The Porsche 911 GT3 has been the high-performance line of the 911 since 1991, and with the launch of the 992-generation 911 GT3, it's just breezed into its fourth generation. Will it be the best yet? Time will tell. Just because it’s the latest, doesn’t always mean it’s the best and this is one trend we have been seeing in brands like the Jaguar and the BMW. The new performance does not always beat the old performance.
That said; the specs of the 992 911 GT3 are impressive. The 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six engine makes 502 horses and 346 ft-lb torque and manages to zip 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds, achieving top speeds of 197 mph. Obviously, the RS model will be even more impressive when it comes.
Porsche has also claimed that this new performance beast has lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:59.927, 17 seconds faster than the previous 991.2 911 GT3.
What makes this version of the performance Porsche different from the previous three is that upside-down rear swan wing in the rear. And with a price of $370,000 and a waiting list as long as the Suez canal, it may not possible to get your hands on the new 992 911 GT3 immediately, even if you have the wherewithal to do so.
So instead of twiddling thumbs and waiting for the 2022 992 911 GT3 to arrive, let’s talk about the earlier three generations of the Porsche 911 GT3, and decode them one by one…
1999-2005: 996 911 GT3
The Porsche 996 became the first GT3 badged car to hit the road and it created quite the ripples back in 1999.
The engine in it was the “Mezger” race engine, way different from the naturally-aspirated ones back then and also different from the mills in the modern 911 and 911 GT3s of today. The 3.8-liter flat-six mill made 355-375 horsepower in its six-year run, finally retiring in 2005 to be replaced by the next generation of the GT3 waiting in line.
The last of these was the 996.2 GT3 RS and it could zip 0-62 mph in about 4.3 seconds, with top speeds of 190 mph.
The 996 GT3 came into two forms, the Mk1, and the Mk2, the former having a curvy rear wing while the latter bore angular headlamps and a flat wing. Some 1,858 Mk1 and 2,589 Mk2 were built, these being separate from the 2004-2005 RS.
2006-2011: 997 911 GT3
This version of the Porsche 911 GT3 saw the Mezger engine again, and the displacements varied with models as 3.6-liter, 3.8-liter, and 4.0-liter flat-six engines, with the horsepower ranging from 410-490 depending on the displacement and models.
This was also the first GT3 to carry the PASM – Porsche Active Suspension Management, letting the ride improve. The insides of the 997 were basically the same as that of a Carrera 4, and it now bore a 90-liter tank.
Much like the 996, the 997 was also offered into two generations, the 997.1 and the 997.2 and soon enough, they launched the 997.1 GT3 RS model that accounted for almost one-third of this generation’s sales.
The coolest model of this generation has to be the limited 600-run of the 911 GT3 RS 4.0, carrying the final Mezger engine, making almost 500 horses and 340 ft-lb of torque. It whizzed 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds and had a top speed of 193 mph.
2013-2019: 991 911 GT3
The 991 GT3 was introduced in 2013 and carried a 3.8-liter flat-six later bumped up to a 4.0-liter one. Power accordingly ranged from 470 horses to about 510 but the 991 was off to a rocky start.
There were several engine failures in 2014, and Porsche’s internal investigations led to the conclusion that a supplier of the connecting rod bolts had messed up with the alloy that went into making them. 785 GT3 were recalled and fitted with new engines at Porsche’s cost and all these buyers also got an additional year of warranty.
In 2014, the 991 GT3 RS came to play with the 4.0-liter engine and features like a magnesium roof and a neutral paddle. For now, there was no manual option but on popular demand, the RS returned in the 911R, which was a lighter variant of the GT3 RS.
And now, there’s the 992 911 GT3, the fourth generation of this long-standing, best-selling, and high-vaunted performance version of the Porsche 911.
Which of these generations is the best is a rather individual choice. They all come power-packed and ooze road and cornering confidence. The Porsche 911 GT3 is not a car meant for the faint of heart – these are road-legal racing cars that wear a veneer of civility but don’t be fooled by the good looks and cabin comfort. These cars live to go fast, and in case you want a Porsche but do not want to zip down every road in life, the Porsche 911 is more your car. Leave the GT3 to the enthusiasts, be they old or new...
Sources: MoterTrend, Autoweek