Porsche’s race-bred 911 ‘an unforgettable thrill’

Porsche 911 GT3

The auto editors at Edmunds’ Inside Line, Edmunds.com’s online automotive magazine, had a tough job in 2007 as they tested and reviewed 268 new cars and trucks and were then asked to select only the best for their 2008 Editors’ Most Wanted Awards. In the end the Porsche 911 GT3 endured their expert scrutiny, scoring a victory and driving off with this very prestigious and important award.

This year Scott Oldham, Inside Line editor-in-chief, had only one rule: the editors must have tested the car or truck by Dec. 1, 2007. All vehicles were eligible for all six slots — speed, luxury, hauling, commuting, family and instant classic. With no price cap or restrictive ’new models only’ or similar requirements, the editors were allowed to simply pick their personal favorites.

“The GT3 provides world-class performance just a couple of short steps removed from that legendary racing iron, and it does so in a package accessible to mere mortals. This is the essence of the Porsche story, and it makes this car an unforgettable thrill," said Dan Edmunds, Edmunds’ Director of Vehicle Testing. Oldham added, “The Porsche 911 GT3 is our favorite Porsche. It’s as if everything that Porsche has ever known about fast cars has been stuffed into this 911."

The Porsche 911 GT3 is also the base model for the world’s most-produced race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Produced on the same assembly line as the street cars in Stuttgart, the Cup car is the racer of choice in the SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT, the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge, and the Rolex Grand-Am GT Sports Car championship, including this month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. The GT3 RS, the model with improved aerodynamics and a stiffer suspension, is the basis for the Porsche 911 GT3 R/RS/RSR, the most successful racer in the ten years of the American Le Mans Series.

At 415 horsepower, the 911 GT3 is Porsche’s most powerful non-turbocharged sports car and is based on the current 911 platform that debuted in 2005. With more than 40 years of road- and race-proven success, the 911 model line now features 15 variants to fulfill all sports car enthusiast whims, and as evidenced by a new 911 sales record in 2007, the iconic rear-engine sports car continues to thrill Porsche loyalists and dreamers. Porsche sold 12,493 911s in 2007, vs. 12,045 units sold in 2006.