Something for Duncan!!

[ZWEAPON]

Rippin'.
There's no better word for it. That is the sound that the Porsche 3.8-liter flat-6 makes as it rages toward its fuel cutoff at 8,500 rpm. Here, blazing across the Mojave Desert, this engine is motivating the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 to the tune of almost 155 mph. Finally our fear of arrest outweighs our desire to hear the engine completely unwind itself, so this winged demon of a car will not be reaching its claimed top speed of 193 mph today.
But even now, at 227 feet per second, stability rules. There's nothing to indicate the chassis of the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 is remotely troubled by this high-speed pace. Steering has the same weighty confidence it demonstrated 50 mph ago, body motions are insignificant, mirrors don't even vibrate. All these qualities are good indications that this GT3 — the most special of Porsches — has done this before.
And that it's made for it.



Good Genes
That the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 is among Porsche's most serious driving cars is no secret. Still, we're more impressed than ever by this machine's distinct lack of compromise. Its singularity of purpose is evident in every control that you touch in the cockpit.

Porsche makes no effort to hide the GT3's purpose with controls that feel artificially light. Forget about a city-friendly, M3-like clutch effort. Motivating the GT3 without a bog or a jolt requires immense attention to the clutch's friction point, not to mention precise throttle application. Fluid gearchanges are only achieved with deliberate shoves of the shift lever matched to precise footwork with the clutch and throttle pedals. Steering loads are considerable. Taken as a whole, nothing about the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 feels quite right in the urban environment of daily life.
And that's intentional, because this car isn't meant for any urban environment.

It's only when the GT3 leaves the city and finds the right road or the right racetrack that this car melds with its driver. Its high-effort controls demand deliberate, decisive and honest inputs, but the reward comes in the form of dynamic limits higher than in virtually any other road car.

Not for Sissies
Perhaps more than any other made today, the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 is capable of delivering an intense driving experience. It requires a certain dedication, as this car isn't going to win any fans from the softer-is-better camp. It's solid. It's loud. Its tires scream. And what it offers in control, it compromises in comfort. This is not the realm of the happy medium. This is the land of commitment.
Thankfully, there's still one car available today that's not afraid to make a statement about its purpose.

Make no mistake, the GT3 screams its intent with ample volume. Should you miss this not-so-subtle message in its every nuance, it will discipline. We operated the GT3 on the track and on the road with the knowledge that it won't hesitate to punish mistakes. Restraint is one word to describe our approach. Sissy is another.

Certainly, this Porsche clearly communicates its intentions when it comes to dynamic performance, and your efforts through the controls will bend the GT3 to your will. But even expert drivers will do well to understand that the laws of physics still apply. This unique machine places 61 percent of its weight on its rear axle and makes peak power at a staggering 7,600 rpm, and such a combination demands control inputs of textbook correctness. Drive accordingly.

We did and found that straight braking, late turn-in and tempered throttle application still made this car faster than just about anything else we've driven.

More Power, Same Weight
As we learned in our First Drive of the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3, this new-generation GT3 has the new 3.8-liter flat-6 to replace the former 3.6, and output has increased to 435 horsepower from 415 hp while torque leaps to 317 pound-feet of torque from 299 lb-ft. Within the flat-6 you'll find forged titanium connecting rods, and there's infinitely variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust cams.

Still, this is a relatively old engine in Porsche's quiver. This mill has its roots in Porsche's GT1-class racing efforts, yet it still doesn't incorporate direct injection like most of the latest street-legal engines. (Of course, this means there's plenty of room to turn the screws power-wise on the next GT3.) And forget about a dual-clutch automated manual transmission and plan on doing the shifting yourself, because power is delivered through only a six-speed manual transaxle and limited-slip differential.
Though the 2010 GT3 incorporates a larger engine and some additional features, it weighs the same as the previous-generation GT3. Our heavily optioned test car weighs 3,271 pounds, only 33 pounds more than the 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 we tested.

Kicking Ass
When it comes to getting down the road, the GT3 doesn't quite have the outright power and grip of the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo, but it still wastes no time honking through a quarter-mile pass. Our tester manages the task in 11.9 seconds at 119.4 mph, 0.3 second quicker and 3 mph faster than the previous GT3. Acceleration to 60 mph from a standstill requires 4.0 seconds (issues with the grip from our test surface likely accounts for the car's inability to match the former GT3's 3.9-second mark), and when you allow 1 foot of rollout as you would on a drag strip, the new GT3's performance improves to 3.8 seconds.

Stopping from 60 mph requires only 99 feet and proves utterly uneventful. Our test car wasn't fitted with the optional carbon-ceramic brake rotors but did carry sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires.

Unfortunately our test surface also compromised slalom and skid-pad performance, as this new GT3 splits the slalom cones at 73.4 mph and circles the skid pad at 0.98g. Our 2007 GT3 had the benefit of a perfectly smooth surface designed for automotive testing and it delivered 75.3 mph in the slalom and a staggering 1.02g on the skid pad.

Taking Names
Aerodynamic downforce is nearly doubled relative to the former GT3 thanks in part to a new rear wing design. The other half of the equation is a ride height that's a full 1.2 inches lower than a current Porsche 911 Carrera, a measure that diminishes speed-sapping airflow beneath the car. A flat under-car tray with ducting for the rear brakes further enhances aerodynamics.
Mitigating damage to the GT3's low-riding front aero splitter is an optional system that reinstates that lost 1.2 inches of ride height at the push of a button by inflating air chambers in the front dampers. It's a particularly nice feature that we used to navigate every manner of obstacle, from drainage ditches to driveways.

