to look at, including design, upgrades, handling, drive quality, technology, and more.
Porsches may be overpriced, but the price tag is much more than power and performance. Some may argue it is heritage, motorsports legacy, or a badge that is globally acclaimed.
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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