2007 Porsche 911 GT3Nothing else comes close on street or circuit.

AutoWeek | Published 06/20/07, 7:46 am et
AT A GLANCE:
LIKES
Supernatural handling
Ballistic acceleration
Best-ever braking

DISLIKES
No roll cage, Euro seats
Sunroof
Low ground clearance

OTHERS CONSIDERED
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Ferrari F430
Porsche 911 Turbo
You’ve heard it before, usually from hormone-raging, performance-obsessed yet inexperienced teenagers hell-bent on reigning as the hardest of the hard core: “I want a race car for the street!”

Of course, as anyone who has ever actually driven or ridden in a race car will tell you, it’s the last thing you want, especially if you desire to keep your body intact while burning around town in anything less than triple-digit cockpit temperatures.

But none of this applies to Porsche’s latest 911 GT3, the car from which all new racing 911s are homologated for competition the world over.

To understand just how insanely good this car is, consider that even our most battle-tested AutoFile drivers experienced the kind of awe spectators must have felt when Bob Beamon set the world long-jump record back in 1968. No, we didn’t drop to our knees in disbelief as the Porsche lit up our slalom, but we did think there was something awry with our timing gear.

There was not. The GT3 blitzkrieged the course at 50.2 mph, a full 1.2 mph faster than the Dodge Viper, our previous record holder. That’s a huge differential, but the point really hammers home when we note the next-fastest car: The Lotus Exige posted 48.5 mph, nearly 2 mph slower from a smaller, lighter track-day car renowned for nimble reflexes and handling.

“The GT3’s handling is immediate without being brutal,” one tester commented. “It communicates very well through fingertips and seat, maybe better than anything street-legal, yet it is not abusive. It’s not like any Lamborghini, or even any Ferrari that I’ve driven lately.”

The rear-wheel-drive GT3 remained planted all the while, unlike the all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo we tested recently (“A New Level,” AW, Nov. 27, 2006), which wagged its tail at a touch of the throttle. The Turbo managed “only” 47.5 mph, and the previous GT3 ran at 48 mph. The Chevrolet Corvette Z06, itself a more extreme version of an already supreme performance car, came in a brain-bending 4.2 mph slower than the new GT3.

No doubt, supremely sticky tires aided the car’s slalom performance, as the lightly treaded Michelin Pilot Sport Cup rubber had a wear rating of only 80 versus the Turbo rubber’s 220. The tires obviously helped on the skidpad, too, though the Porsche’s 0.98-g performance fell just short of the full 1.0 g the Viper pulled.

“Funny, it felt a lot slower than that on the skidpad,” one tester noted. “It’s very easy to drive, unlike the Turbo. Slight throttle changes don’t upset the car. I think the GT3 is infinitely superior: less to go wrong, no front-wheel drive, nearly as good acceleration, better handling.”

The GT3 excelled whatever the exercise. It needed just 3.78 seconds on the drag strip to reach 60 mph, making it the second-quickest normally aspirated car we have tested (Porsche’s V10-powered Carrera GT supercar ran 3.5) and fifth-quickest overall (the other cars: three turbo Porsches and the supercharged Ford GT). The quarter-mile passed in 12.16 seconds at 116.3 mph, again the fifth-best performance in AutoFile history. The optional carbon-ceramic brakes make it feel as though you’re part of a controlled crash test with every application. A 98-foot 60-to-0-mph stopping distance is another AutoWeek record.

Our test car exhibited a dash rattle on smooth freeways and even more interior trim jingling on rough side streets, but owners who wrote to us mentioned no such problems. They instead lauded virtually everything about their cars.

“I have never had so much fun in a stock vehicle right from the factory,” said one. “It eats the Elise, Ferrari’s F430 and the Z06 for lunch. None could keep up on the track.”

“The best sports car made,” another said. “I have 1500 miles on it and just got back from a day at Willow Springs Raceway. The car rocks—it is truly the best—better than Ferrari’s Challenge Stradale and even better than Porsche’s 996 GT2.”

Minor complaints included the unavailability of the European version’s sportier seats and roll cage, as well as a standard sunroof that can’t be deleted from the build sheet.

Our testers agree. Such options certainly would move the 911 GT3 one step closer to race-car status. Which is exactly what you want, isn’t it?

OWNERS SAY . . .

The GT3 is better than my Ferrari Challenge Stradale and my old 996 GT2. Balance, handling, grip, power and braking were evident at the track and a huge step up from the GT2. Midrange torque is really impressive. If Porsche had delivered the car at 3000 pounds with proper gearing like that in a Stradale and with Euro GT3 seats, it would have been perfect. I have had problems; the car developed repeated oil leaks and was in the shop for three weeks.

Watt Webb, Malibu, Calif.

I was skeptical about the 997 GT3 when I learned it had PASM, traction control and a sunroof. I was convinced Porsche had turned the GT3 into a fat, gussied-up 911. I was wrong, really wrong. The engine is incredible, and at 4000 rpm, the docile car that you can drive every day disappears and is replaced by an evil twin.

Charlie Hitt, Acworth, Ga.

This car delivers the closest thing to a motorcycle experience of any car I have owned. With its electronically controlled active suspension, street ride quality is superior to that of the 996 C4S. It is direct, responsive, powerful, exhilarating and fun. The power button, which remaps the ECU and opens the exhaust, is intoxicating. This is the fifth 911 I have owned and is the most sophisticated and satisfying. My only dislike is the car’s low ground clearance.

Dan Izard, Summit N.J.

 

Thanks for sharing. This makes it even harder for me to wait another month for mine.

"It needed just 3.78 seconds on the drag strip to reach 60 mph, making it the second-quickest normally aspirated car we have tested (Porsche’s V10-powered Carrera GT supercar ran 3.5)"

 

That is a great review for the GT3. I was a little worried that the GT3 would not do much for me after owning the F430, but now my anticipation has gone up!

 

I'm starting to get the itch for one of these bad boys myself. And I love my 996 turbo.

 

Oh man, that almost seals the deal for me :/

 

Why did u post it 2 times

 

go to your room!

 

I dont even know where DHinkle is..he is not home.

 

Actually, Dhinkle, you should get a GT3.

 

Posted twice because I failed to list it as a review by Autoweek. Where do you get that wise-cracking sense of humor? Must be Mom's side of the family.

Once and for all the debates of 996 vs. 997 GT3's, can we finally conclude that the 997 GT3 is better than the awesome 996 GT3?

Heavy Chevy- You need one!

 

I can just about conclude also, that I need one

 

Wow thanks for the review, I knew the GT3 is good but not THAT good...hehehe!

My 2008 will be here in November so going to be a long hard wait. I have it spec'd out very heavily so can't wait to see the final car. My sales guy is excited as me since it's the only GT3 they will get this year


rick

 

Man...I knew I shouldn't have read this thread. I'm afraid to test drive one knowing that my checkbook would follow.