First Drive Review
Driver involvement — it's what distinguishes cars we lust after from cars that merely have impressive performance specifications. It's what makes a Porsche Boxster so much better to drive than the quicker Corvette convertible. It's also what gives us job security, since there's no reliable way — other than getting behind the wheel — to predict if a new model possesses this car/driver relationship.
A high-revving naturally aspirated engine often indicates that a car's engineers have made driver involvement a priority. Working to keep the engine screaming high in the rpm range — and being drawn into the wailing soundtrack — is almost always more rewarding than standing on the gas of a mega-torque turbo.
This thought kept bouncing around in our heads while wringing out the latest and highest-revving version of the 997 Porsche 911 — the GT3.
Driving Impression
Even at idle, you know this is something special. The seats tremble from the high-strung flat-six's lumpy idle, and a stab at the throttle yields instant response. The GT3 goads you to stand on it, and you submit. As the car screams through first gear (in less time than it takes to read this sentence), it becomes apparent that the GT3's gearing is noticeably shorter than that of other 911s. Above about 4000 rpm the cabin fills with a robust growl as the exhaust bypass opens up. Initially, you shift by sound at about 6000 rpm, and the engine feels impressive. But then you realize that you've got another 2400 rpm to play with, and when you push into the upper reaches of the power band, there's an awakening at 6000 rpm. The engine absolutely shrieks to the 8400-rpm redline. Anyone listening on the outside is treated to a fantastic race-quality wail. Your neighbors will hate you. Your neighbors' kids will love you.
On the track, of course, is where the GT3 shines. At first, we thought there was noticeable understeer through some lower-speed sweepers, but it turns out we hadn't started trusting the massive grip of the rear tires yet. Blasting out of a corner, the GT3 has shocking traction — its 415 hp scorches the ground. If you push too hard, the tires break away predictably, and the GT3 is never scary — no amount of experimentation with jumping off the throttle could get the rear end to come around. All the cars we drove had ceramic brakes, which are absolutely fade free and provide a slop-free feel that other companies should benchmark. The short shifter is a welcome improvement, although engagement is now crisp and effort is higher. On the street, we were almost thinking it was notchy, but those thoughts vanished at the track, where the gearbox works perfectly.
Most of the cars we drove had the carbon-fiber seats, which feel like they're bolted directly to the floor, placing the driver low in the cockpit. With stiff and aggressive leg and shoulder bolstering, they're perfect for track work. But they wear quickly on leg and shoulder comfort during any significant street driving, making the U.S.-spec GT3's grippy sport seats a reasonable choice.
But what's so impressive about the GT3 is that despite a major increase in ultimate performance, it also works so much better on the street. The active dampers (PASM), while much stiffer than on standard 911s, go a long way to smoothing out imperfect roads. In normal mode, we were pleasantly surprised not to take a beating over some rough roads we encountered. But picking the extra-firm sport mode makes a dramatic difference.
At high speeds, the new variable-ratio steering dials in some sneeze room to get rid of previous darty behavior. And the GT3 kicked its habit of following pavement grooves. But don't worry; the steering still gives excellent feedback and has an always precise feel.
Okay, so the GT3 isn't a likely option for a daily commuter, nor is it likely to be someone's only car. But for pure driving enthusiasts — people that probably think the 911 Turbo is an autobahn cruiser for fat-cat execs — with a six-figure track-toy budget, what a sweet choice.
Background
The 911 GT3 is the street version of Porsche's production-based racing cars, the GT3 Cup and RSR. This is the second version of the track-junkies' 911 that we will get in the U.S. when it goes on sale in August, starting at $106,795. Porsche plans to sell about 800 in the U.S. the first year.
