With the 911 GT3, Porsche laid the foundation for a living legend in the summer of 1999. The enthusiastically received road-going sports car followed in the footsteps of the iconic Carrera RS models and represented the intersection between production and racing cars. It was based directly on the 911 GT3 Cup, which had celebrated its debut the previous season as the new car for the Porsche Supercup as part of the support programme for Formula One. Its type designation GT3 went back to a new class introduced in motorsport in 1994, which is still considered to be a successful concept in the GT scene right up to the present day. The spartan 911 GT3 of the 996 generation and its successors contributed significantly to its international breakthrough.
Both the racing and road versions benefited from its unique genes and components that reflected Porsche’s immense motorsport experience. The engine is a good example: the six-cylinder naturally aspirated boxer engine, featuring a displacement of 3.6 litres, originated from the water-cooled turbo engine of the 911 GT1, which drove to a one-two victory at Le Mans in 1998. The GT1’s crankcase still incorporated the DNA of the Porsche 962 from the Group C era. In the production model, water-cooled cylinder liners and heads ensured rapid heat dissipation, while lightweight forged pistons and titanium connecting rods reduced the weight of the moving parts in the engine. The crankshaft was supplemented by a dual-mass flywheel and a racing clutch.
The result was extremely exhilarating and created as if specifically for passionate 911 drivers who enjoy letting their sports car off the leash on race tracks: The 265 kW (360 PS) four-valve engine impressed with a specific power output of 100 PS per litre and delighted with its rich sound and pronounced ability to rev. The top five gears of the precise six-speed manual transmission could be easily replaced in order to match the transmission ratio to different racing circuits. The anti-roll bars could also be adjusted. The reinforced chassis, lowered by 30 mm, had an extended adjustment range for the wheel camber so that the 911 GT3 could exploit the potential of race tyres. The rear wing also had six different positions to permit adjustment of the aerodynamic downforce on the rear axle.
The 302 km/h 911 GT3 received its ultimate accolade in the hands of Walter Röhrl on the Nürburgring Nordschleife: it became the first road-legal production car to lap the circuit in the Eifel region in less than eight minutes. To be precise, just seven minutes and 56.3 seconds elapsed for the then lap record on the shorter lap variant. As a comparison: the new, fourth generation of the 911 GT3 broke the seven-minute barrier with a time of 6:59.927 minutes during routine development work on this track. Timed in the same way as Walter Röhrl back then, test driver Lars Kern needed just 6:55.2 minutes to complete a lap. This means that it is possible to precisely measure 21 years of automotive progress in terms of the 911 GT3, shaving more than a minute off a lap of the most difficult race circuit in the world.
The new sports model repeated the success of the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from 1973: the demand significantly exceeded expectations. Instead of the initially planned 1,350 units, a total of 1,868 cars were delivered to happy owners. The 911 GT3 reduced to the essentials was here to stay. Porsche presented a further enhanced version in 2003. This was characterised mainly by new headlights, a modified rear wing and an increase in power output to 280 kW (381 PS). This allowed the 911 GT3 to accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.5 instead of 4.8 seconds, and its top speed rose to 306 km/h. The Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) was also available as an option for the first time. This reduced the unsprung mass by 18 kg.
More displacement, more power, more performance
The next GT3 generation followed in 2006. This was based on the 911 with the internal designation 997 and made its debut with 305 kW (415 PS) at the Geneva International Motor Show. The largely unchanged six-cylinder engine initially retained a displacement of 3.6 litres. only 4.3 seconds were now needed for the 0-100 km/h sprint on the way to a top speed of 310 km/h. The 911 GT3 visually set itself apart by virtue of a black-painted radiator vent in front of the luggage compartment lid for the first time – a detail that became a characteristic feature of this model series from then on. The new sports car also took a significant step forwards in the area of aerodynamics: Thanks to the front spoiler lip and the enhanced rear wing supplemented by an additional spoiler with Gurney flap, aerodynamic lift was reduced to zero in a production model for the first time. The standard Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) also premiered in the 911 GT3.
One year after the facelift of the 997 generation of the 911, Porsche launched a new 911 GT3 in 2009. This was equipped with a larger engine: the displacement increased from 3.6 litres to 3,797 cc, and the power output increased to 320 kW (435 PS). As a result, the road-going sports car accelerated to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and reached a top speed of 312 km/h. The one-piece rear wing now again served as a particular distinguishing feature.
New engine and an understated alternative
The successor was launched in 2013: the 911 GT3 based on the 991 generation again came with a displacement of 3.8 litres. However, the boxer engine, now with an output of 350 kW (475 PS), was from a new engine family, used direct petrol injection and achieved a maximum engine speed of 9,000 rpm. The systematic use of lightweight materials had a direct impact on the even higher performance. It sprinted to 100 km/h in only 3.5 seconds in combination with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK), and the top speed was 315 km/h. It also shone on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which has always been the manufacturer’s ultimate benchmark for its vehicles: the lap time fell to below 7:30 minutes.
The next evolutionary stage was ready in 2017: in the 911 GT3 of the 991.2 generation, the six-cylinder engine now received a displacement of 4.0 litres and a maximum output of 368 kW (500 PS). Alongside the PDK transmission, a mechanical six-speed gearbox was again available for an even more purist driving experience. However, the 911 GT3 achieved its impressive performance figures – 3.4 seconds from zero to 100 km/h, top speed 318 km/h – in combination with PDK technology. Its top speed was even 320 km/h with a manual transmission. Also new: Porsche introduced the 911 GT3 Touring for customers who wanted the impressive temperament of the GT3 model in a more understated form. It picked up the tradition of the 911 R from 2016, and made do with the extending rear wing of the 911 Carrera GTS supplemented by an additional separation edge (Gurney flap), for example.
The latest chapter: progress is measured in minutes
With the new, seventh edition, the 911 GT3 is again setting new standards. Now with a power output of 375 kW (510 PS), it makes more systematic use of pure racing technology than ever before. For instance, as the result of complex development work, a double-wishbone front suspension is used for the first time in a production 911. Its principle was derived from the 911 RSR that was successful at Le Mans. The swan-neck rear wing with four adjustment positions, functional rear diffuser and wide spoiler lip with adjustable front diffuser are also based on the transfer of technology from the 911 RSR to the series production car. The interaction of these components significantly improves the aerodynamic downforce of the new 911 GT3 in comparison with its predecessor. The result is impressive: 6:59.927 minutes. In this short time, test driver Lars Kern was able to complete a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife at the wheel of the new 911 GT3 as part of its routine development process. It was therefore over one minute faster than the original 911 GT3 in 1999.