The Nurburgring has long been a testing ground for a number of the world’s fastest vehicles. It seems that all of the biggest car manufacturers have taken their turns around the Nurburgring with the same goal in mind: set the fastest lap for a production car in one of the world’s most famous circuits
The latest to take a stab at the record is the new Porsche 997 GT3 RS, which took to the track last week. While the record – 6m and 48s set by the Radical SR8LM - was realistically unattainable, the GT3 RS wanted to measure itself up against cars of its caliber.
In the end, the GT3 RS posted a time of 7m and 33s, seven seconds faster than the standard GT3. The time falls way short of the SR8LM’s lap record and is also slower than the Nissan GT-R’s time of 7m 27s. The GT3 RS’s lap time is still an impressive time posted by the folks from Porsche.
Quite possibly the only thing better than a boosted 911 is an all out track car, and that is exactly what the Porsche GT3 is. Taking advantage of a high revving naturally aspirated power plant, the GT3 is connected to the driver in a way that most other performance machines can only dream of. Racing driver Patrick Simon reviews the awesome new 435 HP Porsche 997 GT3 for the German car show DSF Motor, and although we still don’t speak German, it is always reassuring to see someone who is so animated about an automobile. The 911 GT3 is powered by a 3.8 Liter horizontally opposed six cylinder engine that develops 20 HP more than its predecessor and for the first time takes full advantage of the Porsche Stability Management program. The new GT3 accelerates from a standstill to 60 MPH in 4.1 seconds and reaching 100 MPH in just 8.2 seconds and can reach a top speed of 194 MPH.
The all new naturally aspirated Porsche 911 GT3 and even sharper GT3 RS have just received a few new lightweight components from the German sorts car builder’s Motorsport Division aimed at making some of the best purpose built Porsches even better. Like all of Porsche’s high performance components these new pieces have been track tested and not only give the GT3 an edge over the competition but they also give the cars a much sportier appearance.
The new program focuses on replacing the car’s standard parts with units made from lightweight materials: like carbon fiber side mirrors, a titanium tailpipe that turns blue when it is exposed to elevated exhaust temperatures, the rear deck lid and Gurney flap are made out of lightweight carbon fiber further reducing the 911’s curb weight and because carbon is much more rigid than the traditional plastic parts the Porsche engineers were able to enlarge the openings without worrying about the parts failing.
Last but not least, the Porsche Motorsport Division has come up with the next generation 19 inch GT3 wheel. The rollers are designed to attach to the car via a forged aluminum center locking wheel nut just like a real racing car. So if you are looking to take your GT3 to the next level, then consider adding a few of these high performance arts from Porsche.
Just last week Top Speed brought you details about the 450 HP naturally aspirated Porsche 911 GT3 RS that serves as a homologation special for the privateer Porsche racing cars that compete around the world all year long. Today the German automaker has announced that the car the newest version of the car that those individuals will be driving, the GT3 Cup car, will makes its international debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.
The GT3 Cup car features the same wide body in the back, the same sheet metal up front and the same 3.8 Liter flat six as the beefed up GT3 for the street, however in order to create a competitive machine the Porsche fabricators apply the same lightweight thinking that is in the RS but this time with a racing car. So the Cup car receives a few race specific items like a rear wing carried over from last year’s International FIA GT3 car, an all new exhaust that accentuates the burble of the boxer engine while responsibly controlling emissions at the same time. The Cup car comes standard with the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes that drop over 40 pounds from the weight of the car, and because it is a race car there is even more adjustability built into the suspension.
Like all of the 911s built for racing use, the new GT3 Cup car is available exclusively in Carrera White and will be delivered to customers by the end of October, giving them plenty of time to prepare for all the Porsche Mobil1 Super cup and international Porsche Carrera Cups that will be taking place in Germany, Italy, Asia, Japan the Middle East and even here in the U.S.A.
There is always one version of the factory built Porsche 911s that stands head and shoulders above the rest of its backwards engineered brethren. There are some fans of the Stuttgart based sports car manufacturer that prefer the acceleration and grip of a Porsche 911 Turbo which can make any driver look like Sir Walter Rohl; or the wild power of the rear wheel drive only GT2. However you will see seasoned racers behind the wheel of a high revving naturally aspirated Carrera wearing a very racy GT3 badge. This last version of the 911 offers true racetrack performance in a street car and it just got a much beefier RS iteration. In fact the new GT3 RS will take over homologation duties from the slightly lesser car. That is because Porsche has bumped up the displacement resulting in an extra 15 HP, the flat six now makes a Honda poking 118 HP per liter. If there is a reason why you don’t see turbo 911s in competition, this is it.
