Geneva 2009: All-new(ish) 2010 Porsche 911 GT3
by Noah Joseph on Mar 4th 2009 at 3:39PM 
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3
The great thing about being Porsche – you know, aside from making Cayenne-loads of money and buying enormous companies like Volkswagen – is that you've always got another new model to unveil. The 911 range alone spawns an endless succession of derivatives, and just when they're done with one generation, they give it some new headlights and bore out the flat-six and presto! A brand new 911, and all the variants thereof. The latest, which Porsche unveiled here at the Geneva Motor Show, is one of the more hardcore versions. The new GT3 packs a 435-hp naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter boxer six that can rocket the Teutonic terror to 60 mph in a tick over four seconds. Be warned: This is a driving-focused package geared more towards enthusiasts than country-club goers. Decked out in bright red with a giant rear wing and more vents than an air-conditioner factory, the new GT3 looked every bit the business at the back of Porsche's Geneva show stand. See for yourself in the gallery of live, high-resolution photos below, with stock shots in the gallery below that and all the details in the press release after the jump.
Gallery: Geneva 2009: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3
Gallery: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3
Photos Copyright ©2009 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
New Porsche 911 GT3: Top Performer on the Road with Ambitions on the Track
Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is adding yet another new model to the second generation of the 911 model series: the new GT3 even more powerful, faster, and refined than its predecessor.
In developing the most sporting and dynamic road-going 911 with a normal-aspiration power unit, Porsche has applied a wide range of know-how gained in motorsport. Indeed, this is precisely why the new GT3 is truly impressive not only on the road, but also on the race track.
The new 911 GT3 is making its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 3 March, with Europe-wide sales starting in May.
The 911 GT3 offers an even higher standard above all in two key areas: performance and driving dynamics. Now the proven six-cylinder naturally-aspirated power unit develops maximum output of 435 bhp (320 kW), up 20 bhp over its predecessor. This results first and foremost from an increase in engine capacity by 200 cc to 3.8 litres and from the improved gas cycle: now not only the intake, but for the first time also the exhaust camshafts are adjusted by VarioCam.
A further important point is that, through its upgraded power and performance, the boxer engine also offers a significant increase in torque at medium engine speeds, a benefit of particular significance in everyday motoring. Clearly, this also means a further improvement in performance, the new GT3 accelerating from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and reaching 160 km/h in 8.2 seconds. Top speed is 312 km/h or 194 mph.
The second highlight in developing the 911 GT3 to an even higher standard was to further improve the car's driving dynamics: For the first time the 911 GT3 comes with a particularly sporting variant of PSM Porsche Stability Management, offering the option to deactivate both Stability Control (SC) and Traction Control (TC) in separate steps. And to give the driver unrestricted, individual control over the driving dynamics of his car, these functions are not reactivated automatically even under the most extreme driving conditions, but only at the touch of a button.
The new GT3 offers even better grip and stability also at high speeds, specific modifications of the car's aerodynamics increasing down-forces both front and rear to such an extent that the overall pressure pushing down the car is more than twice as great as on the former model. At the same time the new Aerodynamics Package gives the GT3 a brand-new look further accentuated by the new bi-xenon headlights, LED rear light clusters, as well as modified air intakes and outlets.
The active PASM suspension of the 911 GT3 enables Porsche's engineers to make the springs and anti-rollbars somewhat stiffer yet again, thus ensuring even more precise handling in the PASM sports mode, while retaining appropriate roll comfort suitable for everyday use in the normal PASM mode. New, even lighter wheels in racing design with central locking and UHP (ultra-high performance) tyres now even featuring tyre pressure control round off the functional and visual enhancement of the GT3.
With driving dynamics and performance increasing to an even higher level, the brake system, following an old Porsche tradition, has been enhanced accordingly on the new 911 GT3. The brake discs now come with an even larger friction disc and an aluminium cover to reduce weight even further. Further improvement of brake ventilation, in turn, guarantees an even higher level of consistent brake power also over long periods. And as an option the GT3 comes as before with an exclusive version of PCCB ceramic brakes made specifically for this model.
Starting in autumn, the new GT3 will be available with yet another option making the car even more suitable for the race track: new and highly innovative PADM (Porsche Active Drivetrain Mount) engine bearings. These special engine mounts recognise a particularly sporting, race-like style of driving, making the normally elastic engine suspension hard and particularly resistant. This retains all the motoring comfort of the GT3 in everyday traffic, while on the race track the car is not affected by any mass forces coming from the engine, as would otherwise be the case in fast bends and on winding tracks.
