Geneva Motor Show: Porsche unveils 475-horsepower 911 GT3
Porsche gave fans of natural aspiration something to cheer about at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, by unveiling the all new 911 GT3.
The GT3 is the most powerful 911 variant Porsche makes that doesn’t have the benefits of turbocharging. The company announced Monday that the 2014 GT3 will wring 475 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque from a 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine.
Porsche says that although the engine in this fifth-generation GT3 is based on the one in the Carrera S, the two share “only a few common parts.” Other pieces including the crankshaft, valve gear, titanium connecting rods and forged pistons are unique to the GT3.
Photos: Highlights of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show
Fans of manual transmissions will surely lament the rear-wheel-drive GT3 being built only with Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, the PDK. The automaker makes amends for this switch by making the gear ratios shorter, reducing shift times, and tweaking the shift paddles from the gearbox on the Carrera S.
Photos: Porsche’s 2014 911 GT3
Porsche says the GT3 with this transmission will do zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, and 124 mph in less than 12 seconds. Its top speed is 195 mph.
Helping the GT3’s agility is a new rear-wheel-steer system, a first for any production Porsche, the company says. This system will turn the wheels in the same or the opposite direction of the front wheels, depending on the car’s speed.
The GT3 also comes with a locking rear differential, 20-inch center-lock wheels, a fixed rear spoiler and full LED headlights. Its 3,120-pound curb weight is 30 pounds heavier than the Carrera S.
The 2014 GT3 will go on sale in the U.S. toward the end of 2013 and will start at $131,350, including destination charges. Up next for the 911 lineup, turbocharging! Look for the 911 Turbo to break cover later this year.
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