The 911 GT3 has been updated and is set to make a public debut at the Geneva show in March, so Porsche has released an initial set of images for those of us hungry to check out the changes made to Porsche’s latest “track car for the road”.
The GT3 is the most powerful normally aspirated Type 997 Porsche 911, as the Turbo and the GT2 are turbocharged. The engine has been upsized to 3.8 litres and peak power is now 435hp, up 20 horses from the pre-facelift model. Porsche VarioCam is now active on both the intake and exhaust valves, as the predecessor only had it on the intake valves. 0 to 100km/h takes 4.1 seconds, if you shift the manual gearbox perfectly.
The new facelifted Type 997 Porsche 911 GT3 now has a sports-oriented variant of the Porsche Stability Management system which offers the driver the choice to deactivate Stability Control and Traction Control in separate steps. If turned off, they won’t kick in even at the most dire of circumstances, only when the driver pushes the necessary buttons to let them kick in again.
The car’s aerodynamics have been improved, and Porsche claims overall air pressure pushing down on the car is more than twice greater than the former model. Both front and rear downforce has been improved. Springs and anti-rollbars are now stiffer, and the wheels are lighter, and all of this improves handling.
Along with the improved VarioCam, the keyword for the updates to the new GT3 seem to be “variable”. The 911 GT3 now has the option of Porsche Active Drivetrain Mount (PADM) engine mountings. The PADM recognises when the driver is driving sportily and automatically makes the engine mounts harder and resistant. During normal day to day driving they remain “elastic”, which improves comfort. The front axle can be raised via the active suspension at the touch of a button. It goes up by 30mm to help the car navigate bumpy surfaces and steep gradients.
The 911 GT3 will go on sale in the UK and Ireland for £81,914 and buyers will also receive a complimentary course at the Porsche Driving Experience Centre in Silverstone. For those that cannot enjoy such a privilege at the moment, look after the jump to enjoy some photos and a video.
VIDEO: Porsche 911 GT3 facelift in action
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
1st to comment, yeah!
porsche in red? i like it more when it is in yellow..
red hot chilli porsche, love the new LED brake lamps, bout time
i don’t really like this porch ….
damn hot porsche!
btw, its a real-wheel drive rite?
porsche designs are really boooooooooooooooring…..they can never run away from the bettle look…and when they do (with the Panamera and the Cayenne) the look horrible…..
*bleh*
cam.shaft
This is RWD, and quite possibly the best car for track use bar the RSR which is too track oriented.
Trouble is, though i love the GT3, there’s always a 430 Scuderia to consider as well…. in an ideal world…
Oooh… I like how the strip up front is finally less prominent…
what facelift?
*no wonder GTR hotter..
lazy porche design …
VW beetle on setroids
Give the cayman S this engine and it will probably beat the 911 anytime
Porsche did try to move away from this design with the 928, 959 and 968 but till today, people are still very much in love with this design, hence the 911 was maintained though the car model code soldiered on from 993, 996 and now the 997 series.
kington said,
January 30, 2009 @ 2:59 pm
Porsche did try to move away from this design with the 928, 959 and 968 but till today, people are still very much in love with this design,
—
the question is.. who is the ‘people’?
their obsolete fan?
what about the new generation one?
ok fine, new gen client all go to GTR, beside far cheaper.. it hot too!..
porsches should only be in black ,white or black
i like the way its so damn full off shit that nothing is done and a face lift is anounced…great job porschkrapp….we salute GTR..hip hip HAIK!
porsche are bloody uselss when styling a car ..
-the end-
i love the volkswagen bettle
Truth is People who dont like the porsche have probably never even driven one let alone own one. Why do porsches look the same u ask? lazy designers?
Their marketing team might say its all about evolution of the legendary design. But it also has to do with the value of the car. for instance look at the 993 porsche 911 and the 996, porsche tried to give the 911 a new look and look what happened. because of that the 993 actually has better resale value here in the UK compared to the 996. Some might say that it due to the fact the 993 is aircooled but if u compare them side by side you will see why porsche went back to the original design with the 997
In fact if u compare it to a conventional ferrari (not the enzo), porsches have alot better resale value than the prancing horse. So to just simply put porsche value their customers and if u are one u will appreciate what the company is doing. Only fanboys complain about how they look the same and what not.