Crying shame.
It seems like with every iteration of the 911, Porsche seems to take away an ingredient from what fans and enthusiasts maintain as pivotal to the nature and character of one of the world’s most adored sports cars. In the past 991 generation alone there’s been a number of changes that’s had the 911 lovers sucking their teeth.
So far, once the initial annoyance has had a chance to calm, the arguments can be made (usually by Porsche) for the controversial decision, with the ultimate goal of having the community accept that bitter the medicine is indeed good for the patient. Wind the clock even further and this was pretty much the story when Porsche moved away from air-cooled engines in the 996, introduced electric power steering in the 991, made the GT3 and GT3 RS an automatic, and most recently with the turbocharged Carreras.
On that note, Porsche seems to already be committed to axing the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre screamer in the upcoming next-generation ‘992’ GT3 in favour of a smaller turbo flat-six. According to Motor, the next GT3 will use a 3.0-litre that’s able to generate 410kW or thereabouts while torque peak would be 550Nm, available from much lower in the rev range.
Sure, those numbers do mean that there’s more performance on offer, improving acceleration and lap times - but at what cost? Ask any Porsche enthusiast - or just an informed observer - and you’ll quickly learn that the GT3’s main appeal are the analogue sensations, and a large portion of that is how the atmospheric engine’s razor sharp responses, unrelenting redline chase, and euphoric soundtrack not only make the driving experience a true exhilaration, but an instinctually informed one.
The new engine is bound to cause more than some outcry if this report proves to be accurate. But we’ll reserve judgement until the car receives a proper launch. Porsche has proved the detractors wrong just a couple of years by making all Carrera variants turbocharged (also using a 3.0-litre, incidentally) while managing to sound and behave like a 911 engine should (just about). Perhaps we’re in for another episode of Porsche Knows Best.
With the next GT3’s much deeper reserves of torque, that 410kW will make quick work with the car’s lightweight body to launch from a standstill, and a claimed 3.0 second 0-100km/h sprint time is where the expectations seem to land along with a top speed in excess of 330km/h. Also, did we mention that the GT3 will apparently be going PDK-only (again)?
It begs the question, then, of what will become of the GT3 RS. The hierarchy has always been that the even lighter RS variant was always the quickest due to its weight advantage and more powerfully tuned engine. Seems inevitable that it too will need to have some turbochargers grafted on as it would get thoroughly walloped by its little brother otherwise. But when the RS loses is atmospheric appeal, will it also lose its identity?
This line of reasoning leads to an even more vexing issue: Can the GT3 RS continue to exist in turbocharged form without treading too closely to the GT2 RS? Will the GT3 RS, turbocharged, lose its identity? We’ll have a clearer picture once the all-new generation 911 breaks cover toward the end of 2018.
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