doug928

Just wondering from all you 911 owners, has anyone driven the new GT3 and compared it to a standard 997S? I was thinking of ordering one but wasn't sure which one to get. I like racing on the track but I don't do it too often and really don't know if it would be practical - could the GT3 be used as a weekend car in additon to the track? If a 997S would be better what options would you recommend? Thanks for any input.

mooty

new gt3 will not be out for another 2 months or so at the minimum. personally i think GT3 is great for track use if you do 15 or more track days a year, else i get 997s, but that's me.

go drive a 997s and 996gt3 at dealers lot, the old 996gt3 will give you a feel of what a gt3 is about. they two cars are quite different. once you drove both, i think it will be clear to you which car u want.

Eggplant Cab

Depends on what kind of weekend you have. The carrera S has all the niceties like homelink, lights in all the right places, blah blah. The most important difference in my mind is the limited slip diff, brakes and of course the engine. It's only 60lbs lighter. I have the 997S. On the track, the lack of LSD does hurt it perceptibly but only if you're near the edge of performance. It rides quite a bit lower so again that depends on where you are.
On the Nord Ring, the 997SX51 is awesome but it's not a GT3. I drove a M3 CSL on the ring and it felt racier than the 997S. My 997s does not have PCCB but still I didn't have brake fade. I drove the 997TT and it was amazingly powerful. I didn't like the turn in (could've been the vario steering or AWD), which seemed a bit lack of bite but once turned in, traction was raillike. The 997TT had lowered suspension which probably was similar to the GT3 ride and had little lean.
If you don't do track events often and drive around town during the weekends, the 997S is more than adequate and quite civilized. If youre not too fussed about creature comforts and conveniences, don't mind the harsher ride and possible bottom scraping, the GT3 is probably your choice. Personally I don't like that GT3 spoiler in the rear mirror.

Alan Smithee

I will be replacing the 997 with either a 997S X51 or 997 GT3 in the next year or two; still a ways away, but as of right now, on paper, it's a tough decision. They're almost the same in price as I'd configure them, with the all-out performance nod of course going to the GT3. But day-to-day, the 997S X51 will probably have more usable torque, be more comfortable, have rear seats for those rare occasions, and be easier to negotiate over potholes, speed bumps, driveways, etc. It's also more understated, which I like. I don't get on the track as often as I'd like, and the 997S X51 would still be a ton of fun...but every time I see a GT3 I'd want one.

That they've softened up the GT3 with a sunroof, PASM, etc. only blurs the line further and makes the decision harder.

10 GT3

Here is some interesting math:

$ 997S + $ X51 + $ Aero + $ Optional Sport Wheels > $ GT3

Not in performance, but in cost. The GT3 is a much better bang-for-the-buck than an X51. A GT3 costs $23,400 more than a 997S, but the X51 option is $16,900 by itself and the Aero kit is $6,990. On top of this the GT3 has bigger brakes, bigger/wider wheels and tires, adjustable suspension and an LSD all included in these lower dollars.

Keep in mind that the new GT3 is much more liveable on the street than the 996 version was. The PASM and traction control will give you a reasonable ride and good poor weather dynamics, that were less than desireable in the old GT3. You can even get the 235 watt Sound-Plus stereo and Nav in a GT3. It is now the performance oriented 911 that doesn't give up much (if any) of a compromise in comfort and for a price that's better than an X51.

Alan Smithee

Yes, come next year the 997S X51 w/Aerokit won't make a lot of financial sense for the performance-oriented; the big difference being that the 997S X51 w/Aerokit has been available for a while now, while the 997 GT3 will not be available for another few months. Also, the 997S X51 w/Aerokit is available in C4 form and/or with Tiptronic, options that are of course not possible with the 997 GT3.

fer2367

I am on the same boat....but my debate includes the 997tt and, of course, keeping my current 997S and maybe adding a boxster...but whenever a see a picture or read a report of the 997GT3, I want that car really bad. And I agree that it is good value for the money.

doug928

Thanks for the input. I like the GT3 performance and I felt that if Porsche has made as many improvements on the new GT3 and it seems to be much more "street useable" that it might be the better option from the standard 997S. I thought that the GT3 was going to become available relatively soon (Aug or Sept). Does anyone know when they are supposed to become available?

Bill_C4S

Peruse the GT2/GT3 board...best indication is maybe late Oct...more likely Nov-Dec.

JFScheck

Wings are a little too "Boy Racerish" for me unless I'm gonna be out on the track or doing 100mph plus off track (not too often)...

Yea - 911S X51 is good for me

Holli82

I second that!!!

If you are a GT3 person, nothing else will satisfy you. 997S X-51 is enough for me and with the sport button on sometimes it's too much.

You can't go wrong either way

PogueMoHone

OK!

Nobody has driven the the new 997 GT3 yet so it's hard to speculate.

But I have owned a 997 X51, a 996 X51, a regular 996, a 996 GT2 and two 996 GT3 cars.

The GT2 was my all time favorite (replaced with a horse of a different type), but the 997 X51 is awesome and a family favorite. I look forward to 997 GT3 (and RS), but I would say if I could only have one car for day in and day out use, and take to the track etc., it would be the 997 X51.

Yes, I have driven the the 997S extensively, and on the track, and there is a significant visceral difference between it and the X51, paper doesn't always tell the story.

I reserve the right to change my mind when I get the 997 GT3, and again with the RS!

But for now the X51 is to die for..... and my wife likes it!

mastiffdog

This is all very correct, the man did his homework and the logic is operating in high gear.

H20NOO

If I could have ordered a 997 GT3 with a smaller rear wing and a method of mounting a child seat in the back, I would have ordered one. After all, I'm 40 years old with an 11 month old son and the car is my 100 mile round-trip daily driver.

With that said, my 997S with X51 and PCCB was about the same cost as a new GT3 after a 5% dealer discount and so far (1800 miles) I'm VERY pleased. The PASM and Sport Chrono + PSE give the car a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde personality that I really enjoy. It is like owning two cars and I'll say without hesitation that the 997S in Sport Mode is incredibly racey. Suspension wise, it's too stiff for street use on California's seismically modified freeways and washboard secondary roads.

If you want a car that will take the abuse of repeated track use, I believe the GT3 is the better choice. If you need a bit more civility and practicality, the 997S has more performance than most will ever use. In X51 form, it has more torque lower in the rpm range than a GT3 which makes it very quick for daily driving. I do long to hear that 8200 rpm shreik though... X51 has a hard cutoff at 7400, and I mean hard cutoff.

MC

PogueMoHone

I have to disagree, the 997 GT3 will be much more expensive than the the X51. based upon the the X51 in my garage; and my GT3 on the Porsche production line (I hope) at this moment. It ain't all about MSRP!