One of the big presents opened up at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 was the hardcore Porsche 911 GT3. At the heart of this track-ready beast is a high-revving naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat, 6-cylinder engine that shamelessly puts out 500 hp (368 kW) – an output that remains virtually unchanged from the thoroughbred 911 GT3 Cup racing car.
The new 911 GT3 is expected to come into its own at the race tracks, thanks to its incredible weight-to-power ratio of 2.86 kg/hp (3.88 kg/kW). And at the drag strip, with some help from the standard 7-speed double-clutch transmission (PDK), the GT3 is claimed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds; and it won’t accelerating till 318 km/h (198 mph). For those who like to row their own gears, Porsche also offers the 911 GT3 with a 6-speed sports manual gearbox, which enables the “old-school” 911 to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 320 km/h. You should also know that the car weighs in at a light 1,430 kg (with a full tank of fuel).
The chassis of the new 911 GT3 sits around 25 mm lower than the 911 Carrera S. The new chassis improves on the renowned benchmark handling, thanks mostly to the active rear-axle steering, which depending on the speed, steers the rear wheels either in the opposite or the same direction as the front wheels, thereby virtually reducing the wheelbase. Helping its sporty initiatives are dynamic engine mounts and the rear differential lock.
The Porsche 911 GT3 takes visual aggression to a new level with a conspicuous carbon-fibre rear wing, to go with the lightweight front end and front spoiler. Adding to that are vertical slits in the rear bumper, a light weight mesh in the rear valance, a highly-effective new diffusor and ofcourse, blacked out tailpipes.
The interior of the new Porsche 911 GT3 will come with the GT sports steering wheel with a diameter of 360 mm, pilfered right from the 918 Spyder hypercar. Standard seating arrangements include Porsche Sports seats Plus featuring enhanced seat side bolsters and mechanical fore/aft adjustment, with power adjustable seat height and backrests.
Porsche is offering 3 other seat variants for the Porsche 911 GT3, namely the adaptive Sports seats Plus boasts 18-way power adjustments. Then there is the bucket seats with folding backrest, integrated thorax airbag and manual fore/aft adjustment and finally the third variety is the full bucket seats constructed from light carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic in carbon-weave finish.
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) will come as standard equipment and it will also include the Connect Plus module and the Track Precision app – an app that enables 911 GT3 drivers to display, record and analyse detailed driving data on their smartphone.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is now available to order globally. It will be launched in UAE from mid-July, with a starting price of AED 539,500.
