I don't have to imagine as I have a Cup car and I wouldn't want to drive that on the street. The 997 GT3 is the best road going 911 I have driven. It is far better than my 993, GT2, 997S, etc. It is so solid and planted with great power. All of my opinions come from street driving only so far.

 

Congratulations on the Cup - sweet ride!

OK, what if the GT3 street and Cup cars were each significantly lighter (even the Cup is fairly heavy for a racecar). Would you agree that it would be a benefit?

The GT3 wouldn't need to ride like the Cup if it weighed 500 lbs less - it's all a matter of suspension tuning (which is easier when there is less weight to suspend).

If the 998 uses some more advanced materials and construction techiniques, I don't think you'd need to lose all of the GT3's amenities either (at least not the ones that really contribute to driving pleasure and comfort).

Shrinking back to 993 dimensions wouldn't hurt either...

 

If Porsche could use Carbon parts like BMW, Mitsubishi, Nissan, GM, then they could give us a much lighter car. 3,300 lbs is just too much, it's close to BMW M3 territory, and heavier than the regular 997 Carrera by a lot.

I hope the extra weight is the result of the sunroof and sound insulation for the Comfort GT3, and they bring us a lightweight GT3 RS.

 

Agreed, but it is what it is.

 

Agree, and I think they need to look at replacing much of the steel unibody with Aluminum in the next generation...

 

Now, that you mention that, I just read that Porsche keeps increasing their share on VW, and they want to pull VW and Audi apart from platform sharing. Rumors of a VW hostile acquisition are pretty strong, I know Porsche is pissed with VW for a back stabbing that happened with the Cayenne.

The good news here is that Porsche will always be the premium brand from the group (and Lambo), and they could get several lessons on full aluminum manufacturing from Audi... and the DSG transmission.

 

Unfortunately the market at this price range has shown that, extra weight isn't really much of an issue, they'll buy regardless. Porsche aren't gonna add all these expensive to manufacture exotic parts when the market will buy these car without them - easy profit.

 

Well, they can't keep pumping the flat six's power up forever, neither the regular nor GT motors...and the extra goodies will keep on coming. I don't think the market will accept an eight cylinder 911, so they'll have to keep the weight in check...or lose the performance spec sheet game to lesser performance cars in the future.

 

Alan,

With direct injection Porsche can get 500HP out of 3.8L and probably more out of a 4.0L which is about the max displacement for the 6 cylinder boxer.

 

I'll believe that when I see it. I assume you're talking about a naturally aspirated motor? That would be 132 hp/L when the current 3.8L motor is giving 93hp/L. Seems VERY unlikely to me...

 

Excellence said they estimate RS to be close 3000 lbs with a/c delete, maybe below (yeah ), unfortunately that's not the case, RS is not much lighter than GT3.

What gripes me is all these forced crap you have to deal with when ordering a new Porsche.
Needless to say sunroof is a big ****ing pile forced crap but also i.e. if you want to have Xenons in your car, you are forced to have those stupid little headlight washers, WTF do I need those for?!

 

The RSR cup moter which is 3.8L makes 485 with restrictors and has a morph of a mechanical direct injection system.
The GT3 makes 415HP. 3.6L and non-direct injection. Direct injection will be good for 30-40HP. If you increase the displacement to 4.0L or 3.9L, Porsche will have no problems with 500HP, NA with the 4.0L motor.

 

I think we have the same criteria for the car, but I'm tending to think it's just about money. If you want any given special feature, the factory just doesn't do it, unless it involves cladding the cabin in your choice of paint, leather or carbon fibre facade.

So, as unpalatable as it is, the solution is to have a body shop replace the sunroof with a factory roof panel and liner. And fit the Cup or RS or even RSR go fast bits. And put on a pair of Euro bumper covers without the bumperettes or the headlamp squirters.

And just keep going along those lines with seats, roll bar, fire-ex etc. etc. until you reach whatever balance works or you look at the spreadsheet and say "$150K for a GT3 is too much." Then decide.

I chose to take it as it comes rather than build my own A La Carte from the aftermarket and the parts bin.

If you go with the parts bin, there's no limit. Replace the door trim with CF panels, get manual glass, lexan rear glass, remove everything until you have almost a Cup car but with a street plate and a VIN for insurance. Or buy an old Cup car for the track and have fun with a nice street car like the stock GT3. But the GT3 and the RS could both be a lot better if Porsche took all that junk out and delivered a 2800lb car with 500hp from a 4.0 direct injection engine. And round and round we go.

 

I agree but I think Porsche would do even better if they started with the stripped out car (for both, GT3 & GT3 RS) and have a mile long option list.

We (purists, not or whatever you call) who like these cars without that luxo crap would be happy even if it was the same base price (ok, maybe $5-10k less) without anything and then by adding all those additional items (sunroof, nav, extra leather, headlight washers, electric seats etc. etc.) and result would be even higher price those who want all that and I feel they would be willibng to pay for all that junk.

Sunroof is a perfect example, lot of us would be very happy without it with the same price and would even pay considerable sum of money to get rid of it so if Porsche had deliverd GT3 without the hole and had same price, plus $4k extra for the sunroof option, I think they would profit even more.

I think the current hp is perfectly fine (of course everyone always wants more, me included) but 2800 or even 2900 lbs would be awesome. IMO 3000 lbs is about the max what the weight should be. It's a shame it's a lot more than that.

 

Finn,

Porsche could not sell the GT3 in the US WITHOUT the sunroof.

The reason:
Because the GT3RS has to be 44lbs lighter in all markets.

The only way to do that (since PCNA can't bring inthe carbon seats) is to make the "other" car heavier.
They are sneaky bastards. It's a lot easier (see cheaper) to make one car heavier, than it is to make the other car lighter. if the GT3 buyers had an option to remove the sunroof, it would make the GT3 lighter than the RS.

So all of you getting an RS, thank a GT3 owner for your "lighter" option.