2014 Porsche 911 GT3 (991): The best 911 I ever drove... so far!
Every Porsche has a race car at its heart, and never was the close relation to car racing so tangible. The new Porsche 911 GT3 was developed from scratch and offers even more dynamism and refined everyday practicality at the highest level. With the GT3, Porsche is marking this 911 anniversary year by opening a new chapter in the area of high performance sports cars. Following the total production of 14,145 GT3 cars since 1999, the fifth generation of the 911 GT3 is set to take on the pole position among the thoroughbred Porsche sports cars with naturally aspirated engines, let's go to Stuttgart and meet her together!
Her Shape
The body and aerodynamics of the new 911 GT3 have been consistently tailored to driving dynamics and performance. Extended wheelbase, wider track in the front and rear as well as lower silhouette. Clear identifying feature is the large, fixed rear wing, which combines low air resistance with a further increase in downforce.
The body of the new 911 GT3 is a development based on the latest 911 Carrera. The extensive use of aluminum in the front and rear body, as well as the floor assembly, reduces the shell weight by around 13 percent compared to the previous model. Roof and wings, rear boot lid and doors are also made of aluminum alloy. In addition, the torsional rigidity was increased by about 25 percent. Both factors become immediately apparent when it comes to vehicle dynamics. The front apron was newly designed for the new 911 GT3, also the new front lights, the larger holes improve air supply to the radiator compared to the 911 Carrera.
Front spoiler and rear wing provide downforce at the front and rear axle, complemented by the underbody panel, which provides an additional diffuser effect due to its rising contour in the engine area.
The Cockpit
In conformity with its character, Oh yes, the interior of the 911 GT3 is sooo sporty. Driver and passenger experience the driving fun in Porsche Sports Seats Plus with raised side supports and mechanical length adjustment. The lumbar support and, for the first time, height adjustment are electric. Since the 911 GT3 has traditionally been a two-seater, the seat shells in the back are covered. The PDK selector lever in the centre console shows a specific GT3 design with a special racing direction, so in the new 911 GT3, upshifts “+” are done backward, and downshifts “–” forward.
The equipment that is always in black with alcantara elements, is typical for the GT3: the seats centers, steering wheel, grip of the selector lever, door handles, arm rests in the door panel, lid of the storage compartment in the centre console as well as the panel of the centre tunnel and the roof lining, including C-pillar.
Among other things, a 4.6-inch color display right to the tachometer; the seven-inch color screen of the CDR audio system or PCM, as well as the two-zone air conditioner for separate temperature settings on the driver and passenger side. An optional Club Sport package is on offer for the new 911 GT3. Alongside a roll cage in screw-mounted version that has been adapted to the new space conditions, the package again contains the pre-fitting for a battery main switch as well as an included six-point belt for the driver side and a fire extinguisher with bracket.
The Heart
Porsche has developed an entirely new engine for the 911 GT3. For the first time, the classical six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine has direct petrol injection in the racing carlike 911, combined with high-performance elements such as dry sump lubrication, titanium connecting rods and forged pistons. It's an extremely high-revving engine capable of reaching up to 9,000 rpm. Moreover, and for "me" the most important, this GT3 has a Porsche Doppelkupplung dual-clutch transmission (PDK) with seven gears, originally created for racing and is now specially developed for the 911 GT3, with characteristics directly inspired by the sequential gearboxes used in motor racing. The engine produces 475 hp at 8,250 rpm, the maximal torque is 440 Nm available at 6,250 rpm.
Gearshifting strategy and response times are fundamentally different from the other Porsche sports cars. This becomes apparent to the driver during manual upshifts in the form of a “lightning shift”, which permits reaction times of less than 100 milliseconds.
The dynamics of a sports car are also determined by the clutch. That's why the PDK comes with a “paddle-neutral” feature. If the driver pulls both shift paddles simultaneously, the clutches of the PDK are opened, and the flow of power between the engine and drive is cut off. Once both shift paddles are released, the clutch engages at lightning speed if the PSM is switched off. With PSM switched on, the clutch is closed quickly, but in a less pulsed manner.
This function offers various motorsport behavior for experts, and here I never meant the Zouzous driving like maniacs on normal roads...
You can also activate the PDK Sport mode to pure race track operation. The cherry on the cake in the new 911 GT3, is the “Launch Control” start up function for maximum acceleration from a standstill.
The Dynamics
The chassis of the new 911 GT3 covers a range of options in terms of vehicle dynamics that is without precedence. The concept is typical for Porsche. Based on a high-precision chassis, the intelligent interaction of active systems is able to adapt the driving characteristics at any time and better than ever to the driving situation. Especially the new active rear-wheel steering and the Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) Plus, used in the 911 GT3 for the first time as standard, expand the range of driving options considerably, completed by active engine mounts, the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and the active damper system (PASM).
The active rear-wheel steering comprises two electro-mechanical actuators, which are used at the left and right side of the rear axle instead of the conventional control arms.
This variability means that the rear-wheel steering contributes significantly to resolve the inherent conflict of driving dynamics between agility and driving stability. This results in advantages when it comes to agility, driving safety and practicality, as well as increased driving performance.
Depending on the driving situation, the active rear-wheel steering is supplemented by the Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus. The system consists of an electronically controlled, fully variable locking rear differential and selective braking interventions at the right or left rear wheel on road surfaces with low traction.
The Porsche Stability Management (PSM) with sporty tuning can be fully deactivated in two stages via the two functional scopes ESC OFF and ESC+TC OFF in the new 911 GT3 as well.
On account of advanced control algorithms, the new 911 GT3 offers a spread of the adaptive damping function both in the Normal Mode and the Sport Mode that is even wider than that of the predecessor model.
Furthermore, the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPM) was enhanced by the auxiliary function of circuit race track mode that also adds to the gain in driving dynamics of the new 911 GT3. Principally, the air temperature and thus the pressure in the tyres is increased with the intensified driving on the race track.
And because performance goes hand in hand with further improvements in braking efficiency, the new 911 GT3 comes with racing-derived composite brake discs with friction rings made of cast iron and aluminum pots, the two components are connected by stainless steel pins.
Optionally, you can order the ceramic brake system Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) which increases the effective friction surface on the front axle by around 14 percent, on the rear axle by roughly 20 percent, added to higher wear resistance.
The GT3 20-inch wheels, developed from scratch, come with a central locking system, which has been optimized further for optimal road contact.
"Lebanon's Special"
A pneumatic lift system on the front axle is offered in the GT3, increasing everyday usability by lifting the body by 30 millimeters in the front at speeds of up to 50 km/h. This way, any damage to the body caused by rough bumps in the road surface or super "jouras" can be prevented, they should have called this option "LR" in Weissach (where the Porsche R&D center is) standing for Lebanese Roads, alileh how many times we hit our cars' bellies on our moon-like roads... ruining our mood, more seriously ruining our car's tyres, rims or more!
Indeed, she's the wildest, sexiest, smartest and most enjoyable 911 I drove during 30 years of 911 ownership and testing, I also grab the opportunity to wish Porsche happy birthday, the 911 just turned 50 years!
Nadim Mehanna