A Brief History of Porsche 911 GT3:
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- Porsche 996 911 GT3 — the Dawn of the Perfect Driver’s Car (Part 1)
- Porsche 997 911 GT3 — a Race Car for the Road, Perfected (Part 2)
- Porsche 991 911 GT3 — Bridging the Gap Between Motorsport and Road Driving (Part 3)
- Porsche 992 911 GT3 – The Purest 911 Yet (Part 4)
The Porsche 997 911 GT3 used the same lightweight formula as its predecessor but perfected the recipe with better driving dynamics and an updated engine.
In the early 2000s, every kid had the latest and greatest Lamborghini on their bedroom wall because no other car could turn heads quicker than a Lambo at the time. However, if it was heavenly handling and a fulfilling driving experience that you were after, Porsche had you covered with the 997 GT3 lineup of hardcore racing cars built for the road. A racing-spec engine hanging over the rear, an advanced suspension, and rear-wheel drive — what’s not to like?
The 996 GT3 proved that the era of air-cooled Porsche engines was long gone, and customers had no other choice but to accept the new trend. While Porsche purists might not have been at peace with it yet, a large majority of the brand’s customer base was quite satisfied with the move to water cooling. After all, who doesn’t like a few extra ponies and improved reliability?
Despite being the first Porsche to adorn the GT3 badge, the 996 GT3 and GT3 RS variants had just shaken the sportscar industry with their impeccable driving dynamics. It was the perfect car for people who wanted a superior driving experience while still being able to fly under the radar. Now, the onus was on 997 to make or break the GT3 nameplate’s reputation.
Background
Porsche continued making 996 GT cars well into 2006, but back at the factory, engineers, and designers were already hard at work to develop a replacement — numerous reports suggest that work on a brand-new 911 began as soon as late 1998. The 997 debuted in 2004, and Porsche started taking orders for everyday Carrera, Carrera S, and Cabriolet models soon after. However, the spicy GT3 variant only came a few years later, in 2006; it was an instant hit.
As Porsche always maintained, every new 911 is a constant evolution and never a revolution. And, of course, the same also applies to race-ready GT models. That philosophy has always intrigued me as it has single-handedly allowed the German carmaker to keep selling the same car for nearly 60 years. You can only get away with such an incredible feat if you continuously perfect a formula. Thankfully, all the 997 GT models fit that description like a glove.
Porsche 997 911 GT3
Although the 997 was technically a completely new 911, Porsche carried over several components from its predecessor. Now, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as the 996 GT3, though underappreciated in its time, turned out to be one of the greatest Porsches ever. Still, there was enough fanfare for it to have secured the GT3 moniker a permanent seat in the 911’s list of variants for all future models.
Much like the 996, the 997 GT3s also retained the regular Carrera body shell, while other variants like the Turbo featured wide fenders. The legendary Mezger engine continued for the 997 GT-car lineup, albeit with a few minor tweaks. Nobody really knew it at the time, but the 997 would be the last GT3 to benefit from Hans Mezger’s work. Of course, there were a lot of firsts too, but more on that as we dissect each model of the 997 GT range.
997.1 GT3
Porsche seemed to have knocked the 997 GT3 project right out of the park from the first generation. The car weighed less than a 997 Carrera, had more power, better grip, more downforce, and a clever new suspension system — all the right ingredients to make the ultimate driver’s car.
The Mezger stayed
The 997.1 GT3 came with a slightly modified version of the 3.6-liter flat-six from the predecessor. In essence, the new engine was still a Mezger, this time upgraded to 409 hp and 299 lb-ft of torque, an increase of over 50 hp compared to the 996 GT3. Of course, it wasn’t the most powerful engine in the 997 lineup; Turbo variants still held the top spot with just over 470 hp on tap. That being said, tire-shredding horsepower was never the selling point of any Porsche GT car —Porsche’s superpower lay in how well the GT3 put down whatever power it had to the pavement while also stimulating the driver’s smiling nerves in the process.
Nevertheless, the updated Mezger engine still packed quite a punch. Naught to 60 mph was achieved in merely 4.1 seconds, while the factory claimed it could reach a top speed of 193 mph. Also worth mentioning, engine upgrades include a higher compression ratio of 12.0:1, instead of the 996.1 GT3’s 11.7:1. While a large chunk of the power bump came from the increased compression ratio, the new intake and specific exhaust system components also deserve credit.
Weight savings seemed to be a top priority when Porsche built the 997 GT3 engine. Remember — even slight reductions can bring drastic changes in parts that rotate thousands of times per minute. As a result, the 997.1 GT3 got a new crankshaft and pistons lighter by 1.3 lbs. and one ounce per cylinder, respectively. Furthermore, Porsche’s engineers employed thinner titanium connecting rods to shave even more weight.
