997 GT3 buying guide 997 GT3 BUYING GUIDE With Walter Rohrl behind the wheel it’ll lap the Nordschleife in 7 minutes 42 seconds. Introducing the Porsche 997 GT3. Words: Richard Middleton Photography: Malcolm Griffiths MAY 2009 71 997 GT3 buying guide The nerve centre of one of the most accomplished 911s ever built. Comfort or Clubsport interior available; the latter gives you bucket seats, half-cage and preparation for a battery master switch, fire extinguisher and harness s production of the 997 GT3 drew to didn’t really get it. It was a 996 and for the life road-going 911. It may very well follow the same 3.6-litre flat-six is one of the greatest to ever grace a 911. 415hp, 115hp per litre a close around this time last year, we of me I couldn’t really work out where its fundamentals that have been the 911’s genetic and a soundtrack to die for paid homage to the icon by taking it reputation as one of the world’s best sports cars building blocks for over forty years – engine to the roads of south Wales for a had come from. Was it a myth? I’m certainly no slung out over the rear wheels, rear-wheel drive Afarewell drive. While the last few Walter Rohrl, far from it in fact, but I knew I and the familiar 911 shape; however, the GT3 fortunate owners were taking delivery of their could drive and the 911’s tendency to punish provides an experience quite unlike any run-of- cars, one newly arrived member of GT Purely excessive entry speeds courtesy of its rear- the-mill 911. If it were a cocktail it’d be a precisely Porsche ’s staff was given the chance to get behind engined layout seemed a bit unnerving. mixed Martini, albeit with a lemon twist. Exact, the wheel of one of the greatest drivers’ cars of However, after more and more time spent at the compelling and with that added spice. all time. It left me itching, yearning and seriously helm of Porsche’s rear-engined icon, I began to Taking the Carrera 4’s body structure contemplating a Robert De Niro-style Heat heist learn and appreciate the slow in, fast out (necessary to accommodate the GT3’s larger in a desperate attempt to get my hands on one. doctrine and lo and behold its charm began to fuel tank), the homologation special borrows All eyes at the moment are on the latest GT3 rub off on me. One bright sunny day in Wales panelling from the more slender 911 derivative, at 7400rpm. It doesn’t muster the Turbo’s that was recently unveiled at Geneva’s Salon, but piloting a press-loaned 997 GT3 set the world to the Carrera 2, but with its six degree adjustable thump-in-the-kidneys shove through the mid- if you can’t quite muster the new model’s rights. Looking out over those grey dials with rear wing and squat appearance it stands apart range but once you take it over 4500rpm and £81,914 price tag then its predecessor shouldn’t Carrera GT-inspired yellow etchings, rev counter from the usual crop of Stuttgart metal. Take the delve into the higher increments of the rev range be overlooked. Thus, if you’re one of the few indicating the motor’s potential to sing all the engine for example. Everything aside from the it’s far, far more satisfying. The stats speak for hedge fund managers who haven’t fled the way round to a stratospheric 9000rpm, staring crankcase was new. A six-cylinder, normally themselves: 115.3hp per litre, 193mph and 0-60 country pending Inland Revenue investigations at an undulating stretch of Welsh ribbon; the aspirated flat-six engine that’s as acoustically despatched in 4.3 seconds accompanied by a or you’ve got £65,000 to spare, which, let’s face heather, moss and fluffy white clouds practically sublime as the GT3 is rapid and something that banshee scream from the twin-exit tailpipes. it, won’t be earning you much sat in the bank, unspoilt except for the shrieking wail of a every petrolhead should experience. The upshot To enable the engine to spin at these dizzying then let our buying guide whet your appetite for Porsche flat-six. of the thoroughly reworked, Le Mans-winning revolutions, Porsche’s engineers needed to what is one of the greatest 911s ever built. Conceived and named after the sporting GT1-sourced engine is a motor that redlines at concentrate on making the internals as light as I’ll be frank; the first time I drove a 911 I category of the time, the GT3 was the ultimate 8400rpm and produces its peak power of 415hp possible. Take the pistons for example, the 72 