2023 Porsche 911 GT3 – Germany’s Track Weapon

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Where else would you find such a thrilling companion that would perfectly blend in any environment? From empty canyon streets to corporate events, this coupe can accompany you everywhere and meet all expectations.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 is packed with heavy no-nonsense racing specs. And still, it also comes with many perks for everyday road driving. It’s the car that you would want to drive on a daily basis, although you are fully aware of the consequences. Let’s have a look at what makes this one of Porsche’s highest performing 911 models and such a jack of all trades, yet master of all.

Aerodynamics at work

The newest GT3 is based on the latest 911 model, the Porsche 992 series. It short, it is a completely different car from the last GT3, both on the inside and outside.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 is, according to the automaker, 17 seconds faster around the Nürburgring, compared to the prior version. Interestingly enough, the two models generate roughly the same amount of power (about 500hp). Thus, the difference must come from somewhere else: aerodynamics.

The new GT3’s wing is one of the main culprits for the seconds shed from the Nürburgring track time. The wing support doesn’t catch to the wing from below, but rather from the top of the airfoil profile. This is known in the racing world as the swan neck mounting position. The design is used to improve aerodynamic contact area on the bottom of the wing rather than on the top, causing air to flow faster and generate more downforce.

The rear diffuser works together with the wing to boost the aerodynamic forces even further. The standard static diffuser has been ditched for an active diffuser. According to Porsche, it now generates 4 times more downforce to use when tackling corners at the grip limit.

Overall, depending on the driving mode, the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 can provide between 50% and 150% more downforce compared to the previous model.

Bigger yet not heavier

Another recurring theme is the weight saving philosophy Porsche applied to the new 911 GT3. Despite being slightly bigger physically than the old model, the new 911 GT3 is only 11lbs heavier.

The main areas for weight saving are the completely redesigned exhaust and the carbon fiber inserts around the body and the interior. Regular car glass has been replaced by a new composite lightweight racing glass, which, according to Porsche, saved no less than 10lbs of weight on the new GT3.

Wheels maintain roughly the same weight as the old model, despite being larger and wider. The advantage of the bigger wheels (20inch on the front and 21inch for the rear) centers on the ability to install larger brakes. As such, the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 comes equipped with huge 16” carbon ceramic rotors clamped by 8-pot yellow calipers.

For years in a row, Porsche has forbidden caliper painting, offering just the yellow option for carbon ceramic brakes. With the new 911 GT3, for the first time, one can order calipers to be painted black! No other colors are available, though.

Overall styling

Even if it’s based on a completely new platform, the 911 GT3 still maintains the same highly identifiable silhouette that made the model gain everlasting fame.

It still looks like a GT3, with the signature aggressive styling up front, front manually adjustable diffuser, the large rear wing and the oversized brakes. After all, it is a GT3; but it is also faster!

We would’ve liked to see the engine

With the previous gen 911 GT3 you could pop open the rear and unveil the horsepower-making machine in the form of a naturally aspirated 4-liter flat six engine, although that joy is cut short on the 2022 and later iterations.

As a matter of fact, on the rear left side of the car, right beneath the wing, there is a plastic cover that, grants access to fluid reservoirs, but doesn’t actually open the engine cover. There is another plastic cover on the right side of the wing as well, but apparently, only for symmetry purposes, as it doesn’t open.

According to Porsche, even if you would have been able to lift the rear wing assembly to peek beneath, there isn’t much to see. In order to aid mass distribution and improve center of gravity, the engine has been pushed inward towards the center of the car by quite a bit, hiding it from sight.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Car Review

A chef’s kiss experience

Speaking of the engine, while the architecture of the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 relies on the same 4-liter output and the same naturally aspirated flat-6 configuration, the engine went through multiple major revisions compared to the old generation.

In fact, the engine is more similar to the one found on the Porsche Speedster, with the addition of weight-saving gimmicks. Overall, 25lbs have been shed via clever engineering. One more thing worth noting is that this engine remains the only naturally aspirated unit in Porsche’s 911 lineup. All the other engines have been turbocharged starting in 2022.

