I know this has been posted before but I wanted to see if there were any new experiences.

Has anyone driven a GT3 and TT in the same day or week that would allow them an opportunity to accurately compare the drive of both of them? The published stats on the Porsche web site are very close performance wise but I'd like to know what my fellow turbo owners think. What is different about the feel of the two cars.

Also does any one know if 380hp is the limit of the engine in the GT3? Will the engine hold up to modding?

My turbo is not a daily diver and I do love tracking it. That is why I'm looking at a GT3. Is there any legitimate rumors on a 997 GT3 coming soon?

Thanks everyone.

 

Hey Richard!!

The GTII is an outstanding car. For me the hardest part was not having the torque NOW! I have been in turbos so long that the mid range torque verses the higher power band is what I am looking for. The GTIII is tossable and more nimble. A true track king it is. If the track is the goal the the GTIII is a better suited car.

 

I drove a '03 turbo stock and the GT3 back to back. I bought the GT3. A turbo to me is like jazz music...smooth and powerful. A Gt3 is like rock and roll... shake rattle and roll. You will like it much better on the track since it's steering is much more responsive and the lightness of the car makes you feel like you can throw into the turns whether on the street or track. The turbo allows more mistakes and will pick you up if you stumble (PSM)...you stumble with a GT3, there is nothing to help you other than your skills. I feel the turbo makes a much better daily driver and cruiser. It's just more comfortable and smooth. The GT3 is edgy. That is what I wanted, since it's not a dailey driver. It requires constant driver attention when driven hard. No need to mod the engine. It is already race tuned with titanium con rods, shortened piston heads, lightened valves, GT1 crankshaft and a race breed dry sump oil pump so that oil startvation will not become an issue under repeated lateral g loads. I wiould not touch the motor internally, nor do I think it's necessary unless you drag race. You can add 12hp with a good aftermaket exhaust like Europipe or get a complete package from Cargraphic which includes re-mapped ecu, equal length header and 200 cell cats...I believe that is supposed to be good for almost 25hp....Hope this helps

 

You can mod the GT3 to 420bhp no problem

 

Hey Stephen, good to hear from you. Has my partner Dow got ahold of you yet. He just relocated to KC and he's a certified hp junkie! He has a nice collection in his garage. Take care of him.

Anyway, thanks for the read on the GT3. I have my name on the list for a next gen turbo and I'm going to put some money down on the 997 Gt3. I have some time to figure out which one I want/need.

Say hi to Rox and the kids. If you ever want to come skiing in Utah just drop me a line. See Ya!

 

Rockitman, Thanks for the insight. I called my local dealer. He's going to try and hook my up with one of his GT3 owners to see if he'll let me drive it.

 

The TT is a torque monstet. I have owned both and prefer the TT. In florida we do not have a lot of twisties and I found out unless I really tracked the car on a regular basis I could not appreicate it. The sound of a stock GT3 is amazing and the steering was much more precise as well as being quicker.

 

The TT owns the straights.
The GT3 owns the corners.

If you screw up in the TT, the computer jumps in and it feels like the Hand of God just set you striaght
If you screw up in the GT3, the only onboard assistance you get is your "Jesus is my copilot" bumper sticker.


TT steering feels solid or dull, depending on your preferences.
GT3 steering feels alive or nervous, depending on your preferences.

If you're a normal to good driver, you'll be faster in a TT.
If you're a great driver, it'll depend on the track.

TT can be tuned to about 2x factory power levels (or more, if you're, y'know, nuts)
GT3 can be tuned to about 1.1x factory power levels (unless you're someone whose name rhymes with 'dad', 'heaven', or 'Jasper')

Seriously, though, you already have a TT. Go drive a Gt3, and you'll know as soon as you pull out of the parking lot in your own car which one is for you. I got a random chance to jump in a TT Tiptronic, and as soon as I fired up my 6-speed C4S, I couldn't have been happier with my car.

The trickier question, though is GT2 vs. GT3.

 

GT2 is God

 

That says it all. Perhaps the GT2 is the perfect blend of the two?

I found I'm more of a GT3 guy but in a TT. The insulated feedback and heaviness of the TT is bit frustrating at times. I'd say overall the TT is probably the best handling car of all the ones that are fantastic in the straights.

I'd rather have the best handling car that's pretty damn-good on the straights. GT3 for me next time around.

 

I have not driven a GT3, but I second the opinion that this choice depends on your skill as a driver. Particularly since you are not using this car as a daily driver. At my VERY low level of skill, I would prefer not to be on a track without PSM. I’ll take the weight penalty. I cannot tell you how many times PSM has kept me on the track. I remember going into turn 3 at the big track at Willow Springs, too hot, braking too late … Anyway the ‘hand of GOD’ took over the car and corrected my silly driving. I remember the instructor, a BMW guy, saying something like ‘Wow’. DSC doesn’t hold a candle to PSM. I suspect that a skilled driver can probably get the GT3 around most tracks faster than a 996TT, but that may depend on the length of the straights.

 

At Willow someone had brought both the TT and GT3 and they turned 33's in the GT3 and 34's in the Turbo, even with the hp the GT3 handled that much better.

 

Have you considered the loss of power a N/A engine suffers at high altitude? Since you live in Salt Lake City, I assume you get into the mountains quite a bit. The loss of power in a GT3 might be a bit of a shock after a turbo, which doesn't have that problem. That's one of the reasons I elected to go with a turbo, as I get into the Sierras and the Rockies frequently.

 

Doesn't that tell you you're learning to race in a car that has way more power and weight than you can manage? The power is preventing you from learning to developing your skills in the corners. You'll never learn to keep pace properly with PSM on. The TT straightline power corrupts the novice driver.

 

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"Doesn't that tell you you're learning to race in a car that has way more power and weight than you can manage? The power is preventing you from learning to developing your skills in the corners. You'll never learn to keep pace properly with PSM on. The TT straightline power corrupts the novice driver"
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Guilty as charged! But at least I'm getting out to the track. Many people in this area just park'em and polish'em.

At least I no longer have Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires on my daily driver. So I am getting smarter. Sort of ....