You can make a Turbo more like a GT3 but you can't make the GT3 like the Turbo. The power potential of the turbo is unreal. But having said that, if you have the first shot at a new Gt3 I say go for it!

 

very subjective and I'd test drive both obviously. But if you track your car that much and aren't going to use it as a DD, go with the RS. Just looks ill and that sound is great. Plus you can get it in a**hole orange or yellow and it's acceptable.

 

I find it interesting that there is still debate out there regarding the track capabilities of the TT and GT3RS.

The TT drivers feel that higher horsepower, more torque, 4wd equals higher track performance. I understand these points...and the fact that porsche marketing is careful to position the turbo as faster.

Reality is that on most tracks...the higher power of the turbo is highly challenged to compensate for the extra weight vs. the GT3. 4wd is the not the advantage that people assume it would be and it brings the majority fo the extra mass. Stock turbo suspesion is not track ready...it takes a lot of power to make up for that.

The GT3 drivers tend to be a little more track savvy and focus on weight loss and driving skill. Maybe they tend to be a little focused on the stylistic aspects (exhaust note, high rpm, etc.) vs. actual track times.

Anyhow...data is king. Fastestlaps.com is a great data source.

http://www.fastestlaps.com/index.php...=4585844a79f19

Summary...Turbo much fast straight line. On a track...it will depend on how twisty/technical it is. Tight, curvy short straights...GT3 is faster. Tracks with longer straights will favor the TT.

 

TT all day long at watkins glen.

 

"The GT3 drivers tend to be a little more track savvy and focus on weight loss and driving skill. Maybe they tend to be a little focused on the stylistic aspects (exhaust note, high rpm, etc.) vs. actual track times."

Well they may think that, but a fair number of RS and GT3 owners just have to own the latest thing and never go to the track. Or they run in the green run group if they do go. The same is true for a lot of TT and Porsche owners in general. At the last 2 DEs I attended, I would say there were fairly equal numbers of GT3s and TTs in the advanced run group.

 

If you love power, the tt can't be beat. No how, no way.
If you love the 'feel' of a sports car, the GT3 can't be beat. No how, no way.
No amount of mods in a 4wd will give you the feel of a GT3 and no amount of mods will give the GT3 the power of the tt.
If you're a true sports car kinda guy (whether you track or not) the GT3 is king. A sports car lover will revel in the noise, the ride and the weight and feel of the controls.
I would take a GT3 in a second. And wouldn't trade my 'S' for a tt at any time. So it shows where I'm coming from. And I'm not stating that I'm a NA guy. A GT2 would be perfect-er.

 

Well put
But... imo GT3 RS > GT2

call me crazy, but just my opinion all things considered.

 

The GT2 makes the GT3RS look like a childs playtoy.

 

I agree with some of what you said; others, I must add it's a matter of opinions.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you love the 'feel' of a sports car, the GT3 can't be beat. No how, no way.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Is power and torque not part of the feel of a sports car? No doubt the GT3 is a great car but most definitely yes the GT3 can be beat, because it's far from the perfect sports car configuration and has 2 major flaws: Rear engine and not enough power & torque. Let's face it, the GT3 status as PAG's main race car is influenced by marketing. If Porsche does not insist on protecting its 911 treasure, the move would have been to develop a "Cayman" type GT3 with a V8 a long time ago.
The flaw of the GT3 is also its weight. Somewhere along the line the GT3 has become too heavy for its flat 6 engine. Go to the GT3 forum and read between the lines and you will see the number one wish of every GT3 owner: power & torque. The cry for 4 liter flat 6, etc.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you're a true sports car kinda guy (whether you track or not) the GT3 is king.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I hope you are not implying that the Turbo owners on this forum are not "true sports kinda" guy?
I had the option between GT3 and Turbo. I chose the Turbo because to me part of the feel of a sports car is power and torque. And the GT3 just does not cut it. On the track the lack of torque could be covered. On the street no.
Of course, as well known around here, I also found out that the stock Turbo is too soft for me. But as many have pointed out, you could mod the Turbo's handling, not the GT3's power.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I would take a GT3 in a second. And wouldn't trade my 'S' for a tt at any time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

May I ask if you've actually driven the Turbo hard, real hard? Or have you driven it at all? Because if you have and still have this opinion, then there is a huge gap in our sports car values. :-)
Basically, I think the 997S is a great car, but I would trade the S for a Turbo in 1/1000th of a second. The Turbo, granted -- modded, is fast, agile, powerful, light on its feet in a way that the S could never hope to be. And I have intimate experience with both. I bring up this point not to be critical, but to remind all of us that it's a matter of opinions.
The heart and soul of the Turbo is its stupendously powerful engine that a NA 6 has zero hope of matching, and I do think it's something true sports guy should experience once in a life time. (In your case, already taken care of of course because you have that tremendous Ford GT.)
The Turbo is far from a perfect car, but neither is a GT3, or a GT2, or a Lambo. In the end, vive la difference.