Quickly revving up to 9000RPM (given there is no turbo lag), the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 outputs 502hp and 346 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. The high revving is intoxicating, as you want to keep flooring it to hear and feel the glorious engine produce power.

Porsche confirmed that it will continue to equip the new 911 GT3 with both Porsche’s signature 7-speed PDK gearbox and the pleasure inducing 6-speed manual. Moreover, it appears that for the US, more than half of current orders are indeed asking for the manual transmission.

The soundtrack coming out of the lightweight sport exhaust is nothing short of intoxicating, and the ever-climbing notes conducted by the throttle lead to an epic finale right before shifting.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 tackles corners with the agility of a cheetah hunting its prey. For the first time, Porsche brought the racing-grade control-arm front suspension to the street model, heavily impacting its composure at grip limit. Together with the adaptive dampers and super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 (or optionally, R), this angry coupe feels glued to the road in high-speed cornering maneuvers while giving all necessary feedback to the driver.

It is obviously a firm ride, but doesn’t punish the driver without measure. Furthermore, the new 911 GT3 has probably one of the best electrically-assisted steering systems on any sports car today.

Stopping the 502-hp monster is no easy feat, thus the aforementioned big brake kit comes to the rescue to provide extreme braking power, easy modulation on the pedal and little to no brake fade even after multiple laps on the track.

Let’s talk numbers. Given the similar weight and power output, the latest Porsche 911 GT3 does 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, needing 10.8 seconds to reach 120mph then topping off at 198mph. Compared to the old model, the sole difference may be the 0.2 seconds improvement on the acceleration. In reality, the sum of improvements Porsche did to the new model translates to an upgraded road and track experience.

Regardless of how experienced you are with a manual gearbox; heavy track duty intentions would be better served with the PDK. It shifts faster than us mere mortals and provides a better connection between the engine output and the wheels.

Generally, you wouldn’t take a track-focused car to a wet track while wearing semi-slick tires. However, the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 proved to be surprisingly capable of maintaining grip, as long as there weren’t any puddles or oil spills on the tarmac. The wheels stick to the blacktop better than you might expect, but turn the wheel and the car will follow with surgical precision.

The interior reminds you what it’s built for

No major changes were attributed to the new 911 GT3 compared to the rest of the 911 lineup. Being all business on the outside, Porsche decided to maintain the clean design and simple layout that is worthy of a proper weight-saving sports car. Regardless, the cabin is by no means boring.

Purists of the style will be happy to see the analog tachometer, flanked from behind by two digital displays. Once you turn on GT mode, all information is quickly arranged on the digital displays. If you’re opting for the PDK, the rather stubby center console knob is replaced by a more traditional-looking handle, giving the impression of a manual shifter.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Interior

Clearly this is no family car, so there is no room for backseat luggage or . You might be able to have a small dog sitting in the back, although they likely won’t be too happy with all the roaring from the engine. The front seats are snug, yet comfortable for sport seats.

If you intend your GT3 to mainly pull track duty, then you can option it with racing buckets, weighing even less that the standard seats and providing more support. Regardless of the seat chosen, the 2023 911 GT3 comes with 6-point seatbelts as standard.

In terms of tech, the GT3 shares most of its infotainment with the regular 911, meaning a 10.9-inch touchscreen took control of the center console, accompanied by a few steering wheel physical controls. Connectivity-wise, Apple CarPlay and Wi-Fi hotspot come standard. For better music when driving at low speeds, an optional Bose stereo upgrade is offered.

Conclusion: a track weapon to be seen at stoplights

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 provides all the signature racing capabilities worthy of the GT3 badge, then adds some more on top. With revised aerodynamics, revised engine and RSR-inspired suspension, the 911 GT3 is able to give bone-chilling experiences on the track. You’ll constantly find excuses to take it for a spin, whether to cruise the city or carve up a canyon road. This beautifully crafted racing thoroughbred begs to be driven…hard.