Thursday 29th September 2016

Porsche - Paris 2016

Hybrids, four-cylinder sports cars... and one mega 911 race car!

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While the focus of Porsche's Paris stand is predominantly the cars that will sell in vast numbers - that new Panamera hybrid, the 718 cars, some SUVs - there was also a new racing car to ogle. One with an atmospheric flat-six, too.

Yes, it's the new GT3 Cup. Now PH doesn't normally deal with racing cars but, much like the RS3 LMS on the Audi stand, when they look this cool we certainly do. Of course it's familiar racing 911 territory - huge wing, beautifully swollen arches and front bumper scraping the floor - but it does work so well. Nobody would dream of speccing 18s on a roadgoing 991 yet here, with a racing ride height, loads of negative camber and those gorgeous centre-lock wheels, they look ace.

But this is more than just a styling refresh to get more people in motorsport 911s. For the first time since the introduction of the GT3 racing cars in 1998, the Mezger engine is out, replaced by the 4.0-litre from the roadgoing GT3 RS. For the racing installation it receives a tougher crank, a valve drive with rigidly mounted rocker arms and a central oil feed plus an integrated oil centrifuge. That optimises oil defoaming, apparently.

To the numbers: power is rated at 485hp, of course less than the road car's 500. But then the Cup weighs 1,200kg ready-to-race. The rear tyres are in fact narrower than the road car's too, at 310mm, but then being slick should help dry traction and grip... That spoiler is carried over from the previous GT3 Cup, measuring an absurd 184cm across. Also worth noting is the number 3,031, which is the amount of GT3 Cups Porsche has sold since 1998. Apparently that makes it the "most-sold" GT racing car in the world.

This new GT3 will race in the Mobil 1 Supercup, German Carrera Cup and the USA from next season, then will replace the current car for the GB Carrera Cup in 2018. Porsche, if you need any test drivers...

[Lead image: Autocar]

[moorejam]

I'm a huge Porsche fan and these cars are just fantastic. The livery is just so dull. When you look back at some of the iconic liveries of bygone Porsches, surely the designers/marketing team, could have created a more striking brand design.