And that was, IIRC, with specific reference to the GT series.

 

Where does that information come come from? By rule, they can't race the 9A1 GT3 because they havent sold any yet. As referenced in the latest Panorama, Porsche engineers are working on development of the 991 for racing as I write this. Since they will no longer be selling Mezger engine equipped GT3 cars they have 2 choices; abandon factory involvment in the GT3 class or develop the 991 chassis and 9A1 motor for racing. Care to wager on which is most likely?

 

They can race in their own factory series: SuperCup, IMSA, Pirelli, even get allowances to run in SCCA, FIA GT3, FIA GT2, VLN and ACO/ALMS.

FYI, Porsche raced the 1998 996 GT3 Cup before even building the first street GT3 that did not hit the market until late 1999. The street car came as a version of the race car, and back then the two cars were as close to each other as they ever got. With each newer generation, they started growing apart, with the worse decision made in 2005 switching to a race sequential and stopping further developments on the 6-speed manual, that would have made it more reliable (clutch, diff, gears).

With Mezger out of production, the 9A1 would likely be the logical choice, and they would need to make it dry-sump (a real dry-sump) to tolerate endurance racing. Whether dry-sump would make it to the street GT3 is unknown.

It seems they are going to release a street GT3 before a race GT3, and I'm positive there is zero value on reliability under track conditions if the product has not been fully tracked. This is what's happening to Fiat with their 458, McLaren with the MP4-12C GT3, they started with the street cars, and under racing conditions they started to break, expect the same from VW and their iterations of 991 race cars based on 9A1 engine with drivetrain components yet to be created.

 

Perhaps they can, but the question is whether that is the path they will take. The latest 997 GT3 RSR was considered a big step forward yet, while reliable, it was well off the pace at Sebring. My faith may be misplaced, but I don't see Porsche as willing to compete as an also-ran, with an allowance for aging technology, against the competition indefinitely. Racing in production based classes has always been their bread and butter and I think it will continue to be very important both from a sporting and business perspective. I think Porsche will fully develop the 991 GT3 and 9A1 for racing, as vigorously as they have the 997 based car before it. That would be my bet (and my hope), at least.

 

The 9A1 engine is being raced on Rolex Grand AM...and it's winning!!!!

 

It's running in the Speed WC GTS class as well, as is winning too.

But, the Grand-Am and Speed WC efforts are being funded by private efforts, with their own budget, while monster giant VW Group and its Beetle affiliate rest in the laurels and just focus on selling 100,000+ P-cars a year and making money.

I seriously hope they get spanked once again in FIA-GT and ALMS, and just do well in their own kitty litter race series. If they knew they were killing the Mezger, they should have started racing the 9A1 2 years ago. They could have started with a similar effort to what Napleton Porsche did with the Cayman, or somthing similar with the 997.2 Carrera S, Grand-Am with its endurance program was the right choice.

Hopefully, the Mezger comes back in the 991, they adapt PDK to the Mezger and everything will be so good, but the chances of that happening based on the 911 product dilution shown in recent years, and the hunger for extraordinary profits per car sold, well my bet is we won't see Mezger anymore, I want to be wrong.

 

As far as I am aware, there is no such thing as the 9A1 being raced in Grand Am or Speed WC. They use the 911 GT3 Cup which has the Mezger.

To my knowledge, the only 9A1s being professionally raced are of the Cayman Ss in the Continental Tire Series.

 

That is very wrong info...I personally have been over to BGB Motorsports and have seen the Conti Grand Am car...2 of them and they are 9A1 engines. Also the Rum Bum 997 is a 9A1 engine and they won 3 races in it so far....the engine is really good and Porsche is winning (privater owners like NJ-GT pointed out) and Grand Am added weight to the Porsche....I'll bet you what ever you want it's the stock 9A1 engine and they use the M&M (FVD) header no cats and rear exhaust no side muff's.

 

it is nothing. grand am also races M96 and M97 rebuilt engines, those new caymans with 9a1 engine swap are no different but those are not 'official' cars, those are all rebuilds.

when porsche will make 991 cup car with 9a1 engine in it, then RSR car with 9a1 in it - that will be _the_ car. engines flat6 builds right now run as strong as metzgers and do not blow up. but it means nothing.

 

Let's hope they offer a 6 spd , If all you care about are lap times then by all means the PDK is the choice. Really though a bunch of old guys worring about lap times around their local track seems silly
it should be about driver involvement and at this point we are going the other way. I fully understand cup cars or any driver who is paid would want every advantage possible. Though for pure enjoyment I can't see wanting the PDK.

 

Driver involvement? sell GT3 buy Spec Miata, lap times don't matter, just driver involvement. A 50cc GoKart is even more involved.

 

If I were buying a GT3 I'd get the PDK. The PDK is both faster and for me safer than the 6 speed when on the track. Shifting gears and/or using the clutch would be one less thing to worry about. However, for non tracked car, I'd prefer the manual.

 

+1

besides, it makes it easier to drive with a coffee in one hand and cell phone in the other

 

Good post.