GT3 Break-In Touring

Today’s article covers the second half of the recent 911 GT3 break-in touring. Since it was a 3-day, 2-night trip, my husband still feels like he hasn’t driven enough, but it seems the GT3 has really started to feel like his own. Let’s take a look.

GT3 from Kochi Back Home

Today, we have to head home early.
My driving addiction withdrawal symptoms are far from satisfied, but it can’t be helped.

First, we aim for the Ryugado Skyline. The first half has good pavement and is easy to drive, but as you approach the summit, the road narrows and is full of cat’s eyes. Plus, there are many small stones and twigs, making it tough to drive. Regretting that “this really wasn’t the road to take the GT3 on,” I focused on taking photos, pulled myself together, and headed toward my personal favorite, Route 194.

Route 194 is a great driving road connecting Kochi and Saijo City north to south. There are a fair number of local and tourist cars, but plenty of passing spots keep the pace from being too disrupted.

Once the odometer passed 800 km, the engine felt noticeably lighter. At low speeds, it had felt like a “stiff engine,” but the smoothness clearly improved. The suspension also became even smoother, probably from tackling narrow, rough roads and uneven terrain, making the ride more comfortable. The shift feel also improved, with gears engaging more effortlessly.

The GT3 heads for the mountain passes, climbing in 3rd and 4th gears. I decided it was time to rev the engine and downshifted to open the throttle wide for the first time. The acceleration was absolutely furious—the front slightly lifted, and the tachometer needle climbed at an incredible speed.

The engine feel above 4000-5000 rpm was a completely different beast. The pure mechanical noise and exhaust roar of a genuine racing engine—not a staged effect—resonated. Before I knew it, the tach was approaching the break-in limit of 7000 rpm, so I eased off the throttle.

What a remarkable car.

If pushed further, it would keep revving effortlessly toward 9000 rpm.
After that, I continued the break-in by occasionally revving the engine around 5000-6000 rpm. Even during break-in, I didn’t drive corners lazily; I applied moderate loads to the brakes and suspension to help settle the moving parts and bushings.

When I opened the throttle a bit more at corner exits, the GT3, which had been stable so far, briefly showed its fangs. It tried to swing the rear out. I’m not skilled enough to control it fully, but it felt like I could attempt the so-called “high-step Porsche dance with a big rear end swinging in corners.”

While some say modern Porsches lack the charm of the air-cooled era or are “too stable,” the GT3 still carries a strong legacy of driver-controllable fun that feels richer than most.

Before long, we entered Saijo City and got on the highway to head home. I debated whether to cross the Seto Ohashi Bridge and take the Sanyo Expressway or go via the Matsuyama Expressway and Awaji Island. I chose the latter, expecting lighter traffic and easier driving.

On the highway, the feel was a bit different from day one. The odometer passed 1000 km, and the car felt much more supple overall. Also, as a driver, I had gotten used to the car and could operate it more precisely.

Along the way, a BMW 523d I overtook didn’t tailgate aggressively but persistently followed me despite the empty road. When I accelerated, it matched my speed; when I eased off, it did the same.

I wasn’t sure if they were trying to check out the car or compare acceleration, but it was dangerous to have them so close, and it got annoying. So, partly for break-in purposes, I decided to show a glimpse of the 500 hp.

Downshifting, the GT3 blipped the throttle, roaring loudly, and accelerated explosively. In an instant, the car behind shrank in the rearview mirror. Naturally, they didn’t follow after that.

I continued to vary acceleration and deceleration moderately, faithfully following the McLaren-style break-in rule of avoiding long periods at constant speed or load.

By the time we could see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the fuel tank was below three-quarters, so I slowed the pace and cruised gently. After exiting the highway, we got caught in some weekend tourist traffic returning home, but the clutch was relatively light and the bite point easy to find, so it wasn’t a bother at all. In fact, stop-and-go at very low speeds might be easier than in the Boxster.

By the way, if the GT3 stalls, the engine won’t restart automatically even if you press the clutch. That’s because it doesn’t have an idle stop system, so there’s no such control.

Also, hill start assist works properly, but unlike the Boxster, there’s no “HOLD” indicator on the instrument panel, so it’s hard to tell if it’s active, which can be confusing on gentle slopes. It’s a minor detail, but the Boxster still wins in everyday convenience.

Touring Distance, Fuel Economy, and More

We arrived safely at the garage. The parking space is slightly sloped, but I was able to park without using the front lift.

I wiped the bug-covered front mask lightly with a damp cloth. Thanks to the protective film, it came off very easily. I should have put one on the Boxster too. For anyone buying a new car, I highly recommend protective film.

I shifted to neutral, applied the parking brake, let the engine idle a bit, then turned it off. Here are the trip stats from this break-in touring:

Total distance: 1,056 km
Total driving time: 19:36
Average fuel consumption: 12.3 L/100 km (about 8.1 km/L)
Average speed: 57 km/h

The manual says fuel consumption is higher during break-in, but the fuel economy was better than I expected. Now that the break-in is almost over, I think steady cruising could get close to 10 km/L.

The break-in will probably finish within this week.

Now, it’s finally time for 9000 rpm!