2015 Porsche 911 GT3: The Ultimate Drivers 911?
On this episode of Ignition
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MotorTranscript
00:00 (car engine revving)
00:03 If you were one of those people on the lunatic fringe
00:05 that thought the normal 911 S wasn't enough,
00:09 you were gonna wait for the GT3,
00:10 that this was the one to wait for,
00:13 you were right, this was the one worth waiting for.
00:15 (car engine revving)
00:18 (keyboard clicking)
00:27 (car engine revving)
00:30 (upbeat music)
00:35 We have high expectations when it comes to the GT3.
00:42 After all, this is the 911
00:43 for that crazed driving enthusiast fringe
00:46 that thinks other 911s aren't enough.
00:48 If you're in that group,
00:50 you'll be excited to hear that this GT3
00:52 has a monstrous 9,000 RPM redline,
00:55 but then you might be disappointed to learn
00:56 that this car doesn't come with a clutch pedal.
00:59 On top of that, it has a brake-actuated
01:01 full torque vectoring system,
01:03 four-wheel steering system, and active engine mounts
01:05 that can soften things up for when you're commuting.
01:08 But don't mistake the GT3 for having gone soft.
01:11 (car engine revving)
01:13 Its 3.8 liter flat six makes 475 horsepower.
01:17 It'll do a claimed 195 miles an hour.
01:21 Its optional carbon ceramic rotors
01:22 are 16.1 inches in diameter up front
01:25 and are capped with six piston calipers.
01:28 And its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s are extremely grippy.
01:31 For good measure, the rear wheels are a foot wide each.
01:34 The body is wider and lower,
01:37 donning more aggressive enlarged air inlets and vents,
01:40 not to mention a bigger wing too.
01:42 The look is unmistakably 911,
01:44 still suave and somewhat refined,
01:47 but with decidedly more aggression.
01:49 (car engine revving)
01:52 (car engine revving)
01:55 (laughing)
01:59 (car engine revving)
02:02 I've been waiting for so long to drive the 911 GT3.
02:08 And in that time, my anticipation has been building,
02:12 my expectations have been getting bigger and bigger.
02:15 And now that I'm finally behind the wheel of one,
02:18 I can happily report that the GT3 has met everything
02:22 and it is everything I could want it to be.
02:25 Listen to that.
02:26 That wasn't even red line.
02:29 The 911 GT3 is without a doubt,
02:34 an amazing, amazing, amazing driving car.
02:38 And that's what we expect from the GT3 name.
02:43 You expect extreme amounts of performance,
02:45 but also extreme satisfaction
02:48 from behind the wheel and the car delivers that.
02:51 Now we know we have this super high revving,
02:55 monstrous flat six that makes a terrific sound
02:59 in the last 500 RPM of its power band.
03:01 What I'm also finding is that
03:06 it's a pretty broad power band too.
03:09 Pick up the throttle at 5,000 RPM
03:12 and it accelerates really nice in different corners.
03:15 And that's what I love about naturally aspirated engines
03:18 is the linearity through and to red line.
03:22 It feels just terrific.
03:24 The shifts happen so fast in fact,
03:30 that when you see the tack move,
03:32 you almost can't believe it.
03:33 You're anticipating a longer shift.
03:36 But it's not just the speed, it's the control.
03:39 And that really is what the GT3 is all about.
03:42 It's the supreme body control of the car.
03:45 (car engine revving)
03:48 When you find yourself on a curvy road
03:50 that has a few bumps,
03:51 you don't want a lot of movement
03:53 with the car bouncing around.
03:54 You want the car to feel planted and precise and controllable
03:57 and a lot of cars with really firm suspension,
04:00 that's where it kind of hangs them up.
04:02 This thing on this road, which is fairly bumpy,
04:08 not extremely bumpy,
04:09 the car always feels like it's in control.
04:13 The tires always feel like
04:14 they're firmly planted on the ground.
04:17 It's really satisfying in this car
04:19 to find a series of corners like a long chicane
04:22 and steer through them while you keep adding throttle
04:25 because the control of the car allows you to do that.
04:28 Being a rear engine car
04:34 with all the drive train happening back there,
04:36 we have a very light front end.
04:38 We also have a very visible front end.
04:41 That's one of the things people don't really talk about
04:43 is when you have your engine in the rear,
04:45 you don't need a tall hood
04:47 and that means you have better forward visibility,
04:50 which enables you to see more of the road
04:55 and drive more clearly.
04:56 The front end just feels so eager to turn
05:00 and the rear of the car follows in so nicely.
05:04 The car doesn't feel like it's gonna push,
05:05 doesn't feel like it's gonna oversteer.
