2018 Porsche 911 GT3 PDK

The Porsche 911 GT3.  It’s the car that took us from point-a all the way to point-z, during a recent once in a lifetime track and street adventure in Spain. Could this car truly be that amazing, or was our judgement clouded by all of the Iberico ham and high octane coffee? Only one way to find out! 

So, here’s our plan to find out if the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 is truly that spectacular. Hammer it around Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. Simple as that.

We’ve already given you the details in our earlier test, so just a quick recap here. The GT3 is what Porsche’s Cup racing car is based on, with a naturally-aspirated 4.0–liter flat-6, rear axle steering, recalibrated suspension, and strategic weight reduction. All to provide the ultimate track experience for Porsche fans. 

Here at Roebling, it was so nailed down, so competent, and so confidence-inspiring. Yet none of that messed with the fun we had. Porsche Stability Management operates mainly in the background, and lets you experience plenty of track joy before intervening; and it can be totally switched off. 

Everything about the GT3 is just right; from the way the steering wheel fits your hands, to the way the car responds almost telepathically to your every input. It’s so well-balanced, so well set up, even the tires showed virtually no signs of wear after three days of hot laps. 

Stability is first rate, it’s only in times of very hard braking into corners, that you remember the engine is behind you; and unlike 911’s of old, it’s more than happy to stay back there.

A 7-speed PDK is standard, with a 6-speed manual a no cost option. We love the idea of a manual. But, this PDK simply cannot be beat when it comes to a road course workout.

The engine is the heart and soul of any car. Here, Porsche’s flat-6 beats at a max rate of 9,000 RPM, to the tune of 500-horsepower and 339 lb-ft. of torque. 

Our PDK tester shot to 60 in 3.5-seconds. The factory says 3.2 under ideal conditions, which our Roebling weather was not. Both times still faster than with the manual option.

The ¼-mile happened in 11.4-seconds at 124 miles-per-hour; Porsche’s launch control worked flawlessly as always, provided tires are up to operating temperature. 

While perfection is attainable, it’s not cheap. GT3 pricing starts at $144,650; and of course reading the list of options would take longer than it does to make a lap around this track. 

The 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 is another fantastic Porsche in a very long line of incredibly great Porsches. So, you could say it’s just more of the same. But, it’s a familiar refrain that never grows old!