WWW.GTPURELYPORSCHE.COM MAY 2009 73 997 GT3 buying guide CHECKPOINTS Make sure the car has been serviced at the Alcon, are very effective and offer good longevity. “Some people choose to fit the larger anti- with traction control disabled is an obvious BODY & INTERIOR correct intervals and treated to the best oil. “On early cars we’ve seen the front screws roll bar from the 911 GT2. This can help to remedy and something that many track drivers Getting the car up on a ramp to look for signs ENGINE, GEARBOX & that hold the bells to the discs coming loose in eliminate some of the understeer that cars will do anyway. of damage underneath is always a good idea. CLUTCH: BRAKES, TYRES & some cases. Porsche failed to Loctite the screws, naturally have but can make it a more tricky Mick from Paragon Porsche advises that Check for gravel present in places where it When engaging the clutch you should look out SUSPENSION: which can result in them coming loose, and car to handle on the limit.” checking for uneven signs of tyre wear is shouldn’t be, for example at the top of the for a high biting point. If the car you’re driving When the discs get hot, generally from track seeing as these hold the discs to the car it can Specialist Parr Motorsport echos the front definitely worth doing. “A severe track setup undertrays or sitting on top of suspension has one, it’s probably a sign of a worn clutch. use, cracks start to appear from the cross- be quite a serious issue. Porsche addressed this suspension issues, caused by the coil springs will wear tyres unevenly but the car will still arms, etc, could be a sign that the car has been The GT3’s biting point isn’t set high and it’s not drillings. Porsche says that once these cracks problem with the later cars but it’s worth cutting into the top mounts, a problem that drive okay. Uneven tyre wear and a car that off and a closer inspection would be wise. adjustable, so any sign of this or a slipping are longer than 5mm the discs should be considering it when you’re looking at a car. We Porsche remedied for the later cars. The doesn’t drive well is what to look for. In my Other than checking that all the electrics work, clutch will mean a replacement is nigh. The changed. Jonas from Porsche specialist JZ also see quite a few GT3s come in with noisy specialist also commented that the rear brakes opinion, too radical a setup is not always best. interiors should be problem-free. dry-sumped flat-six is a pretty bulletproof Machtech says that the brakes, both discs and front shocks (usually a rattling noise), which often wear out quickly, particularly with A standard setup with a few minor tweaks and engine; however, ignition coil packs can fail at a pads, particularly with the optional ceramics, can develop into a knocking sound. Again enthusiastic track driving, as the traction Toyo 888, Pilot Sport Cups or Pirelli Corsa tyres WE FOUND: replacement cost of around £30 each. Oil leaks tend to wear out quite quickly. A quality set Porsche has offered to replace these defects control system brakes the rear wheels when is much better. Having a full geometry check is 2006 997 GT3 Clubsport Pack, 6500 miles, from the cam chain housing are also known. of aftermarket items, such as kits produced by under warranty.* accelerating heavily out of a corner. Running definitely worthwhile, too.” £66,950 miles (trade). 74 WWW.GTPURELYPORSCHE.COM MAY 2009 75 997 GT3 buying guide forged items have been redesigned with a 1mm uprated anti-roll bars. Adjustable spring DRIVING ONE TODAY narrower shape, saving 30g, the titanium platforms front and rear, two basic camber If excitement is what you’re after then this is the connecting rods lengthened and trimmed, and settings to suit road or track tyres and five anti- 911 for you. In every sense of the word the GT3 the main bearing crank made lighter by some roll bar settings up front and three at the rear. is rapid, and despite its appetite for being 600g. Polished cylinder head ports, Variocam Other than the standard fitment of Porsche stretched out to its redline the engine’s relatively variable valve timing and a 12.0:1 compression Traction Management, it was down to the flat torque curve means that you don’t have to also feature, as does a new sports exhaust (some talents of the wheelman to keep the car on the stir the six-speed ‘box too frequently to 8.5kg lighter than its predecessor) and a Sport road.