Porsche 911 GT3
Latest iteration of Porsche’s road racer gets big changes under the skin for even sharper handling On sale Now Price £130,120
Latest iteration of Porsche’s road racer is sharper and more exciting than ever
IN THE WORLD of motoring, every new sports car must be more powerful and faster than the previous one, or any of its rivals, right? So, should you care that the new Porsche 911 GT3 has a similar power output to its predecessor and that the Mclaren 720S’s 0-62mph time of 2.9sec leaves it for dead? Not in the slightest.
A 198mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 3.4sec are still crazily quick. And in any case, what makes this car special isn’t top speed or acceleration; it’s cornering speed. In this respect, the 911 GT3 is faster than ever.
Without getting too nuts and bolts about it, the latest GT3 has all-new front suspension (double wishbones rather than Macpherson struts, if you’re interested) and bundles more downforce (up to 150% more) to help it generate grip. Around the fabled 13-mile Nürburgring circuit in Germany, it’s 17.5sec quicker than the old car. That’s an awful lot.
The GT3’S epic cornering ability is enhanced by steering that’s beautifully weighted and bursting with feel. The car’s balance is also particularly sweet; basically, this is a racing car, but you can explore its limits and huge reserves of grip comfortable in the knowledge that it won’t snap sideways unless you’re really hamfisted. We’ve only driven it on a track so far, and at anything from seven-tenths to maximum attack, it’s truly sublime.
The naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat six engine is anachronistic in a world of electrification and turbocharging, but it’s hard to beat for sheer excitement. Although it lacks the 720S’s low-end wallop, it builds power intoxicatingly. It’s also seriously responsive at any revs and peaks at a heady 9000rpm. Up there, it’s screaming demonically yet sounds divine.
Then there’s the dualclutch automatic gearbox, which pings through gears like a mechanised money counter goes through wads of cash. We could carry on describing what else makes the GT3 so amazing (the bite of the optional carbonceramic brakes or the fact that it’s one of the few sports cars with a manual gearbox option), but the important thing is this: you don’t need anything faster. Even if your budget is limitless, the 911 GT3 is all the car you’ll ever need for an unapologetically raw and joyful experience.