Porsche 911 GT3

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What is it?

The GT3 exists to allow Porsche to race its 911. The tarmac-scraping front splitter, the huge brakes, a 3.8-litre flat-six engine covered by a big rear wing and punctured, vented bodywork to extract all the heat it and those brakes generate are all offered on a road-going 911 to enable Porsche to build a race version to sell to customers. Those lucky enough to race one should thank the road car customers. And vice-versa, as the GT3 is one of the most intense, exciting and visceral 911 experiences ever. At just £81,914 it's not expensive either - particularly when you consider the sort of performance it offers.

Is it any good?

The GT3 is like a distilled and triple-filtered 911 experience. There is no slack and no impurities; the GT3 is a deeply satisfying and intoxicating driving experience. That's purely down to Porsche's desire to ensure that its racing cousin continues to collect shiny trophies quicker than a hyperactive magpie. Being only 100kg heavier than its racing relative it's not unreasonable to think that the GT3 would be a very unforgiving, compromised machine. That's not so, this latest GT3 the most civilised ever - indeed, there's less road noise from the GT3's tyres than from an ordinary 911 Carrera's.

The steering is pin-sharp in its accuracy, the feel and feedback through the Alcantara-rimmed steering wheel being sensational. The naturally aspirated flat-six engine has been enlarged to 3.8-litres, its roots still traceable back to Porsche's 911 GT1 Le Mans winner. The power goes up from 409bhp to 429bhp with the boost in capacity increasing torque too. The result is a slightly quicker 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds, which if anything feels conservative. What's really noticeable is the stronger mid-range urgency on offer, that slight increase in torque manifesting itself with greater flexibility. It's no longer as necessary to wring out the engine to its 8,500rpm red-line to get the best performance, but not to do so would be to deny yourself one of the finest sounds in the automotive world.

Porsche's engineers say that the Sport button is more than merely a 'noise' button, instead insisting that the opening exhaust flaps allow the 3.8-litre engine to breathe easier and increases low-rev torque. That may be true, but it also allows you to hear the wonderful flat-six beat in full effect, the deep purposeful resonance underpinned by an exotic metallic accompaniment to tease the ears of everyone within a few miles of a hard-driven GT3. Thankfully Porsche leaves it to you to orchestrate the GT3's flat-six soundtrack, as it is only offered with a manual transmission, the mechanical feeling six-speeder shifting with speed and precision - those two words pretty much summing up the GT3 experience.

The brakes as ever are fade-free, whether you've opted for the Porsche's ceramic stoppers or stuck with the standard steel discs. Those discs are easily visible thanks to the new single-nut wheels, the trick new alloys lighter than ever to the benefit of ride comfort and control. What's especially impressive is just how useable the GT3 is, the fear of removing the front splitter on speed bumps no longer a worry thanks to the option of a front lifting kit - which, although costing £1,939, will save you in replacement spoilers in the long run and allow you less teeth grating when you're approaching sleeping policemen.

Grip and stability is phenomenal, though the virtual cut-slick tyres it rides on might not be the best in the wet. Electronic stability and traction systems are part of the package but their limits are high enough to allow you to enjoy the GT3's performance without their intervention on the road unless you're really silly. You can switch them off, though that's probably best left for the track.

Take it to the track and you'd be right at the top of the timing sheets, the GT3 a bona-fide racer. That Porsche manages this but can still allow it to work so effectively as a road car is nothing short of miraculous.

Should I call the bank manager?

If you want a performance bargain then look no further than the GT3. Sure, £81,914 is well out of the reach of the majority of us, but to buy the equivalent stripped, sharpened model from the likes of Lamborghini or Ferrari would cost you at least double that. The GT3 retains all the 911's best facets of usability, but builds on the intensity of the driving experience. We'd have to have that £1,939 front axle lifting kit though, and while dipping into the options we'd want the integrated satnav for £1,905 and iPod connection for £73.

Active engine mounts at £776 help stability on track and with isolating noise and vibration on the road so we would have them too. Whether we'd bother with the no-cost option Clubsport pack - which adds a half roll cage and is delivered with a six-point harness, fire extinguisher and battery isolator in a box for dealer fitment - depends on whether we were intending on using it everyday or for just the odd trackday.

Summary

Porsche rightfully considers the lighter, more focused sports car genre its own, the German firm flattered that both Lamborghini and Ferrari offer similar models in their ranges - albeit at considerably greater cost. The new GT3 offers an incremental step over its predecessor, fine-tuning it to even greater levels. As driving cars go there are few to compete with the 911 GT3, Porsche's road racer about the most fun you can have behind the wheel of any car.

Kyle Fortune