Two Decades of Porsche 911 GT3
No Porsche 911 symbolizes the brand's pursuit of driving purity quite like the GT3. We reminisce about the nameplate's history, from 1999 to the present day.
Two decades of high-revving GT3s
Since 1999, Porsche has been given drivers the ultimate atmospheric engine experience with its GT3-badged 911s. Although the Turbo is always venerated as Porsche's most potent 911, these GT3 cars have carved themselves a deserved reputation as machines of unrivaled driving purity.
It all started with this 996
Establishing the 911 GT3 legend was the 996-series car. This first-generation GT3 debuted in 1999 and immediately commanded attention with its large fixed rear wing and impressive Nurburgring lap time. Legendary Porsche test driver and former WCR champion, Walter Rohrl, managed to lap the 'Ring in less than eight minutes, behind the wheel of a pre-production 996 GT3.
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Making the original GT3 even better
By 2003 Porsche had produced an evolution version of the 996 GT3, which added VarioCam functionality to the cylinder head internals. This car boosted the 3.6-liter flat-six engine to 380hp and also offered carbon-ceramic brakes.
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First of the second-generation cars
By 2006 there was an all-new Porsche 911 GT3. It used the new 997 platform and with the return to round headlights, this was a Porsche 911 generation that restored the model's aesthetic lineage. The fixed rear wing was redesigned to provide even better downforce and this GT3's flat-six was good for 415hp.
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The move to 3.8
By 2009 Porsche delivered an upgraded 997 GT3 and this car finally saw an enlarged engine. Porsche engineers managed to increase swept capacity from 3.6- to 3.8-liters. Peak power surged to 435hp. It remained a true driver's car, with minimal ground clearance to allow its low center of gravity and trick aero to best influence stability. Porsche recognized that there are bumps and driveway lips in the real world, though, and added a special front-axle lift system to avoid scraping the splitter at low speed.
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Adding new tech with the 991
Regarded by many as the most attractive of all GT3s, the third-generation car was also slightly controversial. Although it retained the naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter engine configuration, Porsche added a host of unusual technological features. There had never been a two-pedal GT3 before, yet the 991-series car offered Porsche's PDK dual-clutch transmission as an option. You could have it with four-wheel steering too. All these features simply enhanced the driving experience.
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Getting the GT3 to 500hp
In 2017 Porsche introduced an upgraded version of the 991-series GT3. The engineering team focused on extracting more power from Porsche's flat-six engine and as such, it grew in size, from 3.8- to 4-liters of capacity. Power was upped to a very tidy 500hp and owners could choose to have that output channeled to the rear wheels via either manual or PDK transmission. There was even the suggestion of subtlety, with Porsche offering a 'Touring Pack' aero solution, which replaced the fixed rear wing with a retractable item.
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