2022 Porsche 911 GT3 - A racecar for the street
From Porsche - 2022
In the new Porsche 911 GT3, the brand’s most powerful genes combine to create something even stronger. Motorsport legends Walter Röhrl and Jörg Bergmeister provide expert analysis of the state-of-the-art racer for the road.
The latest GT3 incorporates more racing technology than any of its predecessors. The layout of the double wishbone front axle, the refined aerodynamics with the swan-neck rear wing, and the striking diffuser are just a few of many examples. Bergmeister, now 45, knows the components well from the Porsche 911 RSR – the GT factory racing car that delivered Le Mans victories and championship titles for Porsche.
All perfectly lovely, all high-tech, but the absolute sensation always was and still remains this absolute sound.
Exhilarating,” says Röhrl approvingly. “No car lover can resist it.” Bergmeister nods in agreement. He’s working on the next generation of enthusiasts. “My threeyear- old son always likes it when the sport exhaust system is activated,” he grins.
The orchestral, naturally aspirated engine mobilises 375 kW (510 PS). The four-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine is based on the racing engine in the 911 GT3 R and is used in a practically unmodified state in the new 911 GT3 Cup. All of the high-performance technology comes from Porsche Motorsport –developed in Flacht, the legendary complex at the southern end of the Weissach Development Centre.
When equipped with the standard PDK transmission, the new GT3 sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds and achieves a top speed of 318 km/h. It delivers its maximum engine output at 8,400 rpm. “Over 20 years, practically all the advancements that were developed for the GT racing cars were adopted in the road car,” notes Röhrl.
“I have never driven a better series production car,” Bergmeister adds. “You always know exactly what the car is going to do.” Röhrl
confirms: “Balance is the key to driving fast. And I’ve been a weight reduction fanatic all my life.” The 1.96-metre-tall rally legend patshis flat stomach with a grin. “When I hear that the new GT3, which is much larger, and much more capable, essentially weighs justunder 70 kilos more than the first GT3, I can only doff my hat to a masterpiece of technology.”
From the GT race car straight to the series model
The car’s commendable weight is also down to insights from the racing world. The front hood made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic,for example, or the lightweight glass windows, optimised brake rotors and forged alloy wheels. The lightweight sport exhaust system itself saves a stately 10 kg. All told, the GT3 weighs in at a svelte 1,435 kg. Die-hard purists can order a six-speed manual transmission that tips the scales with an additional 17 kg. Further weight-optimised components, such as the exposed carbon fibre roof, are also available.
The visual shift assistant with coloured bars to the left and right of the tachometer is useful on the track. The bars fill in yellow and flash blue at the optimum shifting speed. The shift light is racing technology from Flacht as well. And the new track screen delivers
performance-relevant information such as the tyre and oil pressure, temperatures and fill levels. With all these and other details, the GT3 is unquestionably an athlete designed for the thrill of a track excursion. But not only that.
The most powerful series 911 with a naturally aspirated engine offers an astonishing level of everyday comfort for what is a razor-sharp driving machine. What else is there to say? The final word goes to the grand master of driving: “I am often asked which is my favourite 911,” says Röhrl. “It’s always the latest one – and the next one.”
The 2022 Porsche GT3 is available now in Canada for a starting price of $180,000.
