Porsche 911 GT3 Sets 7:12.7 Lap Time At The Nurburgring

The recently launched Porsche 911 GT3 features a turbocharged engine and gets a manual gearbox option along with the dual clutch DSG.

By Cyrus Dhabhar

1 mins read

Published on May 8, 2017

Highlights

The new 911 GT3 is 12.3 seconds faster than its predecessor
The GT3 is still two seconds slower than the Mercedes-AMG GT R
Current Nurburgring record held by the Lamborghini Huracan Performante

The Porsche 911 GT3 has always been one of the best handling cars in the world. The balance of track day weapon and just stripped enough to be a sensible everyday sportscar has made the GT3 a legend in enthusiasts circles. Introduced first in the Porsche 911 996 and then following up with the 997 and then the 991, the latest version of the car has the nomenclature 991.1 or 991 facelift in Porsche terms. The 991.1 GT3 also stays true to its Porsche heritage and continues with the naturally aspirated engine layout unlike the 991.1 Carrera which now has a turbocharged engine. The new 4.0 in the GT3 makes 500 bhp and sends all its power to the rear wheels – as every GT3 always has and probably always will. The GT3 set a Nurburgring lap time or 7:12.7 which is 12.3 seconds faster than the pre-facelift 991 GT3. The new GT3 though is still slower by a little over two seconds to the current rear-wheel-drive Nurburgring lap record holder, the Mercedes-AMG GT R. The AMG GT R does the same lap in 7:10.92. The current lap record at the Nurburgring is held of course by the absolutely bonkers and recently launched in India, Lamborghini Huracan Performante, which trumped the likes of the Nissan GT-R and the Porshce 918 Spyder Weissach Package hypercar to post a lap time of 6:52.01. (2018 Porsche 911 GT3-Rear) The GT3 features technology like rear wheel steering and the dual clutch 7-speed PDK gearbox and for the record wore a set of street legal Michelin Sport Cup 2 N1 tyres that Porsche supplies as standard with the GT3. That said, Porsche is currently developing an all new version of the GT2 RS which will have a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine and is said to have about 650-700 bhp with rear wheel drive. The GT2 RS is expected to not just beat the Mercedes-AMG GT R’s lap times but also those set by the Lamborghini Huracan Performante.