996 GT3 or Turbo S
Discussion
I’m currently looking for a new toy. I’m looking around the £50-65k mark which opens up a huge range of cars. Looking longer term there seems to be a strong market on certain 996 models so I’ve narrowed down my search to the GT3 or Turbo S/X50. New to Porsche I would like to ask the experts for their thought - any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Toobin.
opcorn:Usual answer:
996 turbo /X50 /S are very fast but boring.
996 GT3 are an amazing drive, but only a weekend car and will require a £10k refresh.
Best to decide what you want out of a car and then go and drive some to see if they float your boat.
I have a 996 turbo X50 amd love it. Great feel, fast and amazing grip in all weathers.
996 turbo /X50 /S are very fast but boring.
996 GT3 are an amazing drive, but only a weekend car and will require a £10k refresh.
Best to decide what you want out of a car and then go and drive some to see if they float your boat.
I have a 996 turbo X50 amd love it. Great feel, fast and amazing grip in all weathers.
Hi,
I have owned a very low mileage 997.1 Turbo (manual) and currently a 996.2 GT3.
It’s actually quite shocking just how different the two cars are. By way of context I have originally come from the Lotus brand, so I like lightweight and response cars which engage but also keep a driver on their toes.
I found the 997 Turbo very tied down. It’s beautifully a built car, fully of integrity and your partner will also appreciate its cosseting personality should you enjoy long roadtrips.
Despite two adjustments to the geometry and switching the Bridgestones to Michelin PS cup 2, I simply couldn’t gel with the Turbo. It’s a competitor to an Aston Martin for me - an amazing car if you seek that type of experience. But sadly not for me..
And the GT3. It’s of course less refined (less sound deadening) and the 996 cabin is a very dated (if functional) space with respect the stunning leather trimmed 997.
Drive a GT3 for 5 mintutes however and you’ll notice the wheel chattering away in the palms of your hands.. the perfectly weighted throttle response, with each CM of pedal eliciting a slightly different note from Mezger as it power and noise builds in crescendo..
The GT3 is an epic driving tool but certainly better suited to hard driving, track use and occasional fun over the Turbo. The GT3 is the Lotus Exige of the 911 spectrum.
You can probably guess which one I prefer :-)
There is no right or wrong answer however, they are simply very different tools suited to different jobs.
I have owned a very low mileage 997.1 Turbo (manual) and currently a 996.2 GT3.
It’s actually quite shocking just how different the two cars are. By way of context I have originally come from the Lotus brand, so I like lightweight and response cars which engage but also keep a driver on their toes.
I found the 997 Turbo very tied down. It’s beautifully a built car, fully of integrity and your partner will also appreciate its cosseting personality should you enjoy long roadtrips.
Despite two adjustments to the geometry and switching the Bridgestones to Michelin PS cup 2, I simply couldn’t gel with the Turbo. It’s a competitor to an Aston Martin for me - an amazing car if you seek that type of experience. But sadly not for me..
And the GT3. It’s of course less refined (less sound deadening) and the 996 cabin is a very dated (if functional) space with respect the stunning leather trimmed 997.
Drive a GT3 for 5 mintutes however and you’ll notice the wheel chattering away in the palms of your hands.. the perfectly weighted throttle response, with each CM of pedal eliciting a slightly different note from Mezger as it power and noise builds in crescendo..
The GT3 is an epic driving tool but certainly better suited to hard driving, track use and occasional fun over the Turbo. The GT3 is the Lotus Exige of the 911 spectrum.
You can probably guess which one I prefer :-)
There is no right or wrong answer however, they are simply very different tools suited to different jobs.
Edited by 996GT3_Matt on Sunday 5th August 21:53
I have both cars my turbo has been chipped by Wayne Schofield so has similar power to the X50 plus the essential GT3 front brakes and a titanium exhaust but it's a tiptronic which I personally think suits the Turbo. It's a great easy to live with day to day car it has loads of low down punch and a stonking mid range... Truly effortless and 4 wheel drive helps put all the power down nicely. The GT3 I have is a late production 06 car with only 27k miles and tbh I think they're totally different animals. The GT3 loves to rev when it comes on cam it doesn't half pick up its feet and the engine/intake noise is fantastic. The steering is alive its a race car that you can use on the road and like the Turbo has the renowned Metzger engine that is far more reliable than the normal 996 one.
