The 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 is the latest in the classic line of speed demons, and somewhat of an iconoclast. But with a 475hp engine that rockets you from 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds, it’s ready to handle whatever pulls up next to it—on the track or at the stoplight.
Porsche 911. The epitome of a GT since 1963, and a testament to successful design. With things that work so well, there’s no need to change them too much over time: Crocodiles have been chomping down on things for millions of years, and the evolution of the Porsche 911’s sloped profile and rear-mounted engine have supported the necessary physics to be named among the most successful cars of the last century. And the newest GT3 has followed the curve of better, faster, and stronger with the technological improvements of the 911, but not without some controversy.
You see—and I hope you’re sitting down—for the first time in the history of the Porsche 911, the 2014 GT3 doesn’t offer a manual transmission. Cries of “Sacrilege!” and “Heresy!” have rung out the world over, and understandably so. But to hear that engine snarl to life, you would think that the car has heard everything that’s been said: all of the snorts, harrumphs, and dismissals. And it sounds very pissed off.
The German engineering that went into the GT3 has produced a car .6 seconds faster than its predecessor from 0-60mph, and rear-wheel steering system—a first, for the 911—that handles high-speed corners with ninja agility. The Porsche PDK 7-speed automatic is calibrated for seamless shifts, and don’t think Ze Germans who designed it didn’t have a little fun in mind: it has an auto-manual sport mode with the option to disengage stability control, which means you can still raise some hell in a thick, fat cloud of tire-smoke with a burnout next to that hybrid at the stoplight.
So what’s it like to drive one? Porsche has made a street-legal race-car, it’s that simple. You can accelerate faster, corner sharp enough to slap your internal organs against your ribs, and when you max her out to 9000 rpm, feel your entire body begin to disintegrate into a mound of molecular goo as that beast of an engine screams behind you.
If you have the means, buy one. I’m serious, do it now. People will hear you coming long before they see you, but once they do, you might just make out—in the blur of their face—some jealousy, and a long, whistling “damn….”
Let’s face it, the GT3 is no grocery-getter. It does, however, have an adequate 4.5 cubic ft. luggage storage space (under the hood in front of the car, of course) if you need to get to the airport in a hurry, and Gentlemansedge.com features an array of St. Dupont high-quality leather briefcases, laptop carriers, and weekend bags to travel with class. The portable jewel boxes, organizers, and valets that we offer would also fit nicely in the glove-box, which is surprisingly spacious.
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Author: Eric Hollman
Sources: Porsche www.porsche.com
Autoweek www.autoweek.com
Road and Track www.roadandtrack.com
Car and Driver www.caranddriver.com
