GT3 (Gen1 and 2)
Revealed at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, the 996 GT3 is also the car that introduced a new badge, as a new measure by which all performance cars have since been tested: a lap of Germany’s Nürburgring. The Gen1 GT3 was the first production car to lap the 20.8km track in under eight minutes, with its time of seven minutes 56 seconds in the capable hands of the aforementioned Walter Röhrl. That time was around 30 seconds quicker than a standard Carrera, which is an incredible gap, though hardly surprising given that the GT3 is essentially a Cup car with number plates.
To achieve this, Porsche’s Weissach engineers applied the Motorsport department engineering to it. The GT3 brought bigger Turbo-derived brakes with monobloc aluminium callipers, 30mm lower, revised, reinforced and easily adjustable suspension, 18-inch wheels and a differing flat six slung out behind the rear axle driving through a Gt3-specific six-speed manual transmission derived from the 993 GT2.
That engine, a 3.6-litre flat six, is not simply a bored and stroked version of the Carrera’s 3.4, but actually a development of Porsche’s GT1 race unit. Dubbed the ‘Mezger’, the 3.6 wouldn’t just be used in the GT3, but would also gain turbos to be used in the range-topping Turbo model. In the GT3, the 3.6-litre dry-sumped Boxer with titanium con-rods develops 360hp at 7,200rpm, allowing a 4.8 second 0-62mph time and a 187mph top speed.
The numbers are inconsequential, and inaccurate if Roland Kussmaul’s claim of travelling at 198mph during an autobahn blast past the minibus carrying the UK automotive press on route on the GT3’S launch location in Germany is to be believed. Within that group, Evo magazine would report the Gen1
GT3 as ‘one of the most exciting Porsches ever’, and we’re not about to disagree – then or now. The GT3,
Gen1 or the later 2, is an incredible driver’s car that’s among our all-time favourite 911s.
The Gen2 car arrived in 2003. It was the first GT product to be developed by GT department boss/ engineer Andreas Preuninger. His team increased its power to 381hp, which developed at 8,200rpm, in turn improving the 0-62mph to 4.5 seconds. Wider front tyres were fitted, with the rears also gaining width. The brakes added two pistons each up front, making six per wheel, with the discs they grabbed growing by 20mm. The wheels were lighter and the transmission was fitted with its own oil cooling. Porsche’s press release stated: “The excellent dynamics have been achieved by the Porsche Motorsport specialists in Weissach without any chassis control system, which could otherwise impair the overall driving experience.” This tells you everything you need to know about the GT3.