Press Release
Related content:"GT3" GCF Search - 6 Results The most powerful non-turbocharged production car ever offered in North America The car acclaimed as the Porsche for purists is coming to North America for the first time with the launch of the 2004 Porsche 911 GT3. "Drawing on Porsche's long history in motorsports, the new Porsche 911 GT3 is a sports car that allows you to achieve lap times on the racetrack that no one would expect from a street-legal and non-turbocharged road car," says Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and chief executive officer of Porsche Cars North America. "This is the fastest normally aspirated Porsche road car," Schwarzenbauer adds. "This is the sports car for the purist, through and through." However, the GT3 is no mere homologation special. Although it does not carry what weekend racers might consider to be unnecessary ballast - things such as a back seat - it remains a car that can be driven on a daily basis. Power to go, to flow, and to stop The 911 GT3 coming to North America is the second generation of this vehicle and thus benefits from the latest in Porsche development and technology, including: A reduction of the moving masses within the engine allows Porsche's 3.6-liter, six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine to spin more freely, producing more horsepower and torque, while allowing the GT3 to maintain the same fuel consumption ratings as other 911 models. 380-horsepower without turbo charging The 2004 911 GT3 is rated at 380 (SAE) horsepower (at 7,400 rpm) and at 284 pound-feet of torque (at 5,000 rpm), and in first, second, third and fourth gears, the engine revs to 8,200 rpm before its computerized rev limiter is activated. Fully 80 percent of the engines maximum power is available at as few as 2,000 rpm. For purposes of comparison, the 2003 Porsche 911 is rated at 315 horsepower while the 2003 Porsche 911 Turbo provides 415 horsepower. In track testing, the 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 accelerates from a standing start to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds and achieves 100 miles per hour in only 9.4 seconds. Brakes are bigger than the 911 Turbo's To balance this power, the GT3 is equipped with 13.78-inch front brake discs and six-piston fixed calipers that increase the contact area between the pads and the discs. The six-piston brake calipers are painted red in a carry-over of a Porsche tradition. These calipers enlarge the contact area between the brake lining and the brake discs by 40 percent compared to the first-generation GT3. The GT3's front discs are almost an inch larger than those on the 2003 911 Turbo. The rear discs are 13.00 inches, just like the Turbo's. Front discs are 1.34 inches thick, cross-drilled, inner-vented with cooling ducts patented by Porsche. The sickle-shaped ducts inside the discs act like a turbine, making a significant contribution to cooling behavior. The rear rotors are 1.10 inches thick, cross-drilled and inner-vented and feature four-piston calipers. To reduce the transmission of temperatures from the brakes to the hydraulic fluid, brake caliper pistons are separated by heat-insulating circonium ceramic inserts. Enhanced aerodynamics provide several benefits Precise streamlining of the car's body includes a swept-back nose, sculpted side sills and a large rear spoiler. These components reduce lift forces on both front and rear axles. Such improved aerodynamics and the more powerful engine result in a top track speed of 190 miles per hour. The aerodynamic package also provides more flow to cool the GT3's braking system. Spoilers are integrated into the vehicle's wheel wells to direct air to the brake discs and calipers. The car's wheels also enhance brake cooling and in conjunction with the brake spoilers reduce temperature loads by 20 percent under racetrack conditions. Weighty matters The 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 weighs in at a mere 3043 pounds, so each of its 380 horsepower has less than eight pounds to propel. That is a better power-to-weight ratio than the 911 Carrera or even the 911 Turbo. In addition to lighter engine components including pistons, connecting rods and valvetrain, the GT3 has lightweight wheels and, of course, only two leather-covered seats.
