Bill_C4S

Updated original post on ECOTY results to include scoring and selected quotes from endpiece of article...scroll back up if you've missed.

Macca

Thanks Bill. It looks like it won by a fair margin although it obvious Medan and some of the old timers are still very reticent of the MT passing. It born from a long and painful gestation but I suspect once the information starts flowing form customers, in their hands, we will truly know how good (or not?) it is. I think the majority of us will be surprised. The motor noters views are not often born form the real world application of the car in these short tests. Looking foreward to more track reviews too...

Manifold

For me, that's the key. I like Evo more than any other car mag, but none of these mags that I know of focus on how good cars are for serious track use.

Lately I'm warming more to the 991 GT3, but still concerned about things like its track durability and reliability, availability of good track tires in 20" size, possible challenges in setting track alignment considering the RWS, etc. Might be able to live with PDK if I keep a manual car around.

Macca

Manifold. Performance wise I think it will excel on track most of all. Its already providing to be very planted and quick on real world British B roads. The question of reliability & durability are unable to be answered until those on this board have received delivery and started using them as they were intended. RHD orders are now suspended due to over demand and I believe LHD orders will face the same challenges. The production window may end up being very short for the 991 GT3 as the RS is due to start production in Sept/Oct form what we are hearing although to be quite honest right now most of us are wondering if the whole 991 GT3 thing really exists or is just fairy dust LOL! The smart strategy would probably be to place your order now for Q2/3 delivery 2014 and just move it off or cancel it if the feedback you get in the first 6 month of 2014 from real life owners does not meet your expectations. Given most of us will be only seeing 20 or less track days a year I guess many like myself dont see these as issues, its a Porsche GT3 so it will be more reliable than most others on the track, however given your intensive use on the track it would be better to wait until late 2014 to get a better level of confidence, by then teh RS will be available so you could jump straight into one off those. Im told its will be something quite special...

reidry

Macca,

Can you elaborate on what you mean by RHD orders are suspended? I have a Q2 allocation for a LHD US car, you think there is any chance that the order window is shorter than that?

Sitting here at the moment I can't even imagine how I might react if the dealer called in April and said "Sorry, all orders are now closed you didn't make the cut."

Ryan

Mike in CA

Ryan, I'm guessing he means no further RHD orders are being taken, not that ones already placed won't be honored. Macca?

Macca

Ryan don't threat. I suspect RHD demand was estimated too low in the first place based on previous models. I think the factory is just holding back on rhd orders until they can get their allocations back on track. No threat to lhd orders today but if you left ordering another 3 months you may find the door closing

reidry

Mike,

Since I only have an allocation, not a submitted order ... it certainly gets my attention if Porsche says all RHD orders are "all in, all done." Which is seems awefully early unless the allocation to order works differently for ROW dealers than US dealers.

Ryan

Macca

Correct Mike. Possibly will improve downstream but right now Porsche are not releasing further RHD allocations that I know for fact.

Mike in CA

Ahh, I see your concern Ryan. I thought you already had an order in the system. Still, if you have an allocation, as opposed to just being on a waiting list, I expect you'll be ok.

BTW, on a general note, I just got my digital copy of EVO. Anyone buying one of these cars should find a copy of their CoTY article. Unfortunately, I can't copy and paste from the article or I'd post excerpts, but it's well worth reading.

Nan P

I just downloaded the EVO article & here is the last few paragraphs....

Quoting from Henry Catchpole's:
"Time is pressing on but there’s one car that both Jethro and I still need to drive properly: the GT3. Jethro suggests that he drives out and then we turn around and I drive back. This seems like a splendid idea until about two corners in, when I’m convinced he’s going to kill us. Obviously I trust Jethro and being British I wouldn’t dream of saying anything even if I didn’t, so I just sit there trying to disguise my internal anguish as we head much too fast into a downhill corner. We change up going through what should be a braking point. Then as we finally do brake (him using a real pedal, me pressing an imaginary one in the passenger footwell), Jethro also turns in hard (still downhill remember), which I absolutely know is a bad idea in a 911. Somehow we whistle round with just a tad of opposite lock for fun on the exit and then rush headlong at the next corner of terror.

