Finally, I got to drive the GT3

At the recent “Sunday Morning Gathering at Royu“, my husband was ecstatic after test driving the Porsche 911 GT3 (991.1).

A few days later, I asked my husband for his impressions of the GT3 once he had calmed down, so today I’d like to share his thoughts.

GT3 Test Drive Review

① Getting Started

Before driving it, I had the image that cars made for the track tend to have heavy accelerator pedals and are hard to drive, but according to my husband,

The GT3 I drove this time has a PDK without creep, but when you lightly rev the accelerator, it starts moving more smoothly than I expected. It’s very similar to the feeling of revving the accelerator and setting off in a manual transmission car. Since I usually drive manuals, I didn’t feel any discomfort at all.

He said. Since this was just a short test drive on Royu, he couldn’t comment on its usability or comfort in city driving, but “at least, I didn’t feel uncomfortable once it started moving.”

② Handling

While driving the GT3, my husband kept saying “What is this?! It’s completely different from any car I’ve driven before!” When I later asked “What exactly was so different?”, he said,

The handling is incredibly precise. Plus, it was astonishingly stable. Just by accelerating and taking one or two corners in Normal mode, I immediately noticed it. The McLaren 650S I used to drive also had precise and sharp handling, but this is different.

Hmm. When I pressed him on what he meant by “precise but different from the McLaren,” he explained “The McLaren felt like running barefoot on asphalt, while the GT3 felt like wearing ultra-light, high-performance sneakers.”

…So maybe it’s like the running shoes from the long-established tabi (traditional Japanese socks) maker featured in last year’s popular TBS drama “Rikuo” (which probably makes it even more confusing). He continued,

I compared the McLaren to being barefoot because there’s nothing between the tires and the driver—it feels like you’re running directly on the road. The roll is minimal, and you can easily sense the road conditions. It’s easy to control, but the ride can be tiring, and while it turns sharply, you sometimes worry it might suddenly slide. It’s probably easier to understand if I say it’s more like a go-kart.
On the other hand, the GT3 is like wearing the latest sneakers that fit your feet perfectly. It’s easy to drive and comfortable, and through the high-performance soles of the shoes, you can clearly feel the road surface, the load, whether there’s margin or not—those kinds of sensations.

He added, “This must be the result of Porsche’s engineering. While driving, I felt like the car was saying, ‘Not yet. I can go faster!’ There aren’t many cars that let you corner so stably and confidently.” By the way, he said the Boxster feels like wearing sneakers with slightly thicker soles (laughs).

③ PDK SPORT Button

When pressing the “PDK SPORT” button at hand, the car downshifts at just the right moment when braking before a corner.
“This was incredibly clever. It felt like the car recognized the corner with a camera or something, downshifting at the perfect timing,” he said.

He said it was so smart that he felt paddle shifters might not even be necessary. In fact, although he used manual paddle shifting at times during the test drive, he mostly drove in the “PDK SPORT” automatic mode because it was more fun.

④ Engine

The engine, needless to say, was sharp and powerful. He said, “It’s strange to compare it to the 3.4L 981 Boxster GTS, but the torque and power were obviously several levels above.”

The tachometer needle rose much faster when exiting corners in second gear. Even in situations where the Boxster felt a bit sluggish to accelerate, the tachometer needle climbed smoothly without hesitation.

That’s the GT3 for you.

⑤ Engine Sound

As the passenger, I also felt throughout that “this sounds great.” My husband said,

The engine sound is hard and sharp, I guess. It’s hard to describe, but it was definitely a clearer, harder sound than the Boxster’s. The 981 Boxster GTS sounds more flowing and melodic, but the GT3 sounds like a sharp “Kaan!” shout. It’s like a shorter wind instrument playing a note. (Though my husband knows nothing about orchestras or instruments, haha.)

He added, “The sound when shifting up or down was indescribably satisfying. The blip sound when the PDK snaps into gear was so good I wanted to record it and listen to it over and over!” Feel free to do so (laughs).

Regarding the often-mentioned “GT3 lets engine sounds and various noises come directly into the cabin,” he said,

It’s definitely noisier than a normal 911, but since I usually drive the Boxster with the roof down, I’m used to engine sounds and noise coming directly into my ears. So I didn’t find the GT3 uncomfortable at all; in fact, I found the comfort of the closed body refreshing.

He also felt that the Boxster’s engine sounds louder inside the cabin. Despite the difference between an open and closed body, the 981 Boxster GTS’s engine noise is among the loudest in Porsche’s lineup, and he thinks “especially the crackling backfire sound when easing off the accelerator is clearly louder than the GT3’s.”
Indeed… lately, the Boxster’s engine sound seems even louder than before. Maybe the exhaust is aging nicely.

⑥ Ride Comfort

Regarding ride comfort, neither my husband nor I, as the passenger, felt any discomfort. We didn’t find the body roll or jolts unpleasant while driving winding roads. (Though I can’t comment on city driving.)

I’ve always loved long touring across Japan, so I had excluded the GT3 from consideration due to concerns about comfort and ride quality, but I think this is totally acceptable.

That’s what he said.

He also noted, “When hitting big bumps, the GT3 might hit you harder, but for smaller bumps and light inputs, the Boxster might actually pick up more of those little vibrations.”

Overall Impression of the GT3

Since the test drive was only on winding roads, this review isn’t very detailed, but honestly, I was amazed to find such a fun car still exists. It’s solid in every aspect yet stable and reassuring to drive.
There are cars with even more violent power and razor-sharp handling than the GT3, but few provide the sense of security that the human senses perceive. That’s why the GT3 can deliver its fun without spoiling it for the driver.
I’ve heard the 991.2 GT3 is even better, so I’d love to drive that one someday too.

That’s the end of the GT3 (991.1) test drive review.