Porsche 911 GT3 Dartford

Porsche has launched its new 911 GT3 this week. It’s the fettled 997 version, with a raft of modifications to update it.

And stoking the publicity is a brisk lap time of the Nurburgring. The new GT3 has lapped the Nordschleife in 7min40sec, with legendary German racer Walter Rohrl at the wheel. In the same session he took out a Ferrari 430 Scuderia and recorded 7min45, apparently.

The time is unofficial for now, but Porsche is claiming that it’s 14 seconds faster than a Nissan GT-R could achieve. The Japanese may beg to differ, though, after the GT-R recorded an unofficial 7min27.56 recently. It’s a battle that’s going to run and run…

The second-gen 997 GT3 gains a new engine in the shape of a 3.8-litre flat six. It boasts 429bhp and 317lb ft, and with the car weighing the same as before (1395kg) the power-to-weight figure rises to 312bhp/ton. Top speed is 194mph and 0-62mph takes 4.1sec.

There’s a plethora of dynamic tweaks, too. PSM (Porsche stability management) is uprated, with the option to turn off all traction and stability systems. There are stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, lighter wheels (with centre-locking nuts) and larger brakes, while aerodynamics are modified front and rear with downforce doubled over the outgoing GT3.

There’s a new acronym to get your head around, too. The optional PADM (Porsche Active Drivetrain Management) is basically adaptive engine mounts. They provide a soft set-up for refinement purposes but stiffen when you crank up the pace, keeping the engine more securely mounted to make the rear end more predictable. Clever stuff.

The updated Porsche 997 GT3 is on sale now, priced from £81,914. You can view the Mk1 997 GT3 battling the Nissan GT-R here.

View the Porsche 911 GT3 video

Porsche 911 GT3