My chance to get to know the new GT3 properly in its preferred environment came on the third day of the UK’s best drivers car group test this year (known as the Day of Treatment). With most of the other cars in the pits, the Anglesey Circuit was relatively empty. And with the GT3’s fastest lap time already committed to future generations, its final Michelin set was, in fact, revocable.
Five laps ago and it has already become clear why many people are wondering exactly where the upcoming GT3 RS is going. The regular GT3 just leaves so little headroom. Just get going in this car and it comes to life for an almost amazing effect, with all the adjustment you made trying to open up on the road and sublime levels of feeling from the smooth track surface. It’s an incredibly pure driving experience.
The car somehow combines McLaren’s precision levels with AMG’s ability to turn around and entertain, running like a mid-engined supercar when needed but turning to a more traditional 911 rear-to-front balance when desired. Rotate it (this applies equally to the brakes and throttle).
The turn is great – so sharp and reliable that you have to consciously adapt to it – and quickly allows the car to bounce, ready to shoot itself out of the corner with the weight tilted backwards waiting to be utilized for ultimate grip or just a small angle. Because of the responsiveness of the atmo flat six, what the chassis serves is entirely your choice.
The GT3’s ability to capture full throttle in places where you just will not believe it can do so safely is also an epic thrill. In parts of speed corners where you feather the throttle in other cars, the GT3 is already flat and accelerating hard, its rear axle so planted that you would swear that even 603 hp, and not the actual 503 hp, will not shape things. So this is ‘stability’ that you can add to ‘accuracy’ and ‘fit’.
Keyword: Autocar Super Cars of 2021: Porsche 911 GT3