The Turbo will never be a truly great 911 sadly and its price will always be at the lower spectrum of the Porsche models but the GT3 is still in my eyes a bargain today and I suspect it won't be in a year or two. Any manual normally aspirated GT3s will demand a premium even more so once hybrids and eventually battery cars are the norm. The 996 GT3 was the 1st of its kind a lot lighter and a lot more minimalistic than the later models and the 996.2 version is the best of this model imo. If you love driving at 9/10ths and can use it as a 2nd car for dry days on the weekend then I am certain you would love the car. I don't think there is a better value 911 for sale at the moment! Even if you pay slightly over the odds for a good low mileage one now it will be free usage and a nice little profit if you look after it and keep it a few years..... Some say the bubble has burst on classic sports cars at the moment but one's like the 996 GT3 will always be worth good money and as I say even more so the way legislation is taking all cars.
The Turbo will never be a truly great 911 sadly and its price will always be at the lower spectrum of the Porsche models but the GT3 is still in my eyes a bargain today and I suspect it won't be in a year or two. Any manual normally aspirated GT3s will demand a premium even more so once hybrids and eventually battery cars are the norm. The 996 GT3 was the 1st of its kind a lot lighter and a lot more minimalistic than the later models and the 996.2 version is the best of this model imo. If you love driving at 9/10ths and can use it as a 2nd car for dry days on the weekend then I am certain you would love the car. I don't think there is a better value 911 for sale at the moment! Even if you pay slightly over the odds for a good low mileage one now it will be free usage and a nice little profit if you look after it and keep it a few years..... Some say the bubble has burst on classic sports cars at the moment but one's like the 996 GT3 will always be worth good money and as I say even more so the way legislation is taking all cars.
Edited by Kevin-sz0nv on Monday 6th August 04:49
Thought I would add my 2p's worth.
GT3, amazing car......for me at least, it is best suited to the track or silky smooth tarmac roads.
When I was looking, I looked at Turbo S, GT2 and GT3, all 996 variants in Manual coupe..... for me on the road the Turbo S was king. It is the flagship model and has something special about the way it feels and drives on all road types including bumpy crap UK roads.... I might be getting old (no.... just in to my 40's !! LOL) but the power and usability is other worldly.
If I want to track the car 3-5 times a year then GT3 but if not Turbo or Turbo S if you can.
Over and out!
IceBoy
PS. I do also have a 996.1 C2 Manual coupe with a few tweaks, which makes for a very nice Saturday car LOL.
GT3, amazing car......for me at least, it is best suited to the track or silky smooth tarmac roads.
When I was looking, I looked at Turbo S, GT2 and GT3, all 996 variants in Manual coupe..... for me on the road the Turbo S was king. It is the flagship model and has something special about the way it feels and drives on all road types including bumpy crap UK roads.... I might be getting old (no.... just in to my 40's !! LOL) but the power and usability is other worldly.
If I want to track the car 3-5 times a year then GT3 but if not Turbo or Turbo S if you can.
Over and out!
IceBoy
PS. I do also have a 996.1 C2 Manual coupe with a few tweaks, which makes for a very nice Saturday car LOL.
Thought I would add my 2p's worth.
GT3, amazing car......for me at least, it is best suited to the track or silky smooth tarmac roads.
When I was looking, I looked at Turbo S, GT2 and GT3, all 996 variants in Manual coupe..... for me on the road the Turbo S was king. It is the flagship model and has something special about the way it feels and drives on all road types including bumpy crap UK roads.... I might be getting old (no.... just in to my 40's !! LOL) but the power and usability is other worldly.
If I want to track the car 3-5 times a year then GT3 but if not Turbo or Turbo S if you can.
Over and out!
