Nick Jeffery
If you’re chasing maximum acceleration and top speeds, there are plenty of other cars that can deliver that kick for less cash. However, that ignores what Porsche is about, and what the older models offer in terms of driver satisfaction.
The GT3 is a case in point. Each new generation is quicker and more refined that the previous one, but does that make it “better”? Every time I get in my GT3 I’m blown away. That 3.6-litre Mezger engine in the rear is a special motor, from idle all the way to the 8,400rpm redline. Like most race car engines, it possesses an uneven idle, the revs constantly ebbing and flowing as it begs to be driven.
The steering wheel is free from buttons or paddles. The thickness of the wheel is spot on and the overall diameter perfect. The gearbox falls perfectly to hand and it doesn’t take long to find the optimum seating position. The view from all angles is perfect, while the proportions and footprint are modest by modern standards, the size perfectly suited to our British B roads. And that’s all before you turn a wheel in anger!
It’s not all good news, though. The gearbox can be obstinate when cold and the clutch is insanely heavy, which makes driving in traffic an often unpleasant experience. It’s noisy too. Wind and tyre roar are the order of the day matched only by the howl of that motorsport-derived flat six screaming out back. On standard dampers the ride is firm. Activating the PASM only makes things worse.
Yet it’s the challenge and intensity of the driving experience that keeps you coming back for more. A 997 GT3 isn’t a car to relax in. Wrestling the steering across Britain’s scarred tarmac, checking your throttle and steering inputs on every corner. Focusing on extracting every last ounce of performance without bouncing off the rev limiter, especially on the down shifts. It all goes to make up a scintillating driver experience unmatched by any other car I’ve driven – unless you’re talking about other 997 and 996 generation
GT3S, of course.
I have nothing against the 992 and 991 generations but, for me, they’re just too big and too powerful for UK roads. They may offer quicker lap times around your favourite circuit, but most of my driving is done on the road, where the old school charm of the earlier generations shines through.