Put simply, no automaker is as deeply rooted in motorsport as Porsche. Using motorsport as its test lab for the majority of its existence, Porsche captured its first class win at the gruelling 24 Hours of Le Mans just three years after developing the 356 Coupe, and the famed PDK transmission was raced 20 years before hitting production models. To this day, many of Porsche’s technologies were born at the track.

 Of Porsche’s 30,000-plus race victories, the 911 has captured more than two-thirds of them. The car perfectly embodies race performance with ‘streetability.’ It’s Porsche’s most celebrated model, and its cousin, the 911 GT3 Cup car,  ranks as the highest-selling race car of all time.

 

It’s also the car that Alegra/Porsche Centre Oakville drove en route to the Porsche GT3 Challenge Canada Platinum team championship in 2015.

 The latest GT3 Cup was designed and built in tandem with the seventh-generation 911 GT3 road car (911 GT3, GT3 RS) at Porsche’s Weissach racing and Stuttgart production facilities. It shares many of the same components and technologies with the latest road-going GT3s. Considering that 80 per cent of 911 GT3 road cars sold see considerable track time throughout their lives, Porsche’s partnership between its street and race divisions makes perfect sense.

 So, what are some highlights that make the GT3 such a popular choice amongst motorsport’s most demanding teams? Let’s have a closer look...

 

Bodywork

• Using the same lightweight “intelligent” aluminum-steel construction as every GT3, excess material is removed for less weight and a lower centre of gravity.
• Carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) front trunk and rear lid for dramatic weight reduction and a lower centre of gravity – same as the GT3 RS.
• Larger front and rear fenders due to wider wheels and an increased track width – similarly to the GT3 RS.

 

Wheels

• Porsche motorsport one-piece, centre-lock alloy wheels reduce unsprung weight, lessen rotational forces, and increase turn-in response.

 

Tires

• R-compound racing slicks (10.5-in. front / 12-in. rear). Illegal for street use, but at racing temperature, provide fantastic mechanical grip.

 

 Brakes

• Separate front/rear electrical systems for brake balance adjustments.
• Calipers are crafted from a single block of aluminum (monobloc) – six-piston front and four in the rear, each mated to 380 mm steel rotors – similar to the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS.
• No ABS, unlike the GT3 and GT3 RS.

 

Engine / Powertrain

• 3.8-litre flat-six engine identical to the 911 GT3 road car.
• 460 hp @ 7,500 RPM (8,500 RPM redline).
• Forged pistons, titanium connecting rods, dry-sump lubrication, and high-rev design for instant throttle response and more time spent at peak power.

 

Drivetrain

• First appearance of paddle-shifters on the 911 GT3 Cup.
• Six-speed sequential dog-type gearbox (straight-cut gears), limited-slip differential, triple-disc race clutch, pneumatic paddle system for instantaneous, miss-free upshifts and downshifts – similar to 911 GT3 and GT3 RS.

 

Cockpit

• Stripped of all production amenities (save for the dashboard) for weight savings. Air conditioning removed in favour of forced air/fan cooling.
• Did we mention the interior of the GT3 Cup is extremely loud? The sound deadening, which keeps the production 911 so comfortably quiet, adds unnecessary weight, so that had to go, too.
• Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel for grip in high speeds and hard turns (features buttons for radio, pit speed, high beam, display, wiper functions, and more).
• Programmable Cosworth ICD colour display shows vital information: from gear selection to RPMs, fuel and oil levels, speed, lap times and more.

 

Suspension

• MacPherson front strut setup and multi-link rear suspension (same as the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS). Height, camber, and track-width adjustments, forged support mounts, non-adjustable racing dampers.
• Extremely user-friendly, adjustable and predictable performance suitable for any racetrack.

 

The 911 GT3 RS: The race car for your garage

 

Taking the latest evolution of Porsche’s 911 motorsport history to the streets, the all-new 911 GT3 RS is the most potent, race-ready 911 road car ever built by Porsche.

 How potent? The GT3 RS lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 7m20s – nearly nine seconds faster than the Porsche Carrera GT supercar! It’s equipped with the largest amount of race-components allowed for a street-legal car, and yet, is filled with leading technologies that make street driving as easy – or easier – than any other 911.

 For starters, the GT3 RS uses Porsche’s all-new active rear-wheel steering system, working like a short-wheelbase car for quick and tight turns during low-speeds, and a long-wheelbase car for ultimate stability at high speed. Paired with Porsche’s active adjustable damper system (PASM), the GT3 RS (and you) feels equally at home in the city, the highway or on the track.

Race-bred aerodynamics like the front fender louvers (also found on the GT3 R race car) and GT3 RS-specific front and rear spoilers increase downforce, while the magnesium “double-bubble” roof channels airflow and lowers the RS’s centre of gravity over the GT3 even further.

 Compared to the GT3 Cup, the larger 4.0-litre flat-six of the GT3 RS outputs even more horsepower (500 hp @ 8,250 RPM) to reach 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds, while using the same six- and four-piston brake setup for motorsport-worthy stopping power.

 The cockpit is a perfect mix of road and race. With the standard Clubsport Package, a matching roll cage and six-point harness provide maximum protection. The same Alcantara found on GT3 race cars wraps the steering wheel and standard CFRP bucket race seats for ultimate driver comfort and stability at any speed.

 If you’re looking for your ultimate, do-everything sports car without the motorsport price tag, there’s really only one place to look. But don’t take our word for it, let the numbers below do the talking instead. Or, if you’re one of the lucky few people able to get their hands on one (they’re now sold out), then do the research yourself first hand.

 

Dimensions / Weight

Car                              Length             Width              Height             Wheelbase       Weight

911 GT3 Cup              4,547 mm        1,852 mm        1,269 mm        2,458 mm        1,175 kg

911 GT3 RS               4,545 mm          1,880 mm      1,291 mm      2,457 mm      1,420 kg

 

Engine

Car                              Configuration             Horsepower                           HP/litre

911 GT3 Cup             3.8L flat-6                  460 hp @ 7,500 RPM                121.1

911 GT3 RS                4.0L flat-6                  500 hp @ 8,250 RPM               125.0

 

Drivetrain

Car                              Transmission             Differential Type                   Other

911 GT3 Cup             6-speed sequential   Mechanical LSD                     N/A

911 GT3 RS               7-speed PDK             Fully-variable locking           Stability management

 

Wheels / Tires

Car                              Wheel size (inches)              Tire size (inches)

911 GT3 Cup             10.5 x 18 (f), 12 x 18 (r)     265/35/18 (f), 305/40/18 (r) (race only)

911 GT3 RS                9.5 x 20 (f), 12.5 x 21 (r)    265/35 ZR 20 (f), 325/30 ZR 21 (r)

 

Performance

Car                              0-100 km/h               0-200 km/h                           Top speed

911 GT3 Cup             3.2 sec.                        N/A                                         281 km/h

911 GT3 RS                3.3 sec.                       10.9 sec.                                 310 km/h

Date Posted: March 1, 2016