05:07 You feel balanced and neutral
05:10 and I love it.
05:11 Launching the GT3 couldn't be simpler.
05:30 Mash both pedals and just release the brake.
05:33 The resulting acceleration is mighty impressive
05:36 from a naturally aspirated 475 horsepower car
05:40 that just wants to go around corners fast.
05:43 60 miles an hour takes just 3.1 seconds
05:46 and the quarter mile pass is done at 11.3 seconds
05:49 at 122.9 miles an hour.
05:52 Those very sticky Michelin Cup 2 tires
05:55 and optional carbon ceramic rotors work extremely well,
05:59 halting the GT3 from 60 and just 98 feet.
06:05 The GT3 posted a 22.8 second lap around the figure eight,
06:09 making it tied for third fastest around this track.
06:12 It's also the only car that makes less than 500 horsepower
06:17 in the 22 second range.
06:18 That's a massive accomplishment.
06:20 And we know there's more time in the car
06:24 in the suspension setup.
06:26 Even as is, average lateral acceleration was 1.11 G.
06:30 (car engine roaring)
06:33 This is my first attempt at the newest GT3.
06:43 I've driven all the variations.
06:45 It's really interesting watching the evolution
06:49 as they get bigger, faster, more sophisticated,
06:54 higher red lines.
06:58 The red line on this GT3 is 9,000 RPM.
07:02 That's insane.
07:09 Channel into turn eight here at Willow Springs.
07:15 It's very rough, but the 911 does a superb job
07:22 of absorbing the bumps without harshness.
07:26 (car engine roaring)
07:29 145 miles an hour into turn one.
07:33 Into the carbon brakes, they take a fair amount of effort.
07:39 I think they actually get a little bit better
07:42 as we warm the tires.
07:43 The turn in of this 911 is so accurate.
07:48 Could be the best I've ever felt in a 911.
07:54 Middle of the corner, tightening the line.
07:56 Yeah, see the steering responds,
07:59 but the rear will let go in the middle of the corner.
08:02 It's drifty, it's alive.
08:04 911 still has a lot of personality.
08:06 Lot of race car in the street 911 GT3.
08:13 It is very much in many ways a race car for the street.
08:17 (car engine roaring)
08:20 (car engine roaring)
08:23 (car engine roaring)
08:26 (car engine roaring)
08:30 (car engine roaring)
08:33 (car engine roaring)
08:36 (car engine roaring)
08:44 (car engine roaring)
09:02 (car engine roaring)
09:05 (car engine roaring)
09:29 (car engine roaring)
09:32 (car engine roaring)
09:43 (car engine roaring)
09:58 (car engine roaring)
10:01 (car engine roaring)
10:11 The GT3 makes the experience of driving fun and rewarding.
10:21 It sounds tremendous and feels terrific
10:23 while revving the engine up to 9,000 RPM
10:26 over and over again.
10:27 The acceleration and response are simply addicting.
10:30 The chassis provides its driver
10:33 an immediate sense of confidence,
10:34 but that confidence doesn't feel simplified or dumbed down.
10:38 The car feels constantly encouraging.
10:40 Its numerous electronic aids and adaptive devices
10:44 make the GT3 nice to drive normally,
10:46 but they hide in the background if you want to have fun.
10:50 The completely adjustable suspension and adjustable wing
10:52 means you can tailor the driving experience
10:54 to match the track or your tastes or both.
10:57 (car engine roaring)
10:58 These things make you want to explain to people
11:00 that the GT3 isn't a numbers car,
11:02 that it's all about the experience.
11:04 But then you take a look at the test sheet
11:06 and see that it puts down really good numbers too.
11:09 Look at what the chassis can accomplish
11:10 with just 475 horsepower.
11:13 Simply, the GT3 is one of the absolute best driver's cars.
11:19 (car engine roaring)
11:23 - It's a bummer, you know, to drive it
11:25 and realize how good it is,
11:26 and then realize you won't be able to drive it ever again.
11:29 - Oh, don't say never.
11:30 - Well, you know, like, I won't go home to this.
11:33 (laughing)
11:34 You know?
11:35 Imagine having the best day of your life
11:37 with like the most beautiful, amazing woman
11:39 you've ever known,
11:40 and then like, you go home with your apartment
11:43 and there's nothing, you know, and it's just like, oh man.
11:45 - Whoa, we're getting a little darker.
11:47 - No, no, no, you know what I mean?
11:48 Like, it's kind of like,
11:50 you know, you get to experience this amazing experience,
11:52 but you know, like in the back of your head,
11:53 like it's only for this fleeting moment.
11:55 You know, like, that's it.
11:57 only for this fleeting moment.
11:59 - Yeah.