Porsche has taken the veil off of the 2021 911 (generation 992) GT3 and claims that it has transferred pure racing technology into a production model even more consistently than ever before.
The seventh edition of this high-performance sports car is bonkers on the outside, what with its wide “mouth” air vents on the carbonfibre front trunk lid, large diffuser and that swan neck rear wing.
But, the big news is that it still has a naturally-aspirated engine. Displacing 3996cc, the 6-cylinder boxer engine puts out 510 PS max power at 8400 RPM and 470 Nm of peak torque at 6100 RPM.
This motor, which comes with a 9000 RPM redline, can be had either with a 7-speed PDK or a 6-speed manual and enables the car to hit a top speed of 320 km/hr with the manual (318 km/hr PDK), and do the 0-100 km/hr sprint in 3.4 seconds (manual), while the PDK is a bit quicker.
This car is all about aerodynamics. For example, when set in the performance position, the wing and diffuser elements come into their own…well, element.
Using this high-downforce setup, the 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 was piloted around the full 20.8 km Nurburgring-Nordschleife track in 6:59:927, which is 17 seconds quicker than its predecessor.
And there is more. Despite featuring a wider body, new double wishbone front suspension, larger wheels and additional technical features, the new GT3 weighs 1418 kg with the manual and 1435 kg when equipped with the PDK.
Porsche has been able to keep the car’s weight down by using a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) front boot lid, lightweight glass windows, optimised brake discs and forged alloy wheels.
In addition, the cover for the rear seat compartment has been lightened and the new sports exhaust system, despite featuring particulate filters, reduces the car’s weight by 10 kg.
Get inside and the 911 GT3’s cabin looks practically similar to that of the 992 Carrera. But there are differences like a proper lever for the PDK transmission, instead of the small rocker switch found in the Carrera.
Also, Porsche has introduced a new feature called the “track screen”, wherein at the touch of a button, the digital displays only show track-specific details such as oil and water temperature.
Then, there are the carbonfibre bucket seats, and a roll cage can also be specified, useful if one is going to hit the track with the car on a regular basis.
Moreover, the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur range is also available for the new 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 and is supplemented by GT 3-specific options such as a lightweight roof made of exposed carbonfibre, carbon mirror caps, darkened LED matrix headlights and matching Exclusive design rear lights, among several others.
Finally, if GT3 customers are interested, they can also buy an individual chronograph that Porsche Design offers exclusively to them. The watch is made of lightweight titanium (just like the car’s con rods) and can also be customised in the paint colours of the new GT3.
