The era of Porsche’s naturally-aspirated GT-branded
models is almost over, as reports state the next-gen 911 GT3 will be
turbocharged. Australian publication Motor states that the 992-generation GT3
will be powered by a turbocharged flat-six delivering roughly 550 hp, some 50 hp more than the current GT3.
The next GT3 will only be sold with an
eight-speed PDK transmission. This is despite the fact that Porsche revived the
manual GT3 for the 991.2 GT3 after previously killing it off. Unless Weissach
has a change of heart, the existing GT3 could very well be the last one offered
with a stick-shift.
Due to the addition of a turbo engine and a PDK
transmission, the GT3 will be faster than ever before. In fact, the 0-100 km/h sprint is estimated to take roughly 3 seconds, the 0-200 km/h 9 seconds and top speed is expected to exceed 330 km/h.
Further differentiating the 992-gen GT3 from the
current model will be the increased use of lightweight materials aimed at
offsetting the additional weight of the powertrain. Current info suggests that
the new GT3 will premiere towards the end of the year, with sales and
deliveries commencing in early 2019. In the meantime, a 991.2-generation GT3 RS
will be released as a swansong to the current range.
