That was on January 26 last year when Porsche originally teased the next-generation 911 GT3 in its Super Bowl ad, and yet we did not quite see the track. Fortunately, the wait is almost over, as the Zuffenhausen brand announced last week through a preview that the world premiere would take place on February 16th. Meanwhile, a fresh video has been released to ease the wait until next Tuesday’s big debut.
For whatever reason, Porsche does not explicitly say that it is the GT3, but only describes it as the ‘new GT sports car’. We strongly believe that the car being teased here is the GT3, as the 14-second version shows that the car was finished in the same blue shade as a year ago. In addition, Chris Harris’ video for Top Gear at the end of November 2020 showed an identically painted car.
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After being invited by Porsche to jump to a prototype by the end of last year, we already have some confirmed technical specifications that we can share. The core of the new 911 GT3 will be an evolution of the 991.2 Speedster’s natural aspiration 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine. It boasts a 9000-rev-minute red line and contains 510 horsepower or an extra 10 hp extra than the previous-generation GT3, while maintaining the same weight of 3,116 pounds.
Porsche’s GT boss Andreas Preuninger told us that about 80 percent of the engineering team’s efforts were channeled to make the engine increasingly stringent emission regulations. The remaining 20 percent was used to take the GT3 to the next level, achieved in part by improving aerodynamics, as the downward force increased by a whopping 50 percent without affecting the resistance.
Although the spring speed stiffness increased by 25 percent, we found the prototype to offer an ‘adaptable, smooth ride’ after Porsche’s GT division spent countless hours adjusting damping. The rear suspension is essentially transferred from the 991.2 GT3, which means it still has a multiple link with rear-wheel drive.
More changes have taken place to the front suspension, where the next generation uses forged aluminum struts borrowed from the company’s race cars. The wheels are also larger than before and measure 20 inches and 9.5 inches wide at the front, while the rear boasts 21-inch alloys that are 12 inches wide. The wheels are modeled in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and have larger brakes than before.
Inside, the driver can choose between the shift paddles of the seven-speed PDK or the transmission tunnel mounted. Purists should not worry, as there will be another three-speed automatic with three pedals for the regular GT3 and the more subtle wingless GT3 Touring.
We will have all the details on February 16th and have a full image gallery when we also broadcast the live stream of Porsche from the premiere event.