My husband recently took a drive to Wakayama in the GT3, and he wrote an article about the trip. Please have a look if you’re interested.

Heading to Wakayama in the 911 GT3

Lately, we haven’t been able to go on any long tours, so we decided to take a short day trip for now.

This time, my companion was the 911 GT3 Touring Package.

It’s already passed 5,500 km, and recently the engine and transmission have become incredibly smooth, making the car feel even lighter on the road.

For this trip, we decided to head toward Wakayama. Personally, I really dislike the one-lane highways in Wakayama, so I’m not keen on going too far south. Instead, we aimed for the Koya Ryujin Skyline.

Usually, from the Osaka side, people approach from Hashimoto City using Route 480 and others, but those roads are crowded, narrow, and not fun at all. So, we chose a route approaching from the south, via Arida City. It’s a much longer detour, but for true driving enthusiasts, the longer the better.

Avoiding boring roads is a must.

We left home at 8:00 AM, taking the Hanshin Expressway Wangan Line and then the Hanwa Expressway. From around the Hannan IC on the Hanwa Expressway, the GT3 felt like a fish in water. It effortlessly climbed the gentle uphill high-speed corners.

What’s more, it handled with incredible stability, sticking to the road like glue. This is exactly where the GT3 shines.

We exited at Arida IC and headed toward Koyasan on Route 424. We took a break at the Shirama no Sato roadside station, waited for a break in traffic, and then set off again. The roads here are wonderfully smooth and enjoyable.

Shifting the GT3 into 2nd and 3rd gears, we cruised along the country roads, letting the exquisite exhaust note echo through the mountains.

Below 4000 rpm, the GT3’s exhaust and engine sound honestly aren’t that great. At low speeds, the 981 Boxster GTS has a far nicer tone. However, when the sports exhaust is ON and you approach around 4000 rpm, the valves open and the sound changes dramatically. Then, an incredible roar fills the air.

The volume and pressure are completely different from the Boxster. The raw exhaust note, without any embellishment or effects, is exactly like a racing engine.

Creeping Along in the GT3

We planned to stop at the Ryujin roadside station, but it was unbelievably crowded, so we skipped it and continued onto the Koya Ryujin Skyline. And this is where the hellish creeping traffic began.

We underestimated the weekend traffic during the approaching autumn foliage season on the Koya Ryujin Skyline.

A huge line of family cars and minivans was heading up the mountain. Caught in the middle, the GT3 was forced to climb at pit-speed or slower, around 30–35 km/h. It was like being stuck in a slow-moving train.

On steep sections, it slowed even more, to the point where you wondered if the car ahead was about to stop.

There’s no need to speed, but I wish drivers would at least vary their throttle input according to the gradient. It’s actually more dangerous not to.

This is a big difference from European drivers. Even in family cars or minivans, they press the accelerator and brake properly. I suspect this is a downside of Japanese traffic education, which tends to emphasize never speeding under any circumstances.

For the GT3, this situation was more painful than expected. At a decent speed, the GT3 is very flat and has a strong road-hugging feel, making for a very comfortable ride. But at these low speeds on winding roads, the short-travel suspension lets the body rock significantly over bumps and ripples. It feels like the car is constantly swaying side to side.

However, despite the short travel, the suspension has very low friction and excellent vibration absorption, so the shaking doesn’t linger, which is a small relief. Still, in these conditions, the Boxster is far less stressful and more comfortable.

Encounters Through the GT3

When we reached Goma-yama Sky Tower, other cars funneled into the packed parking lot. Seizing the opportunity, the GT3 finally got a clear lap and returned to its usual pace. Shifting into 2nd gear, the engine took a deep breath, as if forcefully expelling built-up sludge at low revs.

Finally, we could enjoy the Koya Ryujin Skyline’s moderate ups and downs and medium-speed corners. If traffic is light, it’s by far one of the best roads in Kansai, where great driving roads are rare. It’s quite similar to the Ashinoko Skyline, and at over 40 km in length, it’s very enjoyable.

The GT3 still corners aggressively. Even I’m surprised by how beautifully it handles. Unlike the air-cooled 911, it doesn’t require much driving skill. Anyone can drive fast to some extent just by turning the wheel.

But it’s even more fun when you consciously manage throttle and weight transfer. The RR 911 really is something special.

We stopped for a break at the Hanazono Produce Market parking lot. When I parked a bit away from the main area, a large van pulled up right next to us. “Another parking lot tailgater…” I thought, but as soon as I got out, the van’s driver also got out and said,

“That’s a Crayon, right? And a 6-speed manual?”

Apparently, the GT3 is a dream car for him, and he loves the Crayon GT3. “I usually research online a lot, but this is my first time seeing one in person.” We quickly got into a lively Porsche chat about how to buy one, ordering a GT3, the engine and displacement, and the GT3’s feel before parting ways.

We decided not to go further along the Koya Ryujin Skyline and turned back here.

Next, we took Prefectural Route 26, aiming for Shirasaki Marine Park. This area suffered damage from last year’s typhoon and was temporarily closed, but some parts have now reopened. It’s a beautiful spot and perfect for car photography.

From the comfortable K26, we passed through Gobō City and headed toward the coast. The coastal scenery was nice, but the weather was unfortunately cloudy, and the sea looked leaden. However, in photos, the colors of the sea, sky, surrounding rocks, concrete, and the GT3’s Crayon paint all matched beautifully.

At Shirasaki Marine Park, although the restaurant and parking lot have reopened, some areas remain off-limits, so we couldn’t drive to the best photo spots. The Kii Channel’s sea was magnificent, and I’d love to come back on a sunny day.

On the way home, we got back on the highway and headed home. The GT3 is very comfortable on the highway. It feels smoother and less tiring than the Boxster, at least on highways. This is probably thanks to the more flexible seating position, incredibly flat ride, and outstanding high-speed stability. The faster you go, the more it sticks to the road.

Especially the front-end grip feels firmer than the Boxster, despite being RR. Since this is the Touring Package without a rear wing, the standard GT3 or GT3 RS with wings must have even more downforce and stability.

This short tour totaled:

Total driving time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Total distance: 458.7 km
Fuel consumption: 10.6 L/100 km (about 9.4 km/L)
Average speed: 57 km/h

I still want to drive more, so I’m planning a multi-night long tour soon.