Porsche 911 GT3 (991.1)<\/strong>\u2014and came away absolutely thrilled.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8552-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A little later, once the excitement had settled, I asked him what he thought of the GT3. Here\u2019s how he described the experience.<\/p>\n
Porsche GT3 Test Drive Review<\/h3>\n\u2460 Pulling Away<\/h4>\n
Before riding in the GT3, I\u2019d assumed that a car designed for the track would have a heavy accelerator and be difficult to drive. But my husband had a different take:<\/p>\n
The GT3 I drove had a PDK transmission with no creep, but with just a light touch of the throttle, it pulled away much more smoothly than I expected. It felt a lot like bringing a manual car to life with a little blip of the accelerator. Since I usually drive a manual, it felt completely natural to me.<\/p>\n
We only had a short test drive on Royu, so we couldn\u2019t judge how it would be around town or on longer trips. Still, he said \u201cat least when setting off, it didn\u2019t feel uncomfortable or harsh.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8428-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u2461 Handling<\/h4>\n
As he drove, my husband kept exclaiming, \u201cWhat is this thing? It\u2019s completely different from anything I\u2019ve driven before!\u201d<\/strong> Later, I asked him, \u201cWhat made it feel so different?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nThe handling was absolutely precise, and the car felt incredibly stable. I could tell right away after accelerating and taking just one or two corners in Normal mode. The McLaren 650S I used to own also had sharp, incredibly precise handling, but this was different.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8422-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\u201cInteresting. You say it\u2019s precise, but different from the McLaren. What do you mean?\u201d I pressed him. \u201cThe McLaren felt like running on asphalt almost barefoot, while the GT3 felt like running in an ultra-light, high-performance sneaker.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nSo, was it like wearing the running shoes made by the traditional Japanese tabi sock maker featured in the hit TV drama *Riku\u014d* last year? (If anything, that probably makes it harder to picture.)<\/span> He went on:<\/p>\nWhen I say the McLaren felt almost barefoot, I mean it felt like there was nothing between the tires and the driver\u2014you were directly connected to the road. There was very little body roll, so you could easily feel what the road was doing. It was easy to control, but that directness could be tiring, and even though it cornered beautifully, I\u2019d sometimes find myself worrying that it might suddenly break traction. Maybe the easiest comparison is a go-kart.
\nOn the other hand, the GT3 felt like wearing a high-performance sneaker that fits your foot perfectly<\/strong>. It\u2019s easy to drive and comfortable, yet through the shoe\u2019s advanced sole, you can clearly sense the road, how the load is shifting, and just how much grip you have in reserve.<\/p>\n\u201cThat must be a testament to Porsche\u2019s engineering. When you\u2019re driving, it feels as if the car is saying, \u2018You\u2019re not even close to the limit. Keep going!\u2019 I can\u2019t think of many cars that let you corner with this much stability and confidence.<\/strong>\u201d For comparison, he said the Boxster felt like wearing a sneaker with a slightly thicker sole. (Laughs.)<\/p>\n\u2462 The PDK SPORT Button<\/h4>\n
Pressing the \u201cPDK SPORT\u201d button at your fingertips makes the transmission downshift at just the right moment when you brake before a corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was incredibly smart. The downshifts came at such perfect moments, I almost wondered if the car had a camera that could see the corners coming.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8434-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
He found it so clever that he said he could almost do without the paddle shifters. He did use the paddles to shift manually during the test drive, but found the PDK SPORT automatic mode more fun, so he spent most of the drive in that setting.<\/p>\n
\u2463 Engine<\/h4>\n
The engine was, of course, sharp and powerful. \u201cIt\u2019s not really a fair comparison with the 3.4-liter engine in the 981 Boxster GTS, but the GT3 had noticeably more torque and power,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\nThe tachometer needle climbed at a completely different rate when accelerating out of a corner in second gear. In situations where the Boxster can feel a little sluggish, the GT3\u2019s needle just kept rising without hesitation.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the GT3 for you.<\/p>\n
