The Porsche 991 GT3: Sports car or Supercar?

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Porche GT3

Your GT3 is waiting. Hop in!

If you happened to be paying attention to Xtreme Xperience’s social media posts this week (12/14/14 – 12/20/14), well then you’d likely know that we just took delivery of a brand new Porsche! Not just any Porsche. We bought a brand new Porsche 991 GT3! Certainly the most controversial and most talked about sports cars that have ever been released. We have had our eyes on one for a while. And thanks to all the requests from Xtreme’s fans, and we’re sure happy to announce that we finally have one in our garage!

The GT3 is a special car in Porsche’s lineup. It’s always the most exotic looking, and it is typically the fastest around the racetrack (which is why we’re stoked about it). This instantly propels the car from sports car status, to supercar status, when you compare its stats to those surrounding it. The GT3 shares many similarities with the standard 911 or Carrera models, but when you drive it, the differences present themselves immediately! Starting with its aggressive styling, notably the GT3 wing – you gotta love it. The 991 GT3 is powered by the famous flat-six engine (although different from previous models), a double-clutch PDK gearbox, and lots of racing spec goodies. Aside from the new industry standard DCT, some more of the additions to the 991 GT3 include: complete electronic steering and rear-axle (or 4-wheel) steering, and direct fuel injection, just to name a few. This is also one of the fastest Porsches in production, with a 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds. Whoa! For those who have driven it, it appears to be much more than just another sports car from the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen factory; but there’s also a dark cloud over it’s head, as there are many 911 purists who are upset with some changes.

White porsche 991 gt3 on a racetrack

Rear-Axle drive works with and against the front wheels, enhancing cornering

Most high performance car manufacturers are looking to compete, both on the track and over the road, in order to be crowned the fastest in their division/class. To do so, integrating auto-manual transmissions are a must. In this case, the 991 GT3 will only be available with a PDK (flappy paddle) style gearbox. Which means, NO MANUAL TRANSMISSION! However, the double clutch PDK is supposed to be so good and fast, that it will complete a gear change in roughly 100 milliseconds. Thus, leaving virtually no lag in between gear changes (up or down). Good luck making that happen in a stick! We’re taking a neutral stance on this, because all of our cars are auto-manual to accommodate our clients’ needs, but we’re interested in knowing what you think. We’ll surely be discussing it after our own testing on the track.

[UPDATED] At this point, we’ve spent some time with our new Porsche, and luckily we were able to catch up with our Chief Instructor for some hot laps in the GT3 to hear his thoughts on the braking, cornering, and steering. Here are his thoughts, watch the video below:

To help you decide, here are some reviews from our favorite automotive enthusiast channels and personalities.

First up, is Chris Harris on Cars in his First Drive of the 991 GT3

Next up, is evo Magazine’s review, here:

Well, there you have it! Let us know what your stance is, and if you plan on driving it with Xtreme Xperience and why!

Think you’re ready to Xperience the GT3 on a REAL Racetrack?

Book your Supercar Track Xperience in the Porsche GT3, here.