The new Porsche 911 GT3 storms into Geneva.
Pumping out a neck-snapping 475-horsepower, the new Porsche 911 GT3 is designed to deliver track performance and on-road manners.
The fastest and most powerful version of the flagship sports car the German maker has ever introduced, the new GT3 is about more than just raw muscle. It introduces a variety of sophisticated new technologies, including the new rear axle steering system which Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller says is designed to deliver tighter, even more sure-footed cornering.
The new model handily outperforms any previous 911 on the track, said Muller, though he stressed that the GT3 “is still suitable for everyday use” during a preview at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
A large fixed wing, Porsche's first use of active rear steering, and a wider track all contribute to improved performance on and off-track.
Based on the latest-generation Porsche 911 introduced in late 2011, the new GT3 features a new body, chassis and powertrain. The latter is an upgraded version of the 3.8-liter flat-six used in the Porsche Carrera S, a number of key parts swapped out for lighter, more durable components made of titanium. That allows the GT3 to hit a screaming redline of 9,000 RPMs.
The engine is paired with the 7-speed Porsche double-clutch gearbox, the German abbreviated as PDK. Paddle-shifters let the transmission shift at near-Formula One speeds – in turn helping deliver 0 to 60 times of just 3.3 seconds, with a rated top speed of 196 mph. During testing on the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife, or North Loop, the 2013 Porsche 911 GT3 clocked a 7 minute 30 second loop, according to the maker, a three-second improvement over the prior generation sports car and faster than Ferrari’s 458 Italia.
Also give credit to the nearly 2-inch wider track and a fixed rear wing that maximizes downforce at track speeds.
The active rear steering system works both on the track and off, and the sophisticated computer control system can vary the direction the back wheels point depending upon vehicle speed.
For those who might have serious motor sports plans, the conventional brakes can be upgraded to carbon-ceramic and there’s also a Club Sport package that includes a roll cage, racing harness and fire extinguisher.
Also optional are new high-performance LED headlamps.
Porsche will bring the 2013 911 GT3 to the U.S. later this year for $131,350, that price including delivery charges.