Wednesday 9th January 2013

Time For Tea? GT3 and Turbo test at the 'ring

Waiting for the really juicy new 911 variants? They're on their way, seen here testing at the 'ring

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Porsche is working its way through the checklist of 991 variants and, having ticked off Carrera, Carrera 4 and the equivalent S and Cabriolet variants we can’t be too far off the good stuff. OK, there’ll probably be a Targa to feign interest in but, really, it’s the Turbo and GT3 we’re really looking forward to.

Quad outboard pipes and pop up wing for Turbo

Consider interest in the PH office whetted by this video of respective prototypes being given a VERY thorough shakedown at the ’ring by some extremely committed test drivers. Half a turn of opposite lock over the kerbs at Brunnchen in a Turbo? Yep, pretty committed. Interesting to compare how differently the two tackle the same corner too - note how much more mobile the GT3's back end is on turn-in. Suffice to say there are probably worse jobs than this.

So, what do they tell us about the cars? Well, they’re clearly extremely rapid but then we’d have expected that. Rumours that the GT3 will be PDK would appear confirmed by the sound of the upshifts early in the video; whether there’ll still be a manual option remains to be seen but it’s not sounding hopeful. And will it have the ‘proper’ Mezger engine, like the 991 RSR and Cup cars it’s meant to evoke? If that lineage twixt race and road cars is to be maintained we’d have to hope so but given that the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 was meant to be the last with that engine that might be another sacred cow off to the abattoir.

Sounds like PDK for the GT3

Nice to see that the Turbo hasn’t been entirely sanitised though; it clearly requires some proper driving to extract real pace and you can see how effectively it puts its power down on the traditionally understeery exit to Brunnchen 2. There’s a bit of rumblestrip being used there but you get the feeling the front end is hanging on pretty hard. Hat tip to monsterchannel24 for the video. If you want some stills of the cars check out this story on GT Spirit.

Hark, what’s that noise? That’ll be Mizuno-san’s alarm clock. Hope you enjoyed the rest but it looks like it’s time to get working on another GT-R update…

[Sources: Monsterchannel 24 via YouTube; German Car Blog; GT Spirit]

 

 

[Ekona]

Tubby sounds a bit quiet, might just be compared to the GT3 though.

Surely Porsche wouldn't release yet-another quiet-as-a-mouse turbocharged 911? Not after giving the cooking 991s such a good voice.




Also, I want a GT3 more than ever. One with PDK just ticks every single box for me.

[Davey S2]

Lets just hope that PDK in the GT3 is an option and that a manual is still available (not that I can afford one )

[pSyCoSiS]

That GT3 sounds awesome!

[kambites]

GT3 with PDK only?

Oh well, bye bye any interest in high-end Porsches from me.

[em177]

kambites said:

GT3 with PDK only?

Oh well, bye bye any interest in high-end Porsches from me.

+1. Will have to be a 997 4.0 when the numbers come up

[Fantuzzi]

kambites said:

GT3 with PDK only?

Oh well, bye bye any interest in Porsche from me.

It will be rather a shame, the electric steering, no manual, it seems the mags will have to find a analogue new drivers car flagship.

Noble m600/550-2 it is...

[kambites]

em177 said:

kambites said:

GT3 with PDK only?

Oh well, bye bye any interest in high-end Porsches from me.

+1. Will have to be a 997 4.0 when the numbers come up

996 GT3 for me, please. I never did get on with the variable ratio steering in the 997.

[glendon]

Well that was the quickest brew I've ever had...

[PiB]

Hmmm . . . so bring both cars to 'the ring' to develop each one to have a distinctly different feel?

GT3 doesn't look aggressive enough. I'm not sure if the Turbo isn't aggressive enough either.

[Mermaid]

PiB said:

GT3 doesn't look aggressive enough. I'm not sure if the Turbo isn't aggressive enough either.

I suppose cars are being re-positioned at a higher level - edging towards 458's MP4-12C, hugely competent.

[MikeGoodwin]

Ferdinand Porsche would be turning in his grave if he knew about PDK on a GT3.

Porsche really fked up this time.

[Mermaid]

MikeGoodwin said:

Ferdinand Porsche would be turning in his grave if he knew about PDK on a GT3.

Porsche really fked up this time.

Would the company be as successful under Ferdinand? Porsche are evolving faster than many of its old & loyal customers, and it will be good to see what the 991 GT3 is really like.

[bobo]

MikeGoodwin said:

Ferdinand Porsche would be turning in his grave if he knew about PDK on a GT3.

Porsche really fked up this time.

says who?

the pdk box is a great bit of kit and an easy way to get a car to go quicker.... and if they want their gt3 to be quick rival/benchmark, it will need it!

and that gt3 looks fookin quick...

[Don1]

What's with the flashing brake lights? Is that to show strong / heavy braking for the drivers behind - didn't seem to be cadence braking?

[GroundEffect]

MikeGoodwin said:

Ferdinand Porsche would be turning in his grave if he knew about PDK on a GT3.

Porsche really fked up this time.

The GT3 didn't even exist when Ferdinand was around...what? Ferdinand wouldn't have cared what transmission it had as long as it functioned well.

And I bet it does. No one screams bloody-murder at a Ferrari 458 or 430 Scuderia having a double-clutch box...

[GroundEffect]

Don1 said:

What's with the flashing brake lights? Is that to show strong / heavy braking for the drivers behind - didn't seem to be cadence braking?

Camera frequency working against the brake lights. They're LEDS. They have a flashing frequency.

[TonykartEVR]

Don1 said:

What's with the flashing brake lights? Is that to show strong / heavy braking for the drivers behind - didn't seem to be cadence braking?

LED brake lights. They are not flashing in real life, its just that cameras do not film at the same time as the LED omits light - or something along those lines!...

[stuckmojo]

I am sure the cars will be fantastic, but that wing is a bloody eyesore.

(As seen on a tarted - up 991 s at an OPC).

[Don1]

Gotcha - cheers. Must be down to focal length and angle as well.

[Revitt]

The brake lights are actually flashing, its not that effect your often see from LED's when filmed at faster frame rates. A lot of newer cars do this now when you stamp on the brakes hard enough, noticed it on quite a few BMWs and Mercs last time I was at the ring.