Yet a further advantage is the car's improved traction when accelerating from a standstill.
Another feature also new on the new model is the optional lift system for the front axle able to raise the ground clearance of the car for driving on bumpy surfaces or steep gradients – for example into an underground garage – at the touch of a button by 30 millimetres or almost 1.2".
The Euro base price of the new GT3 is Euro 98,100, in Germany the retail price including value-added tax and specific national features is Euro 116,947. In the USA the GT3 will be at the dealership in October at a price of USD 112,200 (MSRP without taxes).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chase 3:53PM (3/04/2009)
I love this car.
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ken_aisin 3:56PM (3/04/2009)
Very nice. The front looks much cleaner than the current model.
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wslcrew 4:00PM (3/04/2009)
Wow...... What a new radical design! I've never seen anything like this before.
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aj121489 4:03PM (3/04/2009)
BOOOO on your sarcasm lol
Coolio 4:53PM (3/04/2009)
LOL !
Turall 5:14PM (3/04/2009)
Why mess with perfection..
Hugh G 4:02PM (3/04/2009)
I want!!
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Johnnie 4:18PM (3/04/2009)
Man that car is beautiful.
Who needs change when these cars look this good.
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Taglane 4:19PM (3/04/2009)
So it got new rims?
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Mick 4:21PM (3/04/2009)
Wow, the same 0-60 time as my Exige for almost twice as much money! What a bargain!
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i.c. weiner 4:26PM (3/04/2009)
but can your exige pull in the bitches like a Porsche can?
HeyHuub 4:29PM (3/04/2009)
The GT3 will destroy your Exige at anything else, yes and even on the track.
Mick 6:12PM (3/04/2009)
While the GT3 maybe faster on some tracks, it isn't 100% faster, so in the laptime-per-dollar war the Exige crushes the GT3.
Look at it this way: lets say the Exige laps Road Atlanta in 1:40. Does the GT3 do it in 50 seconds? Nope. Maybe 1:30 or so. So you're paying double the sticker price to go a little bit faster. Not too smart in my book.
Mwmorph 8:21PM (3/04/2009)
That's horrible logic, by your logic you might s well go for a $24k Cobalt SS(or even a $11k Aveo), your Extige sure as hell wont go around any track 2x as fast as a Cobalt SS. Lap times NEVER drop by 50%. The difference between a Ford Transit work truck(10:08) and a Dodge Viper ACR Hardcore Pack(7:22) is less than 30%. If The Porsche GT3 can d Road Atlanta 10 seconds quicker, its a hell of a improvement in lap times.
HeyHuub 7:31AM (3/05/2009)
What a wonderfull logic you got there. And i'm wondering all these years why F1 teams bother spending so much every year in development to get that extra 1 second per lap.
Mick 8:54AM (3/05/2009)
While the logic holds true about the Cobalt SS, there's more to performance driving than just lap times. You can't tell me that a heavy, front wheel drive coupe is going to handle like a Lotus. Not even the same ball park. So in the class of cars that the Lotus and Porsche fall in to the Lotus is the bargain.
MetikalSVT 4:40PM (3/04/2009)
Most definitely the best Porsche in the line-up. I really do think the GT3 should come with the Ceramic Brakes automatically. If they are gonna attempt to save all sorts of un-sprung weight with center locking wheels don't put brakes that are 30% heavier back on...
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Steven 5:03PM (3/04/2009)
If I had the means to buy a GT3, I'd lean towards the cast iron brakes. $8,000 (or whatever the difference is) buys a lot of trackdays and tires.
Chase 5:42PM (3/04/2009)
Ugh, I'd rather not. They are a wear and tear item, which means in normal driving, you will have to replace them every few years. Replacement ceramic rotors cost $5,000 _per wheel_. They are easier to damage. In racing conditions, they will wear out faster. Iron rotors with racing pads will be just as effective in racing conditions.
All that for 15 lbs or so at each corner. I'd get carbon fiber wheels before ceramic brakes.
Mobius_1 7:20AM (3/05/2009)
If you can afford a GT3 and all those "toy" days and all that, would you really care? C'mon guys...