Manifold

I thought about both, but 997.2 RS has largely become a collector's car due to continuing value appreciation, and Cup has really high operating cost and needs trailering.

One of the bigger mistakes I've made in life is not buying a friend's 997 GT2 for about $130k several years ago.

Waxer

This ^

No question the .2 3RS is faster than a .1 GT3 apples to apples. To try and argue otherwise makes you look silly.

However, isn’t it more about YOU and improving your skills rather than just putting your butt in a faster car? Sure, you will be faster in a faster car but it’s more the car than you in most cases.

We all get sucked in to getting the next best. Perhaps the answer is getting better to the point you are maximizing what you already have. Once there then move on to the faster car. My 2 cents.

Manifold

Again, no one is arguing that the RS isn’t faster. The question is how much faster, and we have a pretty good estimate of the answer.

My rule of thumb has been that you’re only allowed to upgrade the car or tires if your lap time is currently within 1.5-2 secs of pros (per minute of lap time) with your current car/tires. Many drivers will take a long time to reach that point in a Porsche GT car, and some will never get there.

TRAKCAR

^^ Good point :-)

Or when the warranty runs out ;-)

Waxer

Thanks! 👍

Cay_PI

Put the .2 RS Springs in the .1 GT3 and give it a proper alignment. Helps so much with confidence and stability on track, especially under braking and turn in. Also, sport mode is not overdamped anymore. Normal mode a little underdamped maybe but nice for street driving.

I drove .2 GT3 back to back with my .1 GT3 and was impressed by the ride stability and underwhelmed by the engine and sounds. The new one has better tech and more torgue for sure. But the 3.8 revs nicer, sounds better and the power delivery (nothing below 5k and explosion then) feels more like a racecar.
Would be nice to drive a .2 RS on the track. But didn't had the chance by now.

Manifold

Interesting idea on the springs. I love the suspension of the .1 GT3 on every track except my home track, Summit Point, where the car is a handful under heavy braking in the fast bumpy braking zones. I plan to try the DSC box next season, and may play with the springs also. Do the .2 RS springs go straight into the .1 GT3 with no mods needed?

I also drove a .2 GT3 on track back to back with my .1 GT3 and my impression was very similar to yours. I didn't notice much difference in power or shifting, and I like the sound and looks of the .1 better. The handling of the .2 was better in the sense of the car being more composed and significantly easier to drive, but at the expense of feeling more refined and less raw and engaging. The .2 is an upgrade for lap time, but I can't really say it's an upgrade for enjoyment.

This whole discussion puts me on the edge of my seat waiting for the 992 GT3. I hope they won't go in the direction of making it more refined.

A/S

I agree with the OP, every 991 GT3 PDK feels similar, it's just that some produce faster lap times.

If you're not chasing a lap time, like running Time Trials (which is a great spot for these cars) and just doing track days for fun, a 991.2 GT3RS, a 991.1 GT3, and anything in between would be as much fun.

I had a recent drive in a 2019 GT3 on street tires and my 2019 GT3RS on Hoosiers, big difference in grip levels, plus my car has the Dundon headers/airbox/plenum/TB/quiet-exhaust and runs 150 lbs lighter than the GT3 I drove (due to Antigravity battery, PCCB and lighter exhaust), and both cars were fun, one was faster than the other, but you cannot have no fun with a 991.1 GT3, it is a similar experience.

The 997 GT3RS has lower mechanical grip, a nicer steering feel, but its damping is not the best and I don't think I had as much fun in that car as I do with the 991 platform. The 997 felt slow, lots of cars would walk away from it in straight line and that's no longer fun when you can't make a pass on a Mustang or Camaro. The 991 sticks better, and with higher corner speeds come higher exit speeds, it is geared shorter and closer too, the PDK shifts make-up time, and its engine has a nice power delivery at the top end, so few cars walk away from it on the racetracks straights, it keeps up with the latest Viper/Vette with 150+ hp and twice the torque.

I have posted a few times, the best value today for a street legal track day car with a warranty is a 991.1 GT3. The second best: a 991.1 GT3RS.

997.2 GT3 RS 4.0, we don't see them anymore. 997.2 GT3 RS 3.8 are missing too.

Christian Plyler

I traded up to the RS out of vanity, mostly. Because when I go to an HPDE, but don't time myself, I can THINK that I'm faster.

And regarding A/S's comment just above...It's pretty dang impressive how fast the newer Mustangs and Camaros have become. A decade ago, I ran at MSR Houston in my Exige. Was with some Cobra Owners Club down there. They had a couple spots open and put an invitation on our Lotus forum. One of my Lotus buddies and I decided to go. A couple of guys in stock, naturally aspirated Exiges, with like 180HP at the crank, making time on all the modded Mustang Cobras, GT500s, or whatever else they had (I don't really keep up with all the Mustang models). We could catch and pass them all easily. They would pull a couple car lengths on a long straight, but we could more than make that up in braking and through the turns.

But now, a decade later? Some of these American muscle cars are freakishly fast. Their track capabilities, for the money they cost, are very impressive.

Jimmy-D

I think every iteration will get a little more refined.- some will welcome it and some will not. I also found the .1 GT3 engine to feel more raw but less linear in my opinion. The 4.0 definitely has more more torque which makes it more fun for Daily driving and is very smooth but I welcome that characteristic. It is one heck of a motor and looking forward to how it evolves from here.

Cay_PI

It goes in without hassle and works fine with the factory dampers, PASM and lift. Also have a DSC Module and kicked it out. With the new springs you get a firm but reactive and stable ride with the stock PASM controller.

What you need depends a bit on your car. All 991 GT3 upon End 2015 use helper springs in the rear (same like .2 RS). So you need only the new main spring for the rear. GT3 RS or .2 GT3 need the helper spring and the spacer in addition, because they don't have helpers from factory.
At the front you need the new main spring, helper spring and spacer (regardless if its a .1 GT3 / RS or .2 GT3). But .1 GT3 also had slightly different spring seat. You should change that to the version they used from 2016 to gain 1.5cm of travel. Otherwise your car would come a little higher.
If you plan to do it - just send me photos, I can check it for you. Know all the parts, versions and numbers very well now


I had not much travel for lowering left at stock. Now its even less. Car is about 3mm lower than from factory and about 2-3mm of travel left at the front. but perfect for me and drives very nice.

Waxer

S197 Mustangs are no joke and the S550 chassis Mustangs are even faster.
These two run mid 56's and 58's respectively at Lime Rock and 2:05's at Watkins and 2:10's respectively. These two have no problem keeping Exiges in the rear view.

Not all Mustangs are confined to doing stupid stunts at C&C's.

jgorscak

This comment it right on. No street car compares to a purpose built track car. For me, my 675LT is hands down the best street car I have ever driven in the track. But the experience my track prepped M3 gives on the track blows away the Mac. Same goes for a Cup, there is no other experience like it. Street cars are street cars, race cars are race cars.

Waxer

Yup. Nuff said