Currently reading: 911 GT3 on track

Porsche will continue the GT3 dynasty with a version of the new 911, as these exclusive scoop photographs taken at the Nürburgring track reveal. Tipped to cost around £80,000 when UK sales start early next year, the new hard-core 911 once again acts as a homologation special for Porsche’s race-track activities.

Close inspection of the prototype above shows the subtle changes that mark it out as the new GT3. They include an additional cooling duct just ahead of the leading edge of the bonnet and a subtle splitter lip on the front bumper.At the rear there’s a towering wing with integrated ducting for the rear-mounted engine and twinned central exhaust pipes. The whole car has also been lowered and sports high-performance tyres.

Porsche is tight-lipped on the power source of the latest GT3, but indications are it will pack a new 3.8-litre engine based on that used in the 911 Carrera S. With lightweight internals and unique engine mapping, it is designed to rev to over 8000rpm and punch out around 400bhp in production trim, topping the old GT3’s 3.6-litre powerplant by 25bhp and the newly introduced Carrera S by 50bhp.

As before, drive is through a updated six-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels. Expect it to better the current GT3’s performance of 0-62mph in 4.5sec, 0-100mph in 9.4sec and 191mph.

Meanwhile, the success of the 911 Turbo Cabriolet, re-introduced late last year after a long hiatus, appears to have cemented its place in the Porsche line-up. The new model, revealed (right) with a hard-top in place, is rumoured to run a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre flat-six engine with 480bhp – up 60bhp on today’s model. However, Porsche is also working on an S version with a 525bhp version of the same engine.

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