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Nurburgring – New Porsche 911 GT3 Clocks 7m 40secs

Posted on 26. Apr, 2009 by PB in 911

Rumours are flying round car fan circles that the new Porsche 911 GT3 has achieved a more than ‫impressive 7 minutes 40 seconds around the Nordschleife

Nordschleife Nurburgring

Walter Rohrl, who test drives for Porsche, was apparently 'slowed down' by the other vehicles on the track. How much would you love to be flat out round the ring in your pride and joy, getting smoked by a new GT3 with a Porsche test pilot at the wheel.

Apparently this time would have come down by as much as two seconds with a clear track! We all knew that his new version of the 911 GT3 was going to go like stink, but it's good knowing that this car will be fast on real road conditions as well. As you know there are some cars that clock great times round the ring, and are rubbish on the road, but Porsche being Porsche, I think we can presume the GT3 will be just as at home flying down a quiet country road is it clearly is round the Nordschleife.

Walter Rohrl also did a 7 minute 45 seconds in a borrowed Ferrari F430 Scuderia in the same conditions! I know which I would rather be in.

The new updated GT3 was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Its normally aspirated 3.8-litre boxer engine produces 435hp (320kW) and peak torque of 317 ft-lbs (430Nm). The bigger flat-six spits out more power, and a host of electronic chassis aids help the driver play hero in this tail-heavy GT.

Porsche 911 GT3

The 3.8-liter flat (horizontally-opposed) six, up from 3.6 liters, now produces a rather nice 435 hp. That gives it a heady 114 hp /litre, which for a naturally aspirated engine is right up there with the best. Porsche says that its VarioCam variable valve timing now on both intake and exhaust camshafts is partially responsible for the extra power, and they mention the added thrust is especially noticeable in the engine's accessible midrange. Claimed acceleration time is just 4.0 seconds to 60 mph.

Excellent - I've managed to coin a whole post mentioning ring times without bringing up that annoyingly fast, cheeky upstart the Nissan GTR - Oh...s*@"...wait a minute...

Tags: 911 Turbo, GT3, GT3 Gallery, GT3 RS, Nurburgring, porsche