So I saw the specs for the newly released GT3RS yesterday. A lot of really cool technology for the track but the bottom line is 518 hp and 3200 lbs. I understand that this car is a weapon on a track, where it can use all of that downforce. I’m just puzzled by the fact that most of these are not driven on the track. Most people are buying these because they can get the allocation, they know they will not lose money, and the want to be the guy with the top of the food chain 911. So I go back to the power and weight. My 2011 458 Italia seems to have similar weight and more hp. I am not hating on Porsche. I’m just saying I’m not a track guy and this why I moved away from Porsche. I may consider a 911 GTS for a daily driver soon, but for the most part I think Porsche doesn’t put there best engines into a car that you can drive on the street. I guess there is the 911 GTS or 911 Turbo S which are great cars, but they don’t seem special enough to me. I might try an electric Cayman whenever those come out.
I view it as similar to BMW //M Competition Package cars... people just want to check all the boxes. The GT3 does one big thing that actually makes a difference: Pilot Cup tires. Put those on your 458 and if you can wheel you will keep up with GT3's all day long
It makes perfect sense. As you stated it will be a track weapon. It would leave the 458 for dead on the track. The fact that some people won’t use it on the track has nothing to do with what it is built for. How many people will use their AMG GT BS on a track? How many people will take their Pista or speciale on a track?
As the ex technical boss of Ferrari Michael Leiters said: "we don´t think that we need to put 800 hp in a road car, but people keeps asking for more". This car is not about raw power. Also, with a NA engine, it´s difficult to get more hp and keep passing the emissions controls. Having said that, I don´t buy that "purist´s upper lip" that comes with the GTxxx Porsche´s, they´re cool cars but gimmicky like the rest. This one even has a "DRS" button, while Porsche has never raced anything with DRS.
It's odd considering over sticker these will be $350-400k when the 296 with the fiorano pack will be 830 hp and around the same $400k price tag for the base price. Im not sure how over sticker the 296 will go but even at $300k for a loaded gt3rs from the factory, a base $350k 296 without fiorano pack is still a much better car for the money. As great of a track weapon as the gt3rs will be, hard to say the 296 with an assetto fiorano won't be significantly better.
Wait, are you implying that any of the cars we buy (beginning with the Cavallino to the ones from Stuttgart and everything in between) actually make sense? I learn something new everyday here.
With shorter gearbox ratio, more downforce and the magical rear wheel steering the Porsche will be faster on a track no matter the tyres on the 458. You need a lot more power to compensate for the technical advantage of the GT3 RS - maybe a 488 (with almost 150 hp more) could come close but that's not even sure.
Yeah I think the GT3RS is an incredible machine. Very excited about it. But I'm going to laugh about all the bros in LA that will be bouncing around the street in them. I'd imagine that in the hands of all but exceptional drivers a Turbo S would be faster and more comfortable in 90%+ of situations. That said, its bad ass and I'm glad it exists and glad those bros will buy it because can't wait to see and hear them.
Track monster will be an understatement, it isn't all about top speed or max HP. It will make a 458 look like a Honda Civic Si out there, just the way it is with car development marching on. The new GT3RS is going to produce some insane lap times for a street legal machine, and probably be a joy to drive. On...the....track. On the street, it will be incredibly uncomfortable and a waste. Therefore it is guaranteed they will be all over Los Angeles as per the last generation GT2RS and GT3RS. Because....you can, and it's cool to show up to Cars and Coffee with one. Even though you'd be better off with a Turbo S 99% of the time. I have zero interest in it, but you have to respect the path that Porsche has taken with the car once they realized that there was simply no more power to get out of the N/A 6. I did read something interesting, they now make more GT3/GT2/RS variants than normal 911's. So they aren't exactly that limited, obviously the RS models are kept to low production to create scarcity vs. demand. Good for them, high profit margins and devoted fans.
Ok but 458 is a decade old. GT3RS will absolutely not make a 296 equipped with assetto fiorano look like like a civic si. It's competition is the 296 assetto fiorano and the little car from Maranello is significantly better.
I feel the new RS for once actually looks like a race car, the previous generations simply looks like a GT3 PLUS, which perhaps is worth 20% more money tops IMO but for some reason the market difference is like 30-40%. I know the rs drives very diff at the limit due to wider tracks etc. but simply talking about looks here. Very excited about the rs, I also think it's the first car in this price category (ferraris and lambos) to give you all the track gimmicks of adjusting torque vectoring and suspension compression independently on the front and rear, all at the convenience of the steer wheel. That DRS wing is also gimmicky as **** for anything under 120 mph, which most rolling around LA cars and coffees will never get to use, but it's definitely worth something for porsche to have a wing that's bigger and taller than a STO or AMG GT black series. Means a lot for the "tame looking porsches" which is prob the biggest complaint among supercar owners. The car is worth every penny after inflation at 310k max out with PTS, but the current markup is 150-200 so at 450-500 i rather be in something a bit more special
Interesting and valid comments here. I still really feel like the car only makes sense if it’s going to be used on a track. I think it makes a horrible road car.
I think all the comments about the car being $450-500k ADM are missing the point, that's just where cars are today. I'm serious if you haven't kept up McLaren 765's are all asking $600k+, the new 296 a pretty modest spec fiorano pack is going to be $450k sticker and it sucks for all of us who love cars, but that's just the new inflation adjusted world we live in. Do I think the new GT3RS is worth $500k? Not in any way esp with that engine, but its a beautiful car and $500k is the new $300k in the exotic car world. Hell for a time last year all the G63 were asking $300k. Lord knows even a new Lexus LX whatever its called is near $200k today or at least that's what my Ferrari dealer had one for sale at recently.
This is a valid point, 300k aint' what it used to be for sure. I don't have a price on my 296 build yet, but it is looking like nearly 400k isn't going to be an unusual spec at all for those cars (and that's a non AF car). That's a huge jump over a decently equipped F8 coupe...60-70k? I think that with the Pista Ferrari realized the price point on these cars could easily move upwards, and the typical customer would simply accept it. And they are right. Makes my F8S look like a bargain at a 365k window, and I think less 458/488/F8 owners are selling than usual for that reason. What else are you really going to get?
