Porsche GT3 2010 review

It sounds impossible: a race car that you can also drive every day on the road, over shopping centre speed bumps and into your steep driveway.  But that's how Porsche Cars Australia managing director Michael Winkler describes his "personal favourite" the new GT3, arriving in January.

It features an optional body lift system which raises the front by 30mm via hydraulic shocks to clear speed bumps and help you get into your driveway. It automatically switches off again over 50km/h.  "So it's not just for track use," says Winkler.  "The improvements make it more of a driving car for everyday."

The new GT3 will cost about $280,000 with final confirmation next week. That compares with the previous model which cost $256,900 when it finished at the end of 2007.  It has minor styling changes that only the eagle-eyed would notice such as the 3.8 on the spoiler which signifies a larger engine capacity, bored out from 3.6 litres. The restyled spoiler also creates more downforce at high speed.

Another noticeable feature is the wheels that have a different design with a lightweight alloy central hub the same as the GT3 Cup race car.  "In typical Porsche fashion whatever changes are made needs to be for a better driving performance," he said.  "We don't make change for the sake of change."

If the styling changes are minimal, the performance tweaks are more than incremental.  Under the bonnet there is a boost in power of 15kW to 320kW, while torque is up 25Nm to 430Nm and maximum revs up 100rpm to 8500rpm.

It will cost $281,600 with 33 per cent luxury car tax, which compares with the previous model costing $256,900 when it finished at the end of 2007 and was subject to 25 per cent LCT.

It also comes with a manual six-speed transmission only, with the same ratios, but a shorter throw. Winkler said their PDK twin-clutch transmission would not be suitable for racing.  "A race-adequate PDK would be too uncomfortable for driving on the road," he said.

Porsche claims the new GT3 is 0.2 seconds faster to 100km/h than the previous model, 0.5 seconds faster to 169km/h and has a 2km/h higher top speed (312km/h), while emissions are down and fuel economy remains the same.  Brakes now have 380mm discs on the front, up from 350mm, while the rear brake rotors remain the same.

For the first time in a GT3, it comes with stability control which is switchable. The traction control can also now be turned off.  Winkler expects to sell about 80 in a year with about 20-25 orders already in.  He said that for the 20 per cent of owners who would go racing, a Club Sport race package was available as a no-cost option.

It includes a rear roll cage, six-point racing harness in the driver's seat, fire extinguisher and wiring for the battery cut-off switch.  "You can pay extra and get the front roll cage as well or make your own," Winkler said.

"The advantage of the rear roll cage is you can get in and out easily when driving it for daily use."  He said about 80 per cent of buyers of the first-generation GT3 took the Club Sport option. That decreased to 50 per cent for the second generation.

"Even those that didn't go racing or intend to go racing got the package because it raised resale values as a lot of third and fourth buyers of the car wanted them for racing," he said.  "But I will bet there will be more road driving this time mainly because it doesn't delete a lot of features such as airconditioning and power windows.

"More than ever it is a car you can drive every day without feeling you have made a compromise."  PR manager Paul Ellis said Australian Porsche buyers were more discerning than European buyers who bought GT3s without basic creature comforts.

The centre console's "Sport" button stiffens the shock absorbers and gives more positive throttle response. It also now changes the setting on the intake manifold for peak torque across a broader rev band and stiffens the engine mount system.  "In racing you mount the engine directly to the chassis to make it stiff and part of the car," Winkler said. "But it makes it very uncomfortable on the road.

"The GT3 engine mounts are electrically controlled depending on how you drive, or you can turn them on with the Sport button.  The mounts stiffen so the engine doesn't turn slightly after the chassis so you don't get pendulum affect. As soon as you go straight again it softens up."

Driving

Despite Winkler's assertion that the new GT3 will be a more road-oriented vehicle, Porsche launched the car with a track day at Queensland Raceway.  The track's notorious bumps were out to unsettle the car, while the high g-forces of turns 1 and 2 would test the new stability program. Neither seemed to shake the un-stickable GT3.

V8 Supercar driver and Porsche Sport Driving School instructor Fabian Coulthard suggested avoiding the "Sport" button which would make the suspension too stiff for the track's bumps and the throttle a bit too touchy for smooth application of throttle.

That's because the GT5 rewards the smooth driver but threatens to spank the rough driver before pulling back from the brink and keeping the car pointed forward thanks to the stability and traction control and a more aggressive limited slip differential.

The mechanical diff does a lot of work to keep things under control before the intervention of the electronic controls, allowing plenty of latitude and play.  Together with the electronic engine mount system, they virtually negate the distinctive pendulum effect of the rear-engined car.

The test cars were fitted with the optional ceramic brakes which have a sharp bite and require a delicate touch, but didn't fade after a full day of punishing treatment.  Steering is pin sharp so long as you control the pitch of the car under braking and acceleration.

Veteran campaigner Tomas Mezera, who runs Porsche's driver training school, said that "straight out of the box" the GT3 was about one second faster on the shortened clubman circuit at Queensland Raceway.