Porsche rounded out the 911 family on Tuesday at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show with the introduction of its latest track-bred GT3 variant. At the heart of the new Porsche 911 GT3 is a 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated flat-six-cylinder engine, which produces 500 horsepower and 339 lb.-ft. of torque. The GT3 becomes the first of the 991.2 generation 911s to eschew turbocharging.
Customers can option the GT3 with either a traditional six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed twin-clutch PDK unit. The 2018 Porsche 911 GT3, expected to reach US showrooms this fall with a starting price of $143,600, is available with active rear-wheel steering and carbon-fiber aerodynamic elements.
According to Porsche, the PDK-equipped GT3 can sprint to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 197 mph. In six-speed guise, the Porsche requires 3.8 seconds to reach 60mph before hitting 198 mph. Even though, the six speed is slower off the line, the holy combination of a clutch pedal with a naturally aspirated powerplant will be too much of a draw for Porsche purists to ignore.
There are few cars in the world more iconic than the Porsche 911. Over the years, the rear-engine sports car has gotten bigger, faster, and more technologically advanced. But its spirited driving dynamics and on-track capabilities have continued to make it a favorite among enthusiasts worldwide.
But you often hear the complaint that all current 911s look pretty much the same. And if you ask critics such as Jeremy Clarkson, host of Amazon’s „Grand Tour“ show, he’ll tell you that all Porsche 911s since the model’s debut in 1963 look identical. The truth is, most of the various versions of the current generation of 911s do look similar, yet they can all be identified by numerous subtle but important differences.
Like Taco Bell in the fast-food industry, what Porsche has managed to do so successfully is create multiple iterations of the 911 by mixing and matching the same ingredients, and packaging them in a lot of different ways. And if you’ve ever driven a 911, you’ll probably agree with me in saying there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
So here it is, the most current lineup of Porsche’s 911 Taco Bell menu.
Carrera: The Carrera is the „base“ 911, if there is such as thing. The 991.2 Carrera powered by a 3.0-liter, 370-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, flat six …
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… and the Cabriolet is the convertible version of the Carrera.
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The Carrera 4 Coupe is a Carrera Coupe with all-wheel drive …
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… and the Carrera 4 Cabriolet is the convertible variant.
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The Carrera S gets a 50 hp boost from the base Carrera, thanks to larger turbochargers and an upgraded exhaust system on the 3.0-liter 420 hp flat-six engine …
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… and here’s the convertible Cabriolet Carrera S.
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The Carrera 4S is the Carrera S with all-wheel drive …
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… and the Carrera 4S Cabriolet is the convertible edition.
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The Carrera GTS is a step up from the Carrera S. With turbochargers even larger than those found on the S, the GTS packs a stout 450 horsepower.
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… and the Carrera GTS Cabriolet is yet another convertible version!
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The Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS is the GTS with all-wheel drive …
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… and Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet is, naturally, the accompanying convertible.
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The Targa 4 is a Carrera 4 with an awesome electric lift-away roof!
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While the Targa 4S is a Carrera 4S with the special „Targa“ roof.
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The Targa 4 GTS is a Carrera 4 GTS with the Targa roof.
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The latest generation of the legendary Turbo gets a 3.8-liter, 540 horsepower version of the twin-turbocharged flat-six found in other 911 models. Thanks to a pair of monster turbochargers, the Turbo has become a benchmark vehicle for aspiring supercars everywhere.
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There’s a Turbo Cabriolet, as well.
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The Turbo S is a Turbo with a 580 hp engine.
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And of course … a Turbo S Cabriolet is available, too!
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The GT3 is the hard-core, track-oriented member of the 911 family. In the spirit of purity, its 500 horsepower, 4.0-liter engine is naturally aspirated — making it the only 991.2 to refrain from turbocharging.
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Finally, there’s the 911R. It’s an ultra-lightweight special edition, with only 991 expected to be built worldwide. The 911R is powered by a 500-horsepower, naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter unit that’s shared with the GT3 RS. It is also the only 911 that’s available exclusively with a manual transmission. The 911R is out of production — which means there will be no 2017 models made. However, they may be a few new cars floating around out there, but they will likely come with an extreme markup over the $185,000 MSRP. The 911R is a 991.1 spec model.
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