The car also featured a new three-stage variable-intake manifold, a significant upgrade from the previous GT3’s two-stage unit. Moreover, to keep the larger manifold happy and fed at all times, the new GT3 got a larger throttle body plus a wider timing range (52° as opposed to 45° in the 996 GT3) for the intake valve.
8400 rpm redline
Like most petrolheads, I genuinely believe having your right foot stamped to the car’s floor and watching the rpm needle go up is one of life’s greatest pleasures — and this is what the 997 GT3 does best. Hearing the flat-six powerplant scream from behind your ears never gets old, and when the noise gets louder, you simply hop onto the next gear and go through the same mesmerizing experience all over again. Besides, the new GT3 had a significantly higher redline at 8400 rpm, only adding to the thrill.
The new GT3 also featured a six-speed manual gearbox, but just not copy-pasted; Porsche shortened the shifter throws by 15%, resulting in a better feel and marginally quicker gear changes. In addition, gear ratios of second to sixth gear were slightly shorter than before.
Tech galore
Although it may seem disappointing compared to what cars can do these days, the 996 GT3 came with some impressive technology to improve the handling and overall driving experience. The most prominent of the new additions was the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), an electronic damping control system that continuously adjusts suspension characteristics on each wheel based on road conditions and driving style. The system added a “Sport mode” button in the cockpit, which, when pressed, would make the suspension incredibly stiff — ideal for racetracks and the occasional spirited drive in the countryside, but treacherous in normal circumstances.
Another interesting bit of advanced technology for the time was the electronically-controlled exhaust flaps remaining shut until around 4000 rpm. Over that, the flaps would bust open and fill your ears with the sweet symphony of the race-derived Porsche flat-six engine — music to the ears!
997.1 GT3 RS
About a year after the “standard” GT3 broke cover, Porsche unveiled its no-compromise, built-for-the-racetrack brother — the 997 GT3 RennSport. The “regular” (if you can call it that) GT3s were based on the Carrera 2’s body shell, but Porsche went with the wider Carrera 4 body for the RS, 64 mm wider at the rear. It may not seem like a significant increase, but it was still noticeable, and the wider rear-end improved stability under hard cornering.
Subtle differences
There weren’t many mechanical changes in the RS compared to the regular GT3. The engine was pretty much the same apart from a lighter flywheel, making people think the 3.6-liter straight-six produced more power. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as power output remained unchanged. Still, Porsche managed to carve out an extra 44 lbs. thanks to the use of carbon fiber for the rear wing, a lighter engine cover, and a plexiglass rear window. The weight loss meant horsepower-per-ton would increase to 301hp — nearly five more than the GT3.
However, most changes were cosmetic, like the adjustable rear wing, GT3 RS decals on the sides, a few bold paint options, including bright green & orange, and a stealthy all-black interior color scheme. Still, due to the larger rear wing, the RS had a higher drag coefficient, causing a slight drop in the standard GT3’s 193-mph top speed. On the other hand, the higher downforce ensured better stability at higher speeds, so it’s still faster around a track.
Homologation special
Like the 996 GT3, the 997 was also meant to serve as a homologation model for several sporting events in the United States and Europe. In the US, it competed in the Grand-Am, Can-Am, and events organized by the Sports Car Club of America, among others. Interestingly, some of these events had unique regulations, forcing Porsche to fit regular glass rear windows on all US-bound GT3 RS instead of the lighter plexiglass units found on cars destined for other markets. As a result, the gross weight of US-spec cars was likely higher than the Porsche-claimed 3,020 lbs. mark.
997.1 in Numbers
With the 997 GT3 RS, Porsche marked the end of 997.1 GT3 cars. Multiple reports suggest the German marque produced over 2,000 units, and of those, 963 made it to North America. MSRP was almost $120,000 new in the US, but you would be hard-pressed to find a low-mileage example for that kind of money today.
On the other hand, GT3 RS production was slightly lower, with just over 450 vehicles delivered to North America. Around 410 made it to the United States, while the rest went to Canada. MSRP at the time was approximately $142,000, but a decent one will cost upwards of $200,000 in today’s market.
997.2 GT3
In 2008, Porsche updated the entire 997 model range with minor upgrades as part of the 997.2 Generation. In early 2009, the 997.2 GT3 was launched at the Geneva International Motor Show, and it didn’t take long for the sports car to reach American shores.
More of everything
By far, the most significant change in the second generation GT3 was the new 3.8-liter engine. The slightly larger displacement was a result of a slight increase in bore size from 100 to 102.70 mm (3.9” to 4.0”); stroke was kept unchanged at 76.40 mm (3”) — good enough for 429 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
In addition to the larger displacement, Porsche made several other mechanical changes to improve performance even further. Remember the variable valve timing feature on the intake ports in first-generation cars? Now even the exhaust valves were upgraded and fitted with variable valve timing.
