MODEL HISTORY
As much as any other 911, the 996 GT3 epitomises Porsche’s design and manufacturing excellence. A perfect blend of road-going sportscar and track-oriented elaborations, it’s a direct manifestation of a philosophy going back way beyond the much-vaunted Carrera RS 2.7 to evolutions of the 356, such as the 356 Carrera of 1955. The company has always sought to implant its road-going models with lessons learned at the track and, at the Geneva Motor Show in April 1999, the 996 GT3 was announced. It certainly looks the part, with its deep front spoiler and airdam, aerodynamically configured sills and fixed double-decker swan neck rear wing.
The 996 GT3 is the offspring of Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT series production department and manager of Porsche High Performance Cars. A renowned purist, he designed specification to encourage maximum driver involvement. For this reason, Tiptronic and PDK transmissions were off the menu. The Carrera 4’s body shell (incorporating front-end stiffening) was adapted to house the GT3’S dry-sump oil tank, different engine mounts and a larger fuel cell. At the time, standard 996 Carreras were powered by a 3.4-litre flat-six, but in order to stand the strains and stresses of on-track use, the GT3 was equipped with the aforementioned 3.6-litre 'Mezger'. The engine came with 11.7:1 compression ratio, Variocam timing adjustment and fourvalves-per-cylinder, while its plasma-nitrided crankshaft and titanium connecting rods allowed the unit to rev significantly higher than the standard flat-six. The six-speed G96/50 transmission, dual-mass flywheel and forty-percent limited slip differential were sourced from the 993 GT2 and, with close to 360bhp at 7,200rpm and 273lb-ft torque at 5,000rpm on model launch, the 996 GT3 was the most powerful normally aspirated 911 ever made. It remains one of the most sought-after.
The first-generation 996 GT3 is the last road-going Porsche to be built on the factory’s motorsport production line and is the last Porsche to make use of a throttle cable. Aside from ABS, there are no other driver aids. Preuninger really did get things right first time. And, unlike later GT3S (and, of course, their even more hardcore RS derivatives), the original GT3 doesn't shout about its identity. Let's face it, from the outside, this could be a 996 Carrera carrying a factory Aerokit. Only the badge at the rear is the giveaway. It's the same story inside the car — those with a keen eye will spot the GT3 logo on the sill kick plates, rev counter and handbrake lever, but there's precious little else to confirm what's going on. Add the fact most original buyers took advantage of the no-cost audio and air-conditioning upgrades mentioned elsewhere in this buying guide and it becomes clear the original GT3 is very much the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing. And, we reckon, all the better for it.
The 996 Gen II GT3 appeared on the scene in 2004, coinciding with launch of the first GT3 RS. Model buffs reckon the GT3 was somewhat ‘toned down’ to provide contrast with the more aggressive model. Nevertheless, for the first time, the GT3 was available in the USA, a market historically wary of hotter evolutions. The Gen II presents several stylistic changes: the teardrop headlights are sourced from the Turbo — carried over to the rest of the 996 range, replacing the earlier ‘fried eggs’ and to further differentiate the 911 from the Boxster — while the front and rear PU skirts have revised slope angles to the inlets and air ducts, with subtly different curves and splitter. It’s the same at the back panel, which also displays revised contours. The ten-spoke rims are simplified to a single-piece 'cloverleaf', side skirts are moulded to enhance aero and the rear wing is configured as a platform on a pair of struts, becoming an ‘ironing board’ in place of the earlier GT3’S swan-neck biplane.