I agree HP is not everything but when the Z06's HP went from 405 to 505 from 2003 to now, Porsche only went from 380 to 415, and granted the GT3/RS can still hold its own for now, but what happens next year when the Vettes and Vipers arrive with 600+ HP??? That's 200 HP more than our GT3/RS's. Porsche's handling advantage may make up for 100 HP difference, but how about 200??? The 360 and GT3 used to have similar HP ratings, but Ferrari has now moved away also. I was at the Long Beach Grand Prix earlier this year and heard Patrick Long saying how fast the F430 GT's were down the straights and he sounded like his GT3RSR just had no chance in staying w/ the F430GT's. Also, look at the recent FIA GT3 races and the F430 GT's are starting to dominate where before the GT3 Cups/RSR's would come in 1-2-3's all the time.

 

The ZO6 is an amazing car in all levels, but I would prefer the refinement, precision, and perfection of a GT3. Nothing short of maybe Ferrari comes close to the engineering of a Porsche! Remember, there is no substitute!
-Justin

 

Bruce, i agree, but i would leave RSRs and F430GTs out of it. Latley Porsche has been coming out on top (Le Mans and even today at Lime Rock). The Vette and TT are both great cars, but at the end of the day, would you pick a Porsche, or a Chevrolet.
-MiniD.

 

 

GM, Chevy def. do deserve a congratulations with the Z06, its a marvel.. But again, this is only ONE test, others have strongly shown the GT3 coming out on top, by 2 seconds and so on.. Check this review out, GT3 won best handling, they didnt have great things to say about the Z06.. BUT its all subjective, it can swing either way, all i know is both cars are amazing machinery

http://www.motortrend.com/features/1...he_winner.html

http://www.motortrend.com/av/roadtes...r_competition/

http://www.motortrend.com/av/roadtes...t_corvette_z06

 

Porsche RESERVED the Z06 spanking performance to the GT2 NOT the GT3/RS since they are in COMPLETELY different purposes. I have NO DOUBT the GT2 will spank the current Z06 and be on par with the upcoming 700 or 800hp Z06 in every single catagory those magazines can come up with. The GT3/RS is more on the fighting fields of the Ferrari 430CS and Lambo G superleggera. The GT2 will be in competition with the 599 and LP640 interms of acceleration and the GT2 will SPANK the living hell out of the 599 and LP640 on the track.

Alan

 

I hear ya bro....Every mag test ive seen have been swinging one way or another it eithers favor...I thought the C&D test was mush more comprehensive then the Motor trend test in that it was a long roadcourse with many turns that would really show each cars weaknesses etc a la the Ring...Besides that Motor Trend article was testing the "scary" 06 Z06 not the much improved 07 as was tested by C&D...If you notice last Lightening Lap the 06 Z06 did 3:01.4 which was alot closer to what the GT3 ran this recent test....Teh change in shock valving has much improved the handling of the Z06...This time around it bettered its time by almost 3 secs....

Also didnt EVO test a Z06 vs a GT3 Cup car and the Z06 won by a few tenths etc...You are right the GT2 will be a force

 

The Z06 may be running EMT F1s, but they are larger (275/325) than the GT3's N spec. MPSCs. This probably makes up for some (though, not all) of the Porsche's OE comp tire advantage since both cars are similar in weight.

 

these things are so subjective. Automobile tested the same cars and the GT3 smashed the slalom record and beat the z06 by 4mph which is HUGE. It smashed the 60-0 braking test record. So I like Automobile better than Car and driver. In fact I like Road and track and motortrend better than C&D. In fact I read somewhere that this Z06 has reached the limits for that suspension setup with leafspring sand its chassis design. I am not worried about aZ06 or what C&D has to say.

 

I think the GT3 did have 19" champion wheels with stock Michelin tires. No where did it say they are 20" nor did it look like 20". So they should have been lighter then the stock wheels.

 

I have not had a chance to drive a Z06. I drove an Aston Martin a few weeks ago (Vanquish V8) and while it is a great car there is no comparison with the GT3. The feel of the steering, the clutch, the gas pedal, brakes and the feel of it, the gearbox, the suspension, and overall feel of the chasis, the GT3 was clearly the superior car. I was very disappointed in Aston and of course delighted to know that I drive a better car. Now, if I had not driven my GT3, I probably would have thought the Aston was a fantastic car. It goes to show you what an amazing car the GT3 is. I have a feeling that the Z06 will show the same shortcomings as the Aston.
I have said this many times here that as far as the overall feel of the GT3, Ferrari 360CS (which I owned before my GT3) is the only car that comes close to the GT3. I would confidently say this that the GT3 and GT3 RS are the best handling/sporty cars in production today, at any price.

 

I picked a Porsche GT3 3 1/2 years ago but I'm not too sure about next year when the '09 or '10 Z06 comes out? I LOVE MY P CAR. My license plate says it all... "Love (heart) My GT3", and I attend autox races and DE events w/ the PCA and SCCA in these past 3 1/2 years (even got Top Time of Day first time out w/ PCA). The 3 has served me so well, ran in each event and never a hiccup, not sure a Vette or any other car can be that reliable. With all that said, 200 HP is just going to be very hard for me to ignore when it comes times to comparison shop my next P car against a Vette. I just hope Porsche would up a HP enough for me to stay with them once again.

 

You would then need a GT2, its unfair to compare the new Z06 with Fi to a NA GT3

 

Martin the Motor Trend test was great and all but the Z06 still had the best lap time. Fact of the matter is that you have always had to be a better driver in a GT3 to match a vette, even more so now, but Porsche is gonna have to up the ANTI at some point or get dusted. 480 hp would have made the GT3 almost unstopable on a track and actually would have made it difficult for the GT2 to beat it.

Fact of the matter is that it depends on where you are that will determine which car wins, the GT3 wins the majority of tests in europe and they are on par close to even here. I'd really like to see some people here that own take both to the track to see which is faster, easier to drive etc. There is just way to much propaganda to beleive what magazines say these days.

Of course we know results may vary but the fact of the matter is that with sponsorship dollars, connections etc, you will hardly ever get an unbiased straight track performance from any magazine, and I'd beleive it from the horses (owners) mouth long before I beilive all the mag test which are all over the place.

 

Dez you are right, it can swing either way, so many factors And for those who say in the straight Vette will murder it, well i guess it depends on how long the straight is hah , I found this very interesting in the recent Nardo topspeed test!

RUF RT12:
361km/h(225mph) (0-100km/h: 3,6 s, 0-200km/h: 10,3 s, 0-300km/h: 27,6 s)
Mercedes McLaren SLR 722:
328km/h(205mph) (0-100km/h: 3,8 sec, 0-200km/h: 11,1 s, 0-300km/h:35,8 s)
Porsche 911 GT3:
316km/h(198mph) (0-100km/h: 4,3 s, 0-200km/h: 13,9 s, 0-300km/h: 47,5 s)
Lamborghini Gallardo SL:
314km/h(196mph) (0-100km/h: 3,7 s, 0-200km/h: 12,8 s, 0-300km/h:49,9 s)
Corvette C6 Z06:
314km/h(196mph) (0-100km/h: 4,0 s, 0-200km/h: 11,9 s, 0-300km/h: 57,9 s)