Porsche engineers have also adapted the Porsche Active Stability Management to work with the track day special RS and widened the car’s track underneath both in front and in back. The GT3 RS wears a set of 245 tires up front and 325 series (12 inches) tires in the back to get the 450 HP to the pavement, both are wrapped around a set of color matching 19 inch wheels. The RS is exclusively shifted via a six speed manual, in this case the gears have been shortened to work with the broader power curve to produce incredible acceleration.
The RS also features a set of high tech dynamic engine mounts that depending on driving conditions, change their stiffness enhancing the link between the engine and chassis under extreme circumstances. Even the battery has become a 21st century item. Replacing the standard unit with a lightweight lithium ion unit that sheds around 22 lbs from the 911’s curb weight. Speaking of lightweight materials, no high performance machine would be complete without a little of the black wavy stuff and the RS is no different. The rather large rear wing is made of carbon fiber while the uprights are made out of strengthened aluminum and the exhaust is made from some pretty exotic titanium. The RS will go on sale in Germany next January with a base price of 122,400 euro, before taxes.
The German sports car manufacturer Porsche will unveil a new face for their track day special 911 Carrera GT3 RS this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Rennsport model will feature a new 3.8 Liter flat six engine complete with fuel saving and power adding direct injection technology derived from the automaker’s GT1 race cars. The result is an increased of 15 HP compared to the current model and more torque throughout the entire RPM range.
The new GT3 RS will also feature a newly designed front suspension derived from the no holds barred RSR purpose built race car, including a number of components made from high strength materials like titanium throughout the chassis. The transmission will also feature a set of shortened gear ratios to improve the vehicle’s acceleration as well as a few very bold decals that only add to the outrageous color choices available, letting the world know that this is no ordinary rear engined sports car, this is the GT3 RS. When the new race ready 911 does hit showrooms, you can expect for the 430 HP super car to be wearing a price tag of around $213,000.
Now this guy has patience. Take two GT3 racecars, a Porsche 911 and a Dodge Viper, put them on the track and wait to see what happens. As the onboard footage from the V10 powered piece of American iron shows, the Viper driver chased down the German flat six for almost 10 minutes before making his move.
In the world of high-performance sports cars you can never have enough. There is no such thing as enough power, enough handling and enough speed. The German backwards engineered sports car maker Porsche knows this all too well. That is exactly why they are always refining their vehicles, like this GT3 RS seen lapping the ‘Ring.
Just over a week ago the Nissan GT-R lapped the 12.9 mile loop of the Nurburgring in 7m 27.56s not only beating their previous record setting run, but also besting the Carrera GT’s time of 7m 28.71s. Porsche was not happy about this, so the Stuttgart based sports car maker brought out their track based model in an attempt to set a record of their own around the German race track. Unfortunately the Porsche GT3 was only able to clock a lap time of 7m and 40s with their ringer Walter Rohrl behind the wheel.
Present at the same testing session, Ferrari was able to achieve a lap time of 7m 45s in their F-430 Scuderia, but it is the German automaker that was left with a sour taste in their mouths claiming the Nissan is incapable of doing better than the 7m 54s they managed with the Japanese giant killer last year.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is a pure driving machine. For 2010 the car features an improved suspension and refined aerodynamics. The new GT3 also received a face lift. The front bumper was redesigned with larger intakes for improved airflow and a new lip spoiler to keep air from travelling underneath the tail happy Porsche.
The 911 GT3 will make its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show in April. The very first example to be sold (priced at $112,200) in the U.S. will be auctioned off for charity. The money raised from the auction will be used to support ESH college preparation programs and a state-of-the-art computer technology center for the residents of Mott Haven in the South Bronx.
The new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 surpasses the previous model in performance with a larger 3.8-liter, 6-cylinder Boxer engine that features a boost in midrange torque, offering a dramatic increase in everyday driving performance. The limited-edition GT3 accelerates to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds and reaches a top track speed of 194 mph. The latest GT3 also receives updates to the suspension, refined aerodynamics with a 100% increase in downforce and new, larger brakes.
6 comments
Picture Gallery
RSS -
Webmaster free news |