IceBoy
PS. I do also have a 996.1 C2 Manual coupe with a few tweaks, which makes for a very nice Saturday car LOL.
GT3, amazing car......for me at least, it is best suited to the track or silky smooth tarmac roads.
When I was looking, I looked at Turbo S, GT2 and GT3, all 996 variants in Manual coupe..... for me on the road the Turbo S was king. It is the flagship model and has something special about the way it feels and drives on all road types including bumpy crap UK roads.... I might be getting old (no.... just in to my 40's !! LOL) but the power and usability is other worldly.
If I want to track the car 3-5 times a year then GT3 but if not Turbo or Turbo S if you can.
Over and out!
IceBoy
PS. I do also have a 996.1 C2 Manual coupe with a few tweaks, which makes for a very nice Saturday car LOL.
BrotherMouzone said:
Wow, 06 car! And I thought mine is late being 55 plate (registered Oct 05).
Nice collection sir.
Thanks... I am into older cars more than newish stuff I can fettle with them and they all seem to have actually gone up in value which is good news! The E30 M3 is my favourite had it back to a shell sand blasted on a spit everything is new or restored the engine is a new 2.5 all singing dancing that revs to 9k but I won't be testing that out! It's throwing out 320bhp I've had the car years but only just got it back on the road after a total rebuild and the only rust was a tiny spot under the screen corner which is unusual for an E30. The yellow XKR has now gone that was replaced with the GT3 and the Mini Cooper S in my original post is my everyday bit of fun car. Nice collection sir.
Edited by BrotherMouzone on Monday 6th August 09:56
Edited by Kevin-sz0nv on Monday 6th August 23:21
OP depends what you want, both are excellent cars. The turbo tends to be unfairly epitomised as "un-sporty" purely because it has such accomplished stablemates in the GT3 and GT2. If any other manufacturer had made it, it would be called a sports car.
The GT3 is far, far more visceral, but not really something you'd want to use any or every day and in any weather. It comes to life on the open roads and even more so on race tracks.
The turbo is the sort of car you could run daily and go anywhere at almost any time. It's very comfortable and, as others here say, feels very 'tied down' and planted to the road. The downside is, the steering has less feel, never more so than when used on track where it's just never going to have the steering and throttle reaction to really hunt out the apexes, fast though it most certainly is.
IMHO, both really superb cars.
The GT3 is far, far more visceral, but not really something you'd want to use any or every day and in any weather. It comes to life on the open roads and even more so on race tracks.
The turbo is the sort of car you could run daily and go anywhere at almost any time. It's very comfortable and, as others here say, feels very 'tied down' and planted to the road. The downside is, the steering has less feel, never more so than when used on track where it's just never going to have the steering and throttle reaction to really hunt out the apexes, fast though it most certainly is.
IMHO, both really superb cars.
As others have said the two cars serve different purposes. If you are going to track the car on a regular basis I'd go for the GT3 100%. It is designed for that exact reason.
If not the Turbo will give you every bit of driving experience you will ever need on the road (and more so). The x50 version adds a very old school Turbo personality which I feel adds to the driving experience (others don't). The turbo (especially in x50 form) is also a great deal faster than the Gt3 in a straight line (more than stats would suggest). The problem people have is down to how competent the car is, unless you are the stig you will never reach its limits. The most enjoyable drives I have had in the turbo have been soaking wet country roads, its these moments you realise what fantastic feedback it provides - the rest of the time its barely breaking a sweat.
I usually swap cars every year but the Turbo has stayed with me for six now, and not one passenger has stepped out making remarks of how numb/boring it is.The car is now 15 years old and feels as analog/connected as I would like, any further would feel antiquated
If not the Turbo will give you every bit of driving experience you will ever need on the road (and more so). The x50 version adds a very old school Turbo personality which I feel adds to the driving experience (others don't). The turbo (especially in x50 form) is also a great deal faster than the Gt3 in a straight line (more than stats would suggest). The problem people have is down to how competent the car is, unless you are the stig you will never reach its limits. The most enjoyable drives I have had in the turbo have been soaking wet country roads, its these moments you realise what fantastic feedback it provides - the rest of the time its barely breaking a sweat.