By the time we reach the turn-around point at Castellane, Jethro’s whooping with delight while I feel like I’ve just had the laws of physics redefined. I say as much to him and he grins, replying that it serves me right for doing the same thing to him in the McLaren 12C this time last year. I had no idea. Anyway, I’m convinced that I won’t be able to drive the GT3 anything like as discombobulatingly quickly back up the hill. At least I’m sure until about 500 yards into the drive, when I discover I’m now the one doing the whooping. As soon as you have the wheel in your hands you feel hardwired into the chassis and every tiny shift it makes, which lets you drive it like no 911 should be driven.
Front-end grip isn’t just astonishing for a 911, it’s astonishing for any car. And although the limits feel terrifyingly high from the passenger seat, when you’re in control you find the car is egging you on and encouraging you to drive it not only up to the edge of adhesion but well over it as well if you want. The breakaway that you assume would be snappy and unpredictable is as readable as a Wodehouse short story. And the stopping? Well, that’s just comical. I’m glad to see out of the corner of my eye that Jethro’s looking for my phantom passenger brake pedal.
After only a few minutes of driving like I’m interviewing for Kobayashi Cabs, the GT3 has scrambled not only my mind but also the mental scoresheet I’d been quietly happy with. I thought the GT3 was too aloof, that it was too focused on numbers. I had it in fifth position. And then it goes and delivers a few minutes of pure magic like that. Damn thing."

Nan P

So the 991GT3 has won "Car Magazine's" COTY & now "EVO's" COTY.....
I predict this is only just the beginning.....& this car is EPIC!

Bill_C4S

Given that neither the 997.1 nor .2 GT3's won eCOTY...and it took the RS versions to realise such...leaves one pondering that if the "cooking" 991 GT3 can eclipse the F12...what on earth will the RS do?

Macca

Bill. The final synopsis in the closing paragraphs of Evos comparison test certainly brings home the amazing feat of the GT3 in what has been claimed as arguably the toughest eCoty to date. Hands down a winner in such vaunted company is something.

Most importantly for me was who voted the car 1st from the team. Jethro Bothrington is the most naturally talented driver on the team IMHO and the one I most liken myself too in terms of "driving spirit". Ive been following his writing for years both before his departure and upon his return to Evo. Having read every issue from #1 Ive learned who I most closely associate and trust in terms of feedback and comment. To me Jethro is the closest thing Evo has to Chris Harris (only younger), and infact I think he will eventually become the next Chris Harris.

Mr Vivian is another motor hack I really respect in that team. Hes more old school and no driving god but hes eloquent and with such a breadth of experience Im always amazed how he simply cuts to the chase and nails a winner. Ive seen him do it many times on cars Ive driven and later reflected on his words and realised I feel the same way. Jethro has the driving tallent but David manages to fine a way of sifting through the cars variables to present it in the best balance.

The fact that the GT3 ran away from teh others so far in terms of points on this test is not the testimony for me. The fact that these two journalists voted it #1 means far more...the fact the next two journos on that gang (again IMHO) voted it second to a F12...well thats no hardship really. The F12 is an Epic car over twice the price of the GT3 in my market....

Petevb

It sets the standard within the US as well, for those in the know.

Great showing, clearly. Interesting that multiple journalists were...
I must say I'm impressed that it clearly came first as a road car while chasing numbers. However I think there must be an end to the progression of ever faster cars. If you go to empty roads in France you can still use all of these cars, but what about 99% of everywhere else? What happens 10 years from now when these cars are as quick as Veyrons, as history tells us they will be? At what point does chasing number make driving one of these on the road in the US an exercise in frustration? You can use all of a Veyron for about 3.5 seconds on virtually any road in the US before risking jail time. As a track toy, sure, but what percentage of people track their Veyron vs pose with them?

Makes me think. Not to take anything away from this impressive victory.