Don Magee

Last weekend I was filling my 993 with gas and noticed a silver 996 with a "GT3" badge pulling out of the station. Are there street legal GT3s in the USA or was this a rebadged and upgraded 996?

Tabor

yes.

Karl S

Odds are it was rebadged, since you are in Austin and the car Tabor mentioned is in Atlanta. GT3 logos are easy to come by and if you put an aero kit and Sport Design wheels on the car, it's hard to tell from a distance.

Some other easy-to-spot visible differences are the seats (fixed back, heavily bolstered, with shoulder harness holes), brake calipers (red), and rotors (larger than stock). These can also be added but it's harder and more expensive. If you get a look at the front suspension, the control arms are different for the GT3 but this is also an easy upgrade. The only real way to tell is to get a look at the engine.

Karl

Pat K

There will be a new GT3 coming next fall to the US. Pre-lim pricing is around $180,000, very similar to GT-2, infact.

Viken

Really? At that price, it will likely sell like hotcakes.

Karl S

I agree with Viken. Even if you're right that PAG is going to build a new GT3, the pricing, doesn't make sense. The GT-2 has many GT3 parts, including the suspension, better brakes (ceramic), and a turbo version of the GT3 engine, which puts out 100 more HP.

Why would anyone pay the same price for less car?

Karl

Armando Ramirez

Is that not what they did with the RSA?
Same car same horse power..less stuff...?
No back seat..door handles..(some got AC some did not)...and you paid more for and RSA. Go figure :-) Got to love those Germans and creative marketing.

Viken

Who says the RS America had a higher selling price than the Carrera 2?

Base prices for both 1993 & 1994:

Carrera 2 = $64,990
RS America = $54,800

Cameron D

I live in Beverly Hills and I always see kids running around with rebadged 996's. Kind of like the kids that used to stick 5.0 litre emblems on their six cylinder mustangs. GT3's are not street so unless you see an emblem on a car at the track you just have to laugh.

gtdrei

There is a Black GT3 in the Seattle area. I have seen the car up close and even seen it while work was being performed on it. (on a lift). Over a year ago, I also saw a Red GT3 with dealer plates at Tyson's Corner in Virginia, and followed it to the local Porsche dealer. Turns out it was the owner's car. I believe that both of these were Euro spec cars.
The seat is not a clear delimiter-The stock seat for the GT3 is the Porsche Sports seat, the Buckets with holes for the 6 point belts are an option.

The GT3 is sold as a street car ROW. You see them frequently on the road in Europe. The GT3R is not for street use.

Robin

Karl S

Robin,

I agree that it is not impossible for a real street GT3 to be in this country. For example, foreign nationals are allowed to bring their cars from Europe and drive them here but they are not allowed to resell them and they have to take them back to Europe when they leave.

Cars can also be imported for show or race purposes with the stipulation that they not be run on the street. However, enforcement of this stipulation is pretty hard, so it's possible that people do run them on the street. This would be particularly easy for a dealer to do.

All that said, there is no known way for a US citizen to legally import a GT3 and drive it on the street. A number of high-end importers have tried but I don't know of any that have been successful. So it's doubtful that anyone would have an opportunity to see a real GT3 on the street. I live in the Tyson's area and bought my car at the dealer you are refering to and I never seen the car. So you're extremely lucky to have seen two legitimate GT3's on the road. Maybe you should buy a Powerball ticket

Karl

Tabor

Karl, it is far easier for a private citizen to import a GT3 than it is for a tuner. This is because the tuner has to get the car to pass all of the DOT safety stuff. A private citizen only has to get it to pass emissions. It is my understanding that this has been that case for since 2000. Prior to that it was just as hard for private citizens to import cars.

gtdrei

Karl,

I think that means that YOU don't know how to import an ROW GT3 into the US. (I don't know how to either, or I would be driving one instead of my Turbo) Trust me, other people know how to, and are doing it, all it takes is money and know how. Owning a dealership is one simple way, since you never have to actually title the car. The 'show and race' stipulation does allow a limited number of street miles annually, as I understand it. The GT3 does not qualify under the exemptions that have allowed people to bring McLaren F1's and 959's in, since the GT3 is still in production. People are driving GT3's and other cars not produced for the US here. I think they know how to do it (and can afford it) and we don't. But don't assume it can't be done.

Robin

Cameron D

It's like a guy I know with a 97 turbo. He badged it as a turbo S. No one can really tell for sure since it has the badging the brakes, origonal exaust tips, computer, wing and the truth is it is an S, just not an origonal one. If you have money sure you can own a GT3. Buy a 996 put the kit on the car, buy the full on suspension, seats, and even buy the engine which I believe is 45 grand then who's to know the difference.
Beverly Hills is where I live, this is the city where one would be if their was a way to drive them here. If someone is driving them on the road them they are not supposed to but people aren't supposed to rob banks and they do.
My point and everyone's point is they aren't supposed to be on the road.

ZAMIRZ

Hmm, and all this over a car that's probably a C2 with the aerokit/rims and a GT3 emblem.