rai

I'm curious regarding this statement, if I'm unlikely to track the car would a GT3 be mega overkill?

I know people say the new GT3 is ok on road, and truth be told not everyone buys something for the same reason. Some people buy art just to look at it. I could buy a GT3 never track it (but maybe I will, to try it). But for the joy of owning something very special and just of owning a super car which I've always wanted to do.

However strictly street driving, probably a non GT maybe even a GTS4 would be the best choice.

NoGaBiker

My reasons were specific and probably don't apply widely to many people. I've had some pretty "serious" Porsches with aftermarket tuning. It's been fun. But my wife just stopped riding in them. She didn't like the noise, the constant thumping over expansion joints, the generally harsh ride. Consequently, it's her ML350 every time we go anywhere. Sometimes I just like to go places in the 911, with her.

So when I decided to sell my latest 997 Turbo and replace it with a GTS, I thought the combination of the PSE (keep it in Quiet when she's around), the longer wheelbase and all-new platform, the PDK, would allow me to put it in Auto and just tool around when she's in the car. Definitely did the trick. I get to drive in [Manual, Sport+, PSE Loud] 95% of the time, and still get to drive the Porsche [Auto, Normal, PSE Quiet] when we go out to dinner.

GT3 was a total non-starter for that reason.

ace37

Thanks for a great write up! The detail and background on your history helps put it in perspective.

Im another former S2000 (and Ducati) owner. I love a high revving engine and appreciate a great sound. But regardless, I want to daily my fun car and to get out to the track regularly, and back seats were a big plus.

I decided to not get a GT3 and went with a turbo instead. It's just much better for driving anywhere near legally on the street. What pushed me over the edge is I decided I'd rather track a race car than a ~$150k street car. Along with the turbo I picked up an old Boxster for a Spec Boxster build project. That will become my all out visceral track experience, and while it's not that fast, it's quite raw, tires are where the real fun is at, and if I tear it up I can comfortably afford to pay the bill to fix it. Also after I can drive well enough there are plenty of fast race cars that are very cheap to buy (though expensive to maintain).

But all of that doesn't take away the appeal of a GT3. I'd really enjoy one. Glad you did, OP!

Archimedes

The GT3 is definitely stiffer than a SPASM Carrera in normal mode.

Archimedes

That's not a GT3, it's a standard 991 and the standard retractable wing. The GT3 wing is integrated into the decklid, not removable. You would have to remove and replace the entire decklid and include either the retractable wing or the duck tail, all of which would need to be widebody and be painted to match. The entire conversion would cost a few thousand bucks at least, and you'd have a car with unbalanced aero.

Churchill

The GT3 wing/lid and stock 991 lid both bolt up to the same hinges. Yes, the GT3 wing/lid is one unit. No, there's no difference in fitment -- the widebody cars have wider rear fenders, not a wider engine bay and lid. And no, there'd be no unbalanced aero in street driving. There is no aero in street driving in the first place.

R_Rated

lies. My car is remarkably tighter and faster in school zones with my wing up.

Dewinator

How does it compare to SPASM in Sport?

Churchill

With the wing down, I get bad trailing throttle oversteer on highway cloverleaf entry. But with the wing up it's totally planted.

NoGaBiker

Okay, credit where credit is due. You guys had me laughing here.

Archimedes

I didn't say they didn't. Reading comprehension folks. I merely disagreed with the poster who said that it was simply unbolting the wind on a GT3. It's not. It's an entire decklid swap.

And aero absolutely does impact a car at speeds in the 75-100 mph range. If you're never driving in that range, even on the street, why do you even own a Porsche? And why does Porsche even put a retractable rear wing on a standard Carrera? And one with a higher angle on the GTS? For fun?

Churchill

Not trying to be snarky here, but yeah, totally. You really think the higher angle of the tail on a GTS is because of that extra 30HP? Really?

Look, a 911 is a wonderful car. I own three of them. I've built many 911 engines, done two full restorations on early cars, and have been driving them at the track for over a decade. I love 'em. But they're full of compromises and marketing gimmicks and stuff with zero performance benefit that simply looks or sounds cool, and that's perfectly fine. Michael Schumacher wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a regular GT3 and a tail-delete GT3 on the street.

NoGaBiker

Not at present, no.

djcxxx

I am inclined to agree that the aero effects at speeds under 100-120mph are going to be academic between the full wing and the wing delete w/ an appropriate spoiler or possibly a ducktail. For my part the issue is that Porsche gives its imprimatur on the wing delete as a "fully" engineered product. The 911R introduced the lower diffuser to allow production of a wingless GT3 that Porsche could stand behind rather than a customer one-off modification that has no bona fides even if from a practical standpoint it will not compromise the car's handling at every day speeds. By the way I believe the different wing angles on the Carreras has to do with engine cooling more than downforce. Engine cooling is another issue with the wingless GT3 that Porsche has presumably addressed w/ the 911R as well as any potential Touring package.

Ed911.2

Not only engine cooling but the aero on the back is designed to feed ram air into the plenum for extra HP on the GT3: mess that up and you could be down on power at even moderate speeds...