What is it?
2006 Porsche 911 GT3
What's special about it?
Most manufacturers go to great lengths to attract journalists to their displays in Geneva. Live bands, gourmet food by the tableful, Europe's finest models in tight dresses.
What does Porsche do?
It simply shows up. No press conference, no fancy food. There are cute girls handing out the press kits, but they're dressed like nuns, and none of it seems to make a difference — the stand is always full. When you have a car like the 2006 911 GT3 on display, it's just that easy.
For those who don't bother keeping track of the dozen or so variations of the 911, the GT3 is a high-output model designed for the handful of Porsche owners who might actually take their six-digit sports car to a racetrack.
It uses the same 3.6-liter flat-six as the standard Carrera, but larger throttle bodies and a freer-flowing exhaust allow it to send up to 409 horsepower and 298 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a variable limited-slip differential. And they aren't just any wheels, they measure 19 inches in diameter and come wrapped in 305/30 rubber.
Underneath the big rims are brake rotors over 13 inches in diameter, front and rear, with six-piston calipers in front, four-piston binders in back. Porsche's ceramic composite brakes are available as a big-ticket option for serious weekend racers.
There are substantial suspension upgrades as well. This is the first GT3 model to use Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM), a system that allows for two driver-adjustable levels of sport. Hitting the dash button varies the throttle sensitivity, damper settings, brake calibrations, and stability control systems. On the standard 911, it goes from comfortable to firm. On the GT3, it goes from firm to mouthpiece-required stiff.
You can opt for a set of factory-approved, carbon-fiber racing seats which are half the weight of the standard buckets if the standard setup's claimed 4.3-second 0-to-60 time and 192 mph top speed aren't fast enough for you. Alcantara trim covers most of the interior, and that too can be changed of course. All will be in addition to the $106,000 base price. Deliveries start in August.
What's Edmunds' take?
Like most Porsche 911s, the GT3 is probably bought for the badge on the back as much as the horsepower under the ridiculous-looking rear wing. For the few who actually take it to the track and know how to use it, it will be about as pure as a street-legal sports car gets. — Ed Hellwig
2006 Porsche 911 GT3
What's special about it?
Most manufacturers go to great lengths to attract journalists to their displays in Geneva. Live bands, gourmet food by the tableful, Europe's finest models in tight dresses.
What does Porsche do?
It simply shows up. No press conference, no fancy food. There are cute girls handing out the press kits, but they're dressed like nuns, and none of it seems to make a difference — the stand is always full. When you have a car like the 2006 911 GT3 on display, it's just that easy.
For those who don't bother keeping track of the dozen or so variations of the 911, the GT3 is a high-output model designed for the handful of Porsche owners who might actually take their six-digit sports car to a racetrack.
It uses the same 3.6-liter flat-six as the standard Carrera, but larger throttle bodies and a freer-flowing exhaust allow it to send up to 409 horsepower and 298 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a variable limited-slip differential. And they aren't just any wheels, they measure 19 inches in diameter and come wrapped in 305/30 rubber.
Underneath the big rims are brake rotors over 13 inches in diameter, front and rear, with six-piston calipers in front, four-piston binders in back. Porsche's ceramic composite brakes are available as a big-ticket option for serious weekend racers.
There are substantial suspension upgrades as well. This is the first GT3 model to use Porsche's Active Suspension Management (PASM), a system that allows for two driver-adjustable levels of sport. Hitting the dash button varies the throttle sensitivity, damper settings, brake calibrations, and stability control systems. On the standard 911, it goes from comfortable to firm. On the GT3, it goes from firm to mouthpiece-required stiff.
You can opt for a set of factory-approved, carbon-fiber racing seats which are half the weight of the standard buckets if the standard setup's claimed 4.3-second 0-to-60 time and 192 mph top speed aren't fast enough for you. Alcantara trim covers most of the interior, and that too can be changed of course. All will be in addition to the $106,000 base price. Deliveries start in August.
What's Edmunds' take?
Like most Porsche 911s, the GT3 is probably bought for the badge on the back as much as the horsepower under the ridiculous-looking rear wing. For the few who actually take it to the track and know how to use it, it will be about as pure as a street-legal sports car gets. — Ed Hellwig
Add A Comment »