Sunday 12th March 2017
Next GT3 RS to be mid-engined?
These questions and more put to the men who'll be making the decision
A round table (OK, it was actually rectangular) with Andreas Preuninger and Dr Frank Walliser is a nice way to end a long day at the Geneva show, the two of them relaxed and chatty even after a long day in front of the likes of us. There's a rapport between these guys and the UK hacks though and the conversation is always free flowing and relaxed. Although often credited as 'head of Porsche GT cars' Preuninger's job title is actually 'Manager - High Performance Cars' (given who he works for that carries some extra cool points) while Walliser, formerly the project chief on the 918 Spyder, is head of the whole GT and Motorsport department.
Never say never on a mid-engined one...
Topics for discussion included 'that' Lamborghini lap - Preuninger says he loves the car, Walliser wants 'his' lap record back - and the 911 R's influence on the new GT3. Walliser regards the R as an "ice breaker" for shifting the focus away from relentless fixation with stats and more to the 'fun' side of driving fast cars and doesn't rule out further influence on mainstream Porsche product down the line. Cheering news for those who missed out perhaps and both are keen to emphasise much of what went into the R is now in the GT3. And the newer car is considerably faster.
But they're still motorsport guys. So will they follow the lead of the RSR race car and make the next 911 GT3 or RS mid-engined to follow suit? Knowing looks are exchanged, some 'not any time soon' platitudes offered and then the shrugged "never say never" from Preuninger. On a related theme and given the GT3 is the last 911 in the range to use a naturally-aspirated engine will the Cayman GT4 replacement use a similar engine or a tickled four-cylinder turbo? "Do we look like four-cylinder guys?" asks Preuninger. Walliser laughs along but makes the point the 718 engine is something unique in the market and not without its advantages.
So just how many manuals will be bought?
And finally that question hanging over
the new GT3 - what is the expected sales split between manual and PDK? Both laugh and say they're taking bets in the office. Walliser jokes it may be zero manual, Preuninger reckons 40:60 split in favour of PDK. Truth is they don't know. One thing Preuninger is certain about - the new engine in the GT3 is, in his words, "maybe the most impressive engine Porsche has ever made." Some claim. We look forward to finding out if he's right.
