Porsche 911 GT3 2018 Review

Like the R, GT3 RS, GT3 Touring Package and GT2 RS, it's developed by Porsche's motorsport department rather than the road-car division that looks after the Carrera, GTS, Turbo S and so on.

Notable changes for 991.2, as it is officially dubbed, include an upgrade for the rear-mounted boxer engine from 3.8 to a 4.0-litre unit developed from the Carrera Cup racer, which brings with it an increase in power from 350 to 368kW and torque from 440 to 460Nm. And hallelujah, not a turbo in sight.

Importantly, a six-speed manual gearbox has been restored to the line-up after being dropped when the 991 was launched. It's a no-cost option alongside the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.

The 4.0/PDK combo gets from 0-100km/h in 3.4sec (0.1sec faster), while the manual version trundles through in 3.9sec.

Other technical features of the GT3 include a mild suspension retune, some aero tweaks, dynamic engine mounts, a locking rear differential and rear-axle steering which, dependent on speed, turns the rear wheels the same or opposite direction to the fronts.

The GT3's intent is clear from the massive view-blocking carbon wing hanging over the wide-body rear-end, the 20-inch centre-lock wheels and low-profile tyres (try 305/30 rears!) and low-slung front spoiler that has a raising function so it doesn't drag over every pebble on the road.

Inside, the GT3 is just as purposeful. It's purely a two-seater and our car came with the no cost option Clubsport package that includes a half rollcage and driver's six-point harness.

How much will it cost?
The GT3 will set you back $326,800 (plus on-road costs), which is a $30,000 price rise over its predecessor.

But that's just the starting point, because as you probably know, expensive options are a Porsche specialty.

Our test car came with $8870 sports bucket seats - sensational but difficult to clamber in and out of; $7990 'special' paint - it was a beautiful baby blue; $6830 LED main headlights including dynamic lighting; $3390 BOSE sound system; $2040 Sport Chrono pack, and an $1150 six-point racing harness for the passenger seat.

Happily the three-point seatbelts stay in the car so you don't have to click-clack every time you want to travel.

Standard GT3 safety equipment also includes front, front-side and head airbags, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, tyre pressure monitoring with Track mode … and that's about it. No five-star rating for this sucker.

Standard comfort gear includes dual-zone climate control, cruise control, power windows, the traditional five-dial analogue instrument display, Alcantara and brushed aluminium trim, a steering wheel inspired by the 918 Spyder, sat-nav and even Apple CarPlay interface.

Why should/shouldn't I buy it?
There's plenty of reasons not to buy the GT3; it's incredibly expensive, it's horrid to drive on the street at low speeds, it's stupidly noisy at any speed, getting in and out of the thing is an inelegant chore, forget the raising function and the spoiler make a horrid scraping noise, and the thought of graunching the alloys is enough to make me want to vomit. God knows how I would have reacted if I had actually barked a rim.

There's only one reason to buy the GT3. Actually two, if you're a poser and like to show off.

Put wankerdom to one side and the reason why you should buy the GT3 is it is an incredible, amazing, fabulous, engrossing, intoxicating vehicle to drive at speed.

In fact, not even at speed. Fire it up and the boxer barks into life behind your head then settles into a slightly grumpy idle. Clunk into gear and motor up the street and it's easy to imagine you're driving a racing car to the grid; it whirs, grinds, growls, clanks (the harness on the rollcage), bangs (potholes) and noisily spatters its undersides in grit.

Now get going. If you're not that serious with the throttle the PDK slaps into the next gear at 5000rpm. Hit the loud pedal hard and the engine unhesitatingly screams to its 8250rpm power peak. Redline is 9000rpm! The sound purifies as the revs climbs. It's part choir and part heavy metal band. Glorious and fiercely violent all at once.

As stunning as the engine is, the rest of the package is so eagerly up to the challenge. The PDK ricochets through the gears. Sport mode is so pro-active you don't even have to bother with manual changes… unless you want to. You will.

Listening to the unfettered wa-chung, wa-chung, wa-chung downchanging for corners is mechanical porn.

The Electro-mechanical steering goes from doughy and unresponsive at trundling speed to sharp and unfettered when pressed. It goes where you send it. Instantly. The chassis is high-grip and high-communication. It does not roll in corners. Only opt for the firmer Sport chassis button if you're on a racetrack or like to get wheels off the ground on moderately bumpy roads.

The six-pot front brakes are simply awesome. Normal Porsche then.

When is it available in Australia?
The 911 GT3 is on-sale in Australia now.

Who will it appeal to?
Very rich people who love and appreciate fast and beautifully engineered cars… Or just like being seen in fast and beautifully engineered cars.

Where does it fit?
The GT3 takes on a pretty exclusive crew.

A base model Audi R8 V10 is in the same sort of price range and a nicer car to drive day-to-day. Maybe a BMW M4 GTS, which like the GT3 is a thinly disguised racing car.

Could a Jaguar F-Type SVR hang in there? The new Aston Martin Vantage? The McLaren 540C/S is a rival, so is the Mercedes-AMG GT R.

Dunno if any of them could top the GT3, but it would be fun to find out.

So, what do we think?
In the purists sense this is the best 911 of them all. But for me it's too much for the road. I'd take a GTS or maybe even a base Carrera with the seven-speed manual if I wanted to drive my Porsche every day.

This car does not have a discernible weakness when driven as it should be. And that's the problem. It's just too fast to tap into in a meaningful way on public roads. It's so capable you'll be going quicker than you ever have before on your favourite bit of bitumen, yet only scraping the surface of the car's potential.

This is a racing car … just as its makers intended. If you buy one please take it to track days, race it in tarmac rallies … don't just cruise around on the streets.

2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Limited Edition pricing and specifications:
Price: $326,800 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol
Output: 368kW/460Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 12.7L/100km (EU Combined)
CO2: 288g/km (EU Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A