RE: Porsche 911 GT3 (991): Review

[Gary C]

Come on PDK supporters. It's not how good the pdk is that's in question here, it's why don't VW offer a manual as an option to those who want it?

Even if it was a bit more expensive.

PDK helps them with CO2 emission figures, I think that's the real reason.

[s m]

Here's Steve Sutcliffe having a bit of a cavort in the new GT3

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/video-2013-pors...

[Dr JonboyG]

andyp03 said:

Afternoon fellow enthusiasts,

It is my contention that this car is not in fact a GT3. Before I am stoned for heresy, I would like to cite some experience. I’m fortunate enough to drive a 997.2 GT3 and a 981 Boxster S PDK, so I understand the manual vs. PDK debate. This however, has never been the real issue for me.

The GT3 has, until 991, always been positioned as a Porsche racing car with number plates: same engine, same lightweight design, same chassis…and personally that has always been the appeal. Engineering proven in racing means cutting edge precision and a certainty of performance under the most intense conditions. It won’t of course last forever, but as i’m not a racing driver I would never be able to break it, and that feels superb.

So given that the new 991 cup car has the old Metzger engine, a lightweight chassis and as far as I know steering from the front wheels only, the GT3 road car has no major engineering fundamentals in common with its track counterpart. It is that simple. Of course i hear and believe that the new car is every inch as good as the review, but a GT3 it is not.

The current GTE 911 RSR (the one that finished 1-2 at Le Mans) is still using the old racing engine but that's because the GT3 hadn't gone on sale when the engine needed to be homologated. I think Porsche are quite keen to get a direct injection engine for racing, so give it a year and the new engine will have heritage of its very own.

[Rustiebin]

andyp03 said:

Afternoon fellow enthusiasts,

It is my contention that this car is not in fact a GT3. Before I am stoned for heresy, I would like to cite some experience. I’m fortunate enough to drive a 997.2 GT3 and a 981 Boxster S PDK, so I understand the manual vs. PDK debate. This however, has never been the real issue for me.

The GT3 has, until 991, always been positioned as a Porsche racing car with number plates: same engine, same lightweight design, same chassis…and personally that has always been the appeal. Engineering proven in racing means cutting edge precision and a certainty of performance under the most intense conditions. It won’t of course last forever, but as i’m not a racing driver I would never be able to break it, and that feels superb.

So given that the new 991 cup car has the old Metzger engine, a lightweight chassis and as far as I know steering from the front wheels only, the GT3 road car has no major engineering fundamentals in common with its track counterpart. It is that simple. Of course i hear and believe that the new car is every inch as good as the review, but a GT3 it is not.

One question, do the race 991 Cup cars use a manual box or a sequential box?

And as Dr Jonboy says, the Metzger will likely be dead as a race engine by 2014, replaced by the new unit.

I wonder if Porsche will offer a manual box for the inevitable RS version? Probably not.

Edited by Rustiebin on Thursday 4th July 14:13

Edited by Rustiebin on Thursday 4th July 14:13

[The Pits]

One of these plus £40k change instead please.

[I WISH]

kambites said:

McAndy said:

Purely playing devil's advocate: I'm sure there are other technologies that have evolved, particularly in the automotive sector, that have left people crowing for the old and resenting the new. However, in time most come round to the fact that the new is better and end up lamenting the loss of the old like one would an ex-girlfriend: yep, it was fun, but they're an ex for a reason (possibly even for several!)

I don't think that's true; at least it's certainly isn't for me. There have been a number of cases where I have intensely disliked new developments and I've generally I've eventually come to view them as an evil I can't get away from but I've never come to like them; they just get added to the list of things that make me despair about new cars in general.

I have to agree. It's usually foolish to stand in the way of progress. But is there anyone out there who actually likes electronic handbrakes? Did we ask for them? Is there something so desperately flawed about a manually applied handbrake that cries out for change?

This 911 is a very aesthetically pleasing shape though. That rear three quarter view around the rear haunches and the wheelarch perfectly complements those beautifully sculpted alloys. Quite stunning. First 911 I've lusted over for a while.

[The Pits]

Why in the name of sweet Jesus anyone would prefer to spend more money on a depreciating, bigger, heavier, synthetic, automatic GT3 with electric steering over a lighter, faster, manual and appreciating 997GT3RS with hydraulic steering is beyond me.

I can't see the appeal of the new car at all.