 

Well played Can! Am actually offended that he prefers a slower car to our turbos... but again, its a matter of taste...

 

Are you serious? You wouldn't trade your S for a Turbo? The powertrains are totally different. The Turbo uses a true dry sump GT1 derived racing engine, while the S has a wet sump , mass produced consumer grade engine. The Turbo also uses a G50 6 speed tranny, your S has an completely different tranny sourced from the far east. But I will agree that the GT2 is the perfect car.

 

Now, now now...
Cannga knows I'm a big fan of his, and have followed his advice lately, quite successfully, in upgrading my 'S'.
A couple of things...
I have driven a tt recently, but, as you inquire, can't say I've driving it 'hard'. So points to you there.
And as you note, it is a matter of taste. I own a really (really really) fast car (I believe it's quite a bit faster than a GT2) and as much as the speed is addictive, overwhelmingly thrilling, the 'feel' of a great sports car, at usable speed (I could use a synonym here), is preferable. That is, if I had to choose, I'd take the 'S' over the FGT too. Again, just my taste.
I also must accept that I was implicitly limiting my comments to the 911 portfolio. I've noted in prior posts that (and this will generate more/different flames) the best car in the Porsche fleet is the Cayman. And as noted, it's Porsche's business need to keep the 911 at the head of the pack that keeps them from pushing that design harder. Or so I assume. So I do agree. The 911 - in any form, is not the ideal sports car, but the 2wd designs, to me, are preferred.
A side story here, which may help shed some light on my (apparently) skewed preferences. When I was a boy, I was in to kart racing. When I was a newbie, I owned a pretty pokie model and the first time I had a chance to get in to a real/competitive sprint model (Bug kart, Mac91, wet/centrifugal clutch - wow, this is a long time ago) it was a shocking experience. A seething beastie that couldn't idle or stand still, that always had light shining under at least one inside wheel during hard cornering, where opposite lock was de rigeur, and where the front wheels just barely skidded across the ground, feeling every pebble and road crease, while the rear end slid in whatever direction you chose with your right foot. (wow, I haven't recalled all of that so vividly in years). Wheel against wheel, inches apart, always one tire hung above the inside dirt.
My sports car visions were molded my those experiences. For those on this thread who have raced these machines, they are formative. And the rwd p-car experience comes closer than most. Yea, a Lotus would be closer. Lighter is always better to me, and 911's hardly make the grade in that regard. But the Lotus just doesn't cut it as a DD.
But when I'm pushing my 's' around a long, tight ramp, front tires talking to me and skidding across the road surface, rear end shifting at the beckoning of my right foot, top down, the only thing missing (sort of) is the smell of the oil/gas mix.
So I promise, not trying to offend. And perhaps if I had more seat time in a tt I'd reach a different conclusion. But more likely, I've come up a different performance and emotional track than most of you.

 

Turbo is more a everyday/two in one sports car, I mean you can take it on a date/meeting and not look rediculous with this orange car with huge wing and orange paintwork.

 

Ya' got me there. I was speaking to some private equity guy recently, who had a WRX or Evo (whatever) as a DD, and realized that showing up for board of director meetings in the thing was a bit, um, tacky.
But I'm pretty sure you can buy at GTx or RS in something other than 'pumpkin' or 'kermit'.

 

Hello Verde,

We have extremely similar viewpoints, more alike than different. I was even going to mention the Lotus as an example of the GT3 not being as "pure" and light as some competitors. LOL.

I think an important point is that your preference might be influenced by the fact that you ALREADY have a tremendously fast car that is supercharged, so your second car very rightly should have a NA engine for which power is not of primary concern. I would do exactly the same were I to add a second Porsche.
There is no question that the GT3 is one of the best track cars in the world, but for someone who only has one car, my opinion is that it is not necessarily the perfect choice. I would miss the torque terribly if that were my only car. Somewhere along the line the car has gotten way too heavy for 298 lb ft of torque.
As for chassis, guys on the GT3 forum also put on Motons and change that progressive spring, so the stock GT3 is far from THE pure example, but is just a point in a continuum that links a Lexus at one end and an open wheel racer at the other. The GT3 does well when compared against a daily driver (it'd better!), but in non-Porsche circle, it is far from being considered the best sports car. Even in Porsche circle, reading between the lines, 911 cup car guys think the GT3 is just child's play.

I agree about the inherently better mid-engine chassis of the Cayman. It's a testament to Porsche Motorsports' greatness that the 911 continues to win GT2 class.

Cheers.