Nizer

w/new production-based 4.0L DFI motor:

http://sportscar365.com/gt/new-porsc...na-2016-debut/

"Porsche’s new 911 GT3-R is on track to make its worldwide debut next January in IMSA competition as part of a potential factory supported effort in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Speaking to Sportscar365, Head of Porsche Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser confirmed that the heavily revised GT3 model, based off the new road-going 911 GT3 RS, will not race this year, with all efforts now around a debut in Florida next January.

“That’s the idea,” Walliser told Sportscar365. “If you ask me, Daytona is a little bit too early in the year but we’re working on it.

“[Right now] we’re [focusing on] testing, testing, testing, refinement and reliability. This is our target for the car.”

The car, which began testing last summer, underwent a major engine change with the adoption of a new four-liter flat-six that’s now direct-injected and features a new crank housing.

Walliser feels it was the right direction to take, particularly with the car being built for its large customer base.

“It was a late decision in the project but I think the right decision because we are now close to the street car,” he said. “We have to also look at run time costs for our customers, so we have a production-based engine as the old engine was running out, that was well known.”

The engine change altered Porsche’s initial plan of debuting the car this year, leaving the German manufacturer to focus on preparations for what could be a significant effort in next year’s season-opening TUDOR United SportsCar Championship round.

“We’re concentrating on testing and building new cars and bring it to the customers,” Walliser said. “Shipping them to the U.S. will be a big logistics behind it, in order to have the spare parts ready [for Daytona].

Walliser expects at least four to five new 911 GT3-Rs on the grid at Daytona, with priority given to full-season entrants, although there’s a possibility of one or two additional cars for the race as well.

It adds up for what could be a massive debut, which may see an increased level of factory support for the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic.

“You know we have a long history in supporting customers [in the U.S.],” Walliser said. “We’re figuring out now and are in discussions with customers on what will be their programs.

“For sure, as Porsche Motorsport, we always support the technical side and with [works] drivers and so-on. If it’s a more factory based support, then we have to decide. It depends a little bit on the customer side.”

As for Porsche’s GTE contender, Walliser said no decision has been made on whether a new car will be built for the new-for-2016 regulations, or rather the existing 911 RSR would receive the necessary performance and safety updates required for next year.

“We’re taking our time to see what we do,” he said. “We’re checking at the moment on what has to be done to have the car ready in 2016. There’s now ongoing discussions with the sanctioning bodies.

“We then have to focus between the markets. Will it be more U.S. or more WEC?”

Walliser said it’s too early to make any indications on whether they will continue with factory GTLM/GTE efforts in both the TUDOR Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship next year."

GTgears

Cool.

tcsracing1

DFI... well, well, well.... Going to be a great Daytona 24H

bgiere

Finally !

jcs_911

...as long as Tandy doesn't crash into 3 of them in the same corner.

Veloce Raptor

Hahaha!!!!

mobonic

Amazing car and great to hear the new DFI street 4.0L form the GT3RS is going into this car and will be tested and proven in the new chassis, what better way to test a platform than endurance racing. That is really where the weaknesses of the 991 Cup have been shown, not in sprint cup racing.

rant coming in 3...2...1:

My guess is this new car will run $400k-$500K with A LOT of 991 RSR parts and this is the #1 problem with these new GT3 cars is the cost. Even Reiter Engineering that built the Factory Lambo's started to develop the camaro GT3 car because he stated he is losing A LOT of "gentleman" customers because most dont have the $ to buy a $500k GT3 car then go race it, especially in endurance racing where the cost of 1 24HR race can be the same as a entire season of sprint racing.

I LOVE this car, but looks like Porsche Racing is getting even more expensive every year and with every new model.

Smart move for Porsche to offer the GT4.

Joe T

Can I join the rant? I would love to run endurance races where you can have a faster driver paired up with you and at least have a chance for a decent finish but I think the problem lies with the manufacturers and IMSA. They seem to be focused on manufacturers not privateer teams ... or at least not megabuck privateer teams. I was informed by IMSA that only NEW spec GT3s will be allowed in for 2016. Porsche has always been focused on only selling the new cars so my 997 GT3R is yesterday's news. Was looking at Reiter but it seems Lamborghini will get their way and only the new Huracan will be eligible even though Lambo doesn't have the homologation on the Gallardo (Reiter does). All the cars in the PWC paddock will be ineligible except the Cadillac, McLaren and perhaps the Dodge. All the Porsches, Ferraris, Mercedes, Audis, etc will be ineligible. All these $500,000 cars ineligible to run TUSCC is a huge shame. Not to mention all the money sunk into the current Porsche GTD Americas. No wonder the car counts are so small in TUSCC relative to PWC.

enduro911

Guys I"m not in the market but I love reading about Porsche Motorsports as a business. Can you share any insight regarding where the costs have grown relative the competition and which options for privateers are the really the competition? Thanks!

Juan Lopez

Joe,

They are afraid of what a well developed and driven GT3R can do plus, they make money selling new ones. As you well stated, the budgets have always been high but now they are just ridiculous.

It is a shame as there are a lot of great cars out there already with a pool of talent to match.

When I put the numbers together to run the Patron Endurance this year I got to a number so high that it was just impossible. Then when I asked about only doing Sebring, I was told that they were only looking for teams interested in doing the whole season. Thus I scaled back my aspirations and have been running the Mission Foods GT3 Cup Trophy USA.

Hope things change and opportunities open up. In the meantime, best wishes for success on PWC!

! Juan

fleadh

Says who? Just last weekend at Laguna Seca I was asked by an official if they'd see me w/ my 458 GT3 next season.

It's not surprising if they don't allow the 997 GT3R's into the series next year, but blame PMNA for that, not IMSA.

-mike

GTgears

We need to get you over to Germany to run The Ring. I've got some interesting new info I will be able to share soon that I think will inspire you to go run a couple races and then the 24.

Juan Lopez

👍 cool. Let me know....

Joe T

Mike -

I assumed that Ferrari would have the new 488GT3 for 2016. If not, I assume the 458 would be eligible - my bad. When I asked my follow-up questions to IMSA after being told definitively that the 997 and the Reiter Lambo would not be eligible, I did not get a reply. On a related note, when I contacted MB they indicated that the SLS was old news and they were busy getting the GT ready. Seems that the current crop of GT3s in PWC that might work in 2016 for Tudor would included the McLaren (factory/quasi factory effort), Cadillac (factory effort), Dodge, Nissan (factory effort), Bentley (factory effort) and perhaps Ferrari. Don't know enough about Aston to know if they have a new model ready to launch. Probably no go for the Audis, Porsches, MBs which make up a pretty decent number of cars in GT / GTA.

James-GMG

Joe and all, regarding PWC and car eligibility in 2016, all cars that were last manufactured in 2014 (Audi R8, 997R, Aston Martin Vantage, etc) have 3 more years of eligibility to run in the GTA Class though 2017. So you and I should be able to run our current cars in 2016 but I would certainly love to try out the new Audi R8 and 991R very soon.....

As far as Tudor, I am not aware of their intentions......