\u2464 Engine Sound<\/h4>\n
Even from the passenger seat, I kept thinking, \u201cThat sounds good.\u201d My husband put it this way:<\/p>\n
I\u2019d describe the engine note as hard-edged. I\u2019m not sure how to explain it, but it sounded distinctly sharper than the Boxster<\/strong>. The 981 Boxster GTS has a more flowing, melodic sound, while the GT3 goes \u201cKaaang!\u201d It reminded me of a wind instrument with a shorter tube. (Though my husband knows absolutely nothing about orchestras or musical instruments, lol.)<\/span><\/p>\nHe added, \u201cThe sound when shifting up and down was unbelievably satisfying. I could have recorded the blip when the PDK engaged with a solid thump and listened to it over and over!\u201d Go right ahead. (Laughs.)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8435-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Reviews and test drives often mention that the GT3 lets engine noise and other sounds come straight into the cabin<\/strong>. I asked him what he thought:<\/p>\nIt was definitely noisier than a standard 911, but I\u2019m used to driving the Boxster with the roof down, so the engine and road noise come through even more directly. The GT3 didn\u2019t feel uncomfortable at all\u2014in fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable a closed body could be.<\/strong><\/p>\nFrom the driver\u2019s seat, he thought the Boxster actually sounded louder. There\u2019s an obvious difference between an open and a closed body, but the 981 Boxster GTS has one of the loudest engine notes in the Porsche lineup<\/strong>. He felt its crackling afterfire on a lift-off was particularly louder and more pronounced than the GT3\u2019s.<\/p>\nThat makes sense. Lately, I\u2019ve felt that the Boxster\u2019s engine has become louder than ever. Maybe the exhaust is nicely broken in now.<\/p>\n
\u2465 Ride Comfort<\/h4>\n
Neither my husband nor I found the ride uncomfortable from the passenger seat. On the winding roads, the bumps and jolts never bothered us. (We can\u2019t say how it rides around town, though.)<\/span><\/p>\nI\u2019ve always loved taking long road trips around Japan, so concerns about ride comfort and refinement had ruled the GT3 out when I was considering what to buy. But after driving it, I think I could absolutely live with it.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8419-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
That was my husband\u2019s verdict.<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cThe GT3 might hit harder when you go over a big bump, but over smaller imperfections in the road, I actually think the Boxster may transmit more of those little, repetitive vibrations.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Porsche GT3: Final Verdict<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8511-800x600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
We only tested the GT3 on winding roads, so I can\u2019t give a particularly comprehensive review. But my honest reaction was, \u201cI had no idea a car this much fun still existed!\u201d It felt focused and solid in every way, yet it was stable and reassuring to drive.
\nThere are cars with more brutal power than the GT3, and others with even sharper, scalpel-like handling. But there aren\u2019t many that also deliver the kind of confidence you can feel with all your senses. I think that\u2019s why the GT3 is able to give the driver so much enjoyment without taking away from the experience.
\nI hear the 991.2 GT3 is even better, so I\u2019d love to try one someday.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s our test drive review of the 911 GT3 (991.1).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At Last, a Chance to Drive the GT3 At the recent \u201cSunday Morning Gathering at Royu,\u201d my husband got the chance to drive a Porsche 911 GT3 (991.1)\u2014and came away absolutely thrilled. A little later, once the excitement had settled, I asked him what he thought of the GT3. Here\u2019s how he described the experience. Porsche GT3 Test Drive Review \u2460 Pulling Away Before riding in the GT3, I\u2019d assumed that a car designed for...","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=5905","footnotes":""},"categories":[72,30],"tags":[183,195,201,232],"class_list":["post-37084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-testdrive","category-30","tag-porsche-911","tag-porsche-report","tag-porsche-gt3","tag-232","en-US"],"yoast_head":"
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