I usually swap cars every year but the Turbo has stayed with me for six now, and not one passenger has stepped out making remarks of how numb/boring it is.The car is now 15 years old and feels as analog/connected as I would like, any further would feel antiquated
Edited by shantybeater on Friday 17th August 10:44
I've got a 996 X50 with Factory Aero etc, had it for nearly 7 years now. Brilliant car and actually chose it over the GT3 at the time. GT3 is a track car and my thinking, at the time, was I would get worn down with the GT3's rawness ( if that's a word? ) and I was looking for a car I could enjoy driving almost every day. I drove down, with a few PH friends, to the F1 in Monaco a few years back in her and I can honestly say it was one of the best drives I've ever done in my life. What a car to do it in and it has made me fall in love with the car so much, I tried to sell her last year and couldn't bring myself to do it. She's booked in for her MOT tomorrow and I imagine she'll pass again first time with no advisories. If you're looking for a very fast car that you can use every day ( I used mine as a daily driver for a few months, going in and out of Edinburgh ) then I think the Turbo would suit, but each to their own, which is why Porsche gives you a choice. 
shantybeater said:
As others have said the two cars serve different purposes. If you are going to track the car on a regular basis I'd go for the GT3 100%. It is designed for that exact reason.
If not the Turbo will give you every bit of driving experience you will ever need on the road (and more so). The x50 version adds a very old school Turbo personality which I feel adds to the driving experience (others don't). The turbo (especially in x50 form) is also a great deal faster than the Gt3 in a straight line (more than stats would suggest). The problem people have is down to how competent the car is, unless you are the stig you will never reach its limits. The most enjoyable drives I have had in the turbo have been soaking wet country roads, its these moments you realise what fantastic feedback it provides - the rest of the time its barely breaking a sweat.
I usually swap cars every year but the Turbo has stayed with me for six now, and not one passenger has stepped out making remarks of how numb/boring it is.The car is now 15 years old and feels as analog/connected as I would like, any further would feel antiquated
I can’t be bothered to look it up, but I think I remember the GT3 is the same or faster compared to the standard Turbo all the way to topspeed. In any case they were very close in the acceleration stats from what I recall.If not the Turbo will give you every bit of driving experience you will ever need on the road (and more so). The x50 version adds a very old school Turbo personality which I feel adds to the driving experience (others don't). The turbo (especially in x50 form) is also a great deal faster than the Gt3 in a straight line (more than stats would suggest). The problem people have is down to how competent the car is, unless you are the stig you will never reach its limits. The most enjoyable drives I have had in the turbo have been soaking wet country roads, its these moments you realise what fantastic feedback it provides - the rest of the time its barely breaking a sweat.
I usually swap cars every year but the Turbo has stayed with me for six now, and not one passenger has stepped out making remarks of how numb/boring it is.The car is now 15 years old and feels as analog/connected as I would like, any further would feel antiquated
Edited by shantybeater on Friday 17th August 10:44
MDL111 said:
I can’t be bothered to look it up, but I think I remember the GT3 is the same or faster compared to the standard Turbo all the way to topspeed. In any case they were very close in the acceleration stats from what I recall.
GT3 was 4.5 seconds to 60, while the Turbo X50 was 4.0 seconds. I think the 4 wheel drive is the main difference in perception of it feeling faster? Not sure what the 60 to 120 time was? Angelus said:
MDL111 said:
I can’t be bothered to look it up, but I think I remember the GT3 is the same or faster compared to the standard Turbo all the way to topspeed. In any case they were very close in the acceleration stats from what I recall.
GT3 was 4.5 seconds to 60, while the Turbo X50 was 4.0 seconds. I think the 4 wheel drive is the main difference in perception of it feeling faster? Not sure what the 60 to 120 time was? This is all from memory, but it stuck with me as I was surprised that the GT3 is the same or faster to 200, which seemed unintuitive to me at the time.
I should really focus my mind on remembering more worthwhile stuff that this (even if I might be a little off on a figure or two...)
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