Styling updates
I have to admit that I always found it challenging to distinguish between a 997.1 and 997.2 GT3, but hardcore Porsche enthusiasts claim both cars are night and day. Okay, that may be exaggerated, but you’ll see that the differences are quite sublte For starters, there’s a new air intake in the second-gen car, placed between the lights and just below the trunk lid. Moreover, the front and rear bumpers received a significant makeover, while the rear wing is more prominent and now proudly adorns the “3.8” badge on each pillar to signify the increased displacement.
Furthermore, the front end now sat extremely low to the ground, but thankfully, Porsche offered a front-axle lift system so that you wouldn’t need a new lip spoiler after every drive; a simple touch of a button raised the front end 1.2″ off the ground.
997.2 GT3 RS
After the refreshed GT3, it was only natural for Porsche to give the world another RennSport model as part of the updated 997 lineup, which happened in 2009 when the 997.2 GT3 RS was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.
A racing machine
For those not in the know, the German word “Rennsport” translates to Racing Sport, and no other combination of words could have described the 997.2 GT3 RS better.
The car was a racing machine through and through, with only minor modifications to make it street legal. It was also the first 997 RS model to get a power bump over the regular non-RS models. Hence, the familiar 3.8-liter flat-six now produced 444 hp, thanks to an increase in compression ratio from 12.0:1 to 12.2:1. Other notable changes include shortened gear ratios and shift throws s for the six-speed manual transmission.
Moreover, Porsche shaved nearly 50 lbs from the 997.2 GT3, with most of the weight savings coming from a lighter lithium-ion battery and a titanium exhaust muffler.
997.2 GT3 RS 4.0
In 2011, Porsche gave us one of the most desirable GT cars to ever come out of Zuffenhausen — the 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0. Yes, you guessed right; the 4.0 in the name stands for a slightly larger 4.0-liter engine. Only this time, the extra 200cc was achieved by increasing the stroke length from 76.40 mm (3”) to 80.40 mm (3.16”). As a result, the Mezger engine now produced nearly 500 hp at 8250 rpm and 339 lb-ft of torque at 5750 rpm, making it one of the most powerful naturally-aspirated 911s ever built!
Interestingly, the engine still used several parts from past racing 911s; for example, the RS 4.0 had a new lightweight crankshaft straight out of the 911 RSR racing car. These mechanical changes, coupled with an aggressive styling and a large yet lightweight rear wing, ensured this Porsche ticked all the right boxes.
But alas, what people did not know then, was that this was to be the last Porsche with a Mezger engine. Unfortunately, the legendary engineer’s legacy, which lived for years after retiring, came to a somewhat abrupt but nonetheless glorious stop with an equally legendary car.
997.2 in Numbers
Based on the first 997 generation’s demand, Porsche had high hopes for the updated model range, especially in the US market — people were slowly realizing what Porsche GT cars were all about. Unsurprisingly, the GT3 did pretty well, with approximately 715 units sold in North America, of which more than 650 made it to the US.
However, the GT3 RS put Porsche in a pickle as it didn’t sell as fast as the German manufacturer expected it to. Despite that, nearly 550 units were delivered in the United States. Confused by the low demand for the RS model, Porsche decided to play it safe with the RS 4.0. As a result, only 600 cars were scheduled to be built, with just over 158 coming to North America.
It goes without saying that the RS 4.0 was the most expensive of the bunch with an MSRP in the $200,000 range. Next was the regular GT3 RS at approximately $150,000, followed by the “pedestrian” GT3 at around $130,000. Fast-forward to today, and RS 4.0 cars have pretty much doubled in value while the other two models have been fairly consistent.
What to Look Out for When Buying One
Like the 996 GT cars, all 997 Gen models are also bulletproof in terms of reliability. The German engineering and production quality is impeccable even after ten plus years of putting a mile-wide smile on anyone who ever drove one’s face. For the right price, you can buy any of the 997 GT3s, and it would run for decades, provided all the maintenance work is done on time. Nevertheless, I would recommend having your trusted mechanic take a look before you commit to any car, as heavily-tracked examples can go through consumables rather quickly.
Last Words
The 997 GT3 cemented Porsche’s reputation in the industry as the last word in ultimate driver satisfaction. From then, real driving enthusiasts knew that whenever Porsche slapped a GT3 badge on something, it would make it extra-special. Today, the GT3 badge speaks for itself and remains one of the few supercars with a naturally-aspirated gem of an engine.
Hence, if you were on the fence about gifting yourself one of these beasts, consider this a sign to go for it — you won’t regret it one bit. It is not only extra fun, but prices are destined to go up, meaning you won’t lose a cent!
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