Porsche is occasionally getting some flak for sticking with the same layout in the 911 for the past five decades. That’s not entirely true: while the engine has always been placed behind the rear axle, Zuffenhausen can boast that it rolls out more variations of its quintessential model than any other manufacturer.
One of them, considered the hardcore driver’s choice, is the GT3. Introduced in the 996 model in 1999, it has always come with a naturally aspirated flat-six based on the racing GT1 unit, a manual gearbox, sportier suspension and chassis setup and less amenities inside.
And one more thing; the GT3 would not tolerate fools behind its responsive steering wheel…
With previous versions being highly rated by both the press and 911 owners alike, Porsche will naturally launch a 991-based GT3. The track-oriented variant of the latest (and, arguably, greatest) 911 has been captured during cold-weather testing in Sweden virtually camouflage-free.
The 991 GT3 will boast the same wheelbase as the normal Carrera and Carrera S models, which is 100 mm longer than the 997. While the wider front track has made the regular versions less twitchy, the GT3 will get even larger tracks –especially at the rear, as is evident from these spy shots.
The extra-large alloys (presumably 19- or 20-inch) will house bigger brakes while power is expected to be increased to around 500HP, close enough to the 997 GT3 RS 4.0.
For those moaning about yet another predictable evolution, Porsche has a couple of surprises up its sleeve. The first one is obvious from the following images. Unlike every GT3 until now, the 991-based model sports a retractable, instead of a fixed, rear wing.
Additionally, it will also be offered with only one gearbox. That, in itself, is no surprise as that was the case with all GT3s. What will probably cause many debates is that Porsche engineers are seriously considering offering the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK and getting rid of the manual transmission.
Photo credits: CarPix for Carscoop
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