That said, Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM) is part of the GT3 in conjunction with stiffer springs and antiroll bars. Pushing the Sport button further increases damping. The system remains active by retaining the ability to switch to a milder damping curve should it sense a rough road.

Other proof that the GT3 is only a set of slicks away from being a full racecar? How about the reduction of unsprung weight and rotational mass with the use of a central locking nut on the wheels?

The Final Tally
Starting at a price of $113,150, the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 isn't light on the wallet. Our test car wore a long list of options, including $2,295 adaptive sport seats and the $3,490 axle-lift system for the front wheels. The total, including the $1,300 gas-guzzler tax and $950 destination fee, comes to $131,400.

More important than the price of this Porsche is the fact that the GT3 is among an ever-diminishing category of performance cars built today. It is fast and it is relatively simple. There is no all-wheel drive and no automatically shifting transmissions to muck up the driving experience. Sure, the electronics incorporate safety nets if you choose to use them. But they can be fully disabled so the GT3 driver can at once experience unbridled oneness with the machine and unfettered fear of death. The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 is a machine devoted to driving. This is an incredible engine and genuinely accomplished chassis. This is, well, rippin'."

[Gearhead999s]

Imbedded for you.
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It's funny seeing this toight as a long conversation this AM with one of my clients who has a 06 911 C2S that he has tracked quite a bit when he is not playing with one of his bikes at the track.He has also raced a C5 Z06 in regional racing and the subject of the GT3 came up to replace his C2s and he thinks that he would have much more fun on track with a new track prepped 5.0 Mustang than he would with a GT3 because of the limits being so high and not being as tolerant of mistakes as something like an M3 or Vette.More food for thought!
He is also another person who likes Calabogie a lot more than going to the big track at Mosport and will probally join us on our CMP adventures this year.

[MMMorish]

That's a beautiful car! Sounds nice in stock for too.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by MMMorish

That's a beautiful car! Sounds nice in stock for too.

If the GT3 has the Sport Chrono package it also controls the flap in the exhaust for that great sound!

[Jaypod]

I saw a black 997.1 GT3 this morning on the 403, did the only thing I could think of and stepped on it and passed him with the X5 (not sure if he noticed though...)

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by Jaypod

I saw a black 997.1 GT3 this morning on the 403, did the only thing I could think of and stepped on it and passed him with the X5 (not sure if he noticed though...)

He is probally wishing he had his Cayenne Turbo to show that asshole in the X5 something

[MMMorish]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

He is probally wishing he had his Cayenne Turbo to show that asshole in the X5 something

That wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[M3 vert]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

He is probally wishing he had his Cayenne Turbo to show that asshole in the X5 something

And yet again if it was X5M, all hell would break loose and he wish he never looked at jay

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by M3 vert

And yet again if it was X5M, all hell would break loose and he wish he never looked at jay

Then there would be 2 idiots in 2 stupid trucks:

[M3 vert]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

Then there would be 2 idiots in 2 stupid trucks:

Dont call the X5M stupid its the fastest SUV money can buy today!
0-60 in 4.0seconds (12.5 1/4 miles i think )

But the X6M I would personally choose over the X5M

[MMMorish]

Originally Posted by Gearhead999s

Then there would be 2 idiots in 2 stupid trucks:

+1

Originally Posted by M3 vert

Dont call the X5M stupid its the fastest SUV money can buy today!
0-60 in 4.0seconds (12.5 1/4 miles i think )

But the X6M I would personally choose over the X5M

+1 to this too. It is a pretty fast truck. Dumb, but fast!

[AMOCHOSTO]

On my way to change my wheels at the dealership, I saw a 911 GT3 RS parked outside Downtown Porsche white with red "ricer" stickers. I was going to go check it out on the way back, but I forgot. Too happy about my RAC's I guess.

[M3 vert]

Originally Posted by MMMorish

+1



+1 to this too. It is a pretty fast truck. Dumb, but fast!

Nick it beats the laws of physics, i had one for a few days and it was insane

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by M3 vert

Nick it beats the laws of physics, a

Go give your head a shake!Do you realize what you just said?

Nice truck?Yes but give me the one with the diesel and I would be more than happy as that makes sense for these times.If I am going to have something with over 500horse it better weigh less than 4000 lbs and be a vehicle that is real M not a tank wearing a M badge.Trucks serve a useful purpose but to go fast I will do it a proper performance car!

[1MOREMOD]

im taking donations for my get chris a gt3 foundation!

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by chriszeh

im taking donations for my get chris a gt3 foundation!

My Get Duncan a GT3 foundation comes before yours

[1MOREMOD]

we need to get a group together and buy a m3, zo6, exige sc260, cayman s, gt3, gt-r, then trade them around between members once a month.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by chriszeh

we need to get a group together and buy a m3, zo6, exige sc260, cayman s, gt3, gt-r, then trade them around between members once a month.

It could work if the cars were kept at Calabogie Motorsports

[1MOREMOD]

kind of a long commute to trade if you want in you need to move.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by chriszeh

kind of a long commute to trade if you want in you need to move.

Be OK for us in "The Centre of the Universe"

[1MOREMOD]

i wish there was some sort of service so i could rent a different hi end vehicle on a monthly basis for a reasonable rate. i would change every 2-3 months then.

[Gearhead999s]

Originally Posted by chriszeh

i wish there was some sort of service so i could rent a different hi end vehicle on a monthly basis for a reasonable rate. i would change every 2-3 months then.

It has been tried a few times before around here and it never seems to work out very well for those involved.The cars that were used were just trashed by people that had no business being around those vehicles.Same thing for most of the high end rentals that I have seen.