Motor Authority - blog Tag: GT3

It seems like every few weeks or so either Porsche or Nissan comes out with a new Nurburgring lap time for their respective 911 Turbo and GT-R models. The last we looked, Nissan was claiming a 7m 26.7s Nurburgring lap time for its 2010 ‘Series II’ GT-R, while General Motors was boasting an even better time of 7m 22.4 seconds for its Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 supercar.

Earlier this month we saw Porsche shave 10 seconds off its Nurburgring lap time for the 2010 911 Turbo, ending at 7m 39s, and today we have new times for the more extreme 2010 911 GT3 RS.

While manufacturer claims should be taken with a grain of salt--there are just...

It seems like every few weeks or so either Porsche or Nissan comes out with a new Nurburgring lap time for their respective 911 Turbo and GT-R models. The last we looked, Nissan was claiming a 7m 26.7s Nurburgring lap time for its 2010 ‘Series II’ GT-R, while General Motors was boasting an even better time of 7m 22.4 seconds for its Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 supercar. Earlier this month we saw Porsche shave 10 seconds off its Nurburgring lap time for the 2010 911 Turbo, ending at 7m 39s, and today we have new times for the more extreme 2010 911 GT3 RS. While manufacturer claims should be taken with a grain of salt--there are just too many variables that can affect the lap times--the numbers always raise a multitude of questions, especially when a company like Porsche makes an announcement. According to the automaker’s official claims, the 2010 911 GT3 RS laps the 13-mile Nordschliefe circuit in just 7m 33s--a full 7 seconds faster than the regular GT3. Described as the “the most sporting 911 yet”, the new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS features the same 3.8-liter naturally aspirated flat six as the regular GT3 but with a healthier 444 horsepower--35 horsepower up on the outgoing model, and 15 horsepower more than the new GT3. More power, less weight and shorter transmission ratios also ensures the new RS is decidedly more aggressive on-track--and it shows. [EVO] Read More

Raw. Brutal. Punishingly quick. The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is no toy - it's a tool, used to cut precisely through traffic and corners, whether the destination is a personal best or a team victory. In the right hands, it turns unfiltered ability into a beautiful thing, as the video below demonstrates.

Captivating in its simplicity, and yet at the same time incredibly nuanced in its capability, the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is Porsche's truest driver's car. Most everyone that has turned a wheel in anger has lusted to climb into the cockpit of one, and those lucky enough to have done so remember the experience.

Though it's not the same thing as...

Raw. Brutal. Punishingly quick. The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is no toy - it's a tool, used to cut precisely through traffic and corners, whether the destination is a personal best or a team victory. In the right hands, it turns unfiltered ability into a beautiful thing, as the video below demonstrates. Captivating in its simplicity, and yet at the same time incredibly nuanced in its capability, the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is Porsche's truest driver's car. Most everyone that has turned a wheel in anger has lusted to climb into the cockpit of one, and those lucky enough to have done so remember the experience. Though it's not the same thing as being there, smelling the asphalt and rubber, feeling the wheel twitch and jerk in your hands, the video below can give you a glimpse into what it's like to pilot such a machine. But enough chatter - there are laps to be run. [Porsche] Read More

Following the release of the face-lifted Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 models late last year, as well as the new Targa and GT3, and then just earlier this month the new 911 Turbo, come the official details and images for the updated 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its race-bred GT3 RS, opting to focus on changes taking place under the mildly-revised sheet metal instead.

Described as the “the most sporting 911 yet”, the new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS comes into the world with the same 3.8-liter naturally aspirated flat six as the regular GT3 but with a...

Following the release of the face-lifted Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 models late last year, as well as the new Targa and GT3, and then just earlier this month the new 911 Turbo, come the official details and images for the updated 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Porsche has continued its tradition of only implementing minimal changes to the styling of its race-bred GT3 RS, opting to focus on changes taking place under the mildly-revised sheet metal instead. Described as the “the most sporting 911 yet”, the new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS comes into the world with the same 3.8-liter naturally aspirated flat six as the regular GT3 but with a healthier 444 horsepower – 35 horsepower up on the outgoing model, and 15 horsepower more than the new GT3. More power, less weight and shorter transmission ratios mean the new RS should be decidedly more aggressive on-track. The high-revving engine has a specific output of more than 113 horsepower per liter and comes mated to a low-ratio, short-shift six-speed manual gearbox. Some of the other important changes for the new GT3 RS includes a wider track, both front and rear, as well as an over-sized carbon-fiber GT wing with exposed aluminum supports. To reduce weight even further than the already lithe 2009 model, Porsche engineers have fitted a lithium-ion battery, resulting in a 22-pound weight savings. The new wider front and rear track is a first for the GT3 RS, and accordingly the wheel arches have been extended to cover the wider stance. Nineteen by nine-inch wide wheels up front and 12-inch wide units in the rear are wrapped in 245/45 and 325/30 Z-rated rubber, respectively. Sales of the new 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS start in Germany in January, 2010, with a base price in Europe of €122,400 or about $173,000. Launch dates and pricing for the U.S. haven't been announced. Read More

Late last year we brought you Reiter Engineering's Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Strada. Based around the Reiter Engineering factory-backed GT3 entry, the Strada is a street legal version of that car. Now Reiter has updated the GT3 to 2010 FIA specifications and with it has opened up the possibility for a new roadgoing version as well.

The race car is interesting enough on its own, however. Rated at 570hp and 399lb-ft of torque, the race car's 5.2L V10 isn't far off the stock LP560-4's 560hp, but weight has been slashed to 2,627lb. For handling, the weight balance has been set at 43% front and 57% rear, ensuring strong straight-line performance... Late last year we brought you Reiter Engineering's Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Strada. Based around the Reiter Engineering factory-backed GT3 entry, the Strada is a street legal version of that car. Now Reiter has updated the GT3 to 2010 FIA specifications and with it has opened up the possibility for a new roadgoing version as well. The race car is interesting enough on its own, however. Rated at 570hp and 399lb-ft of torque, the race car's 5.2L V10 isn't far off the stock LP560-4's 560hp, but weight has been slashed to 2,627lb. For handling, the weight balance has been set at 43% front and 57% rear, ensuring strong straight-line performance as well as competence in the corners. Pricing for the GT3 version is expected to top €265,000 ($376,800) in Europe, a healthy bump up from the standard car's price of about €160,000 ($227,000). In the U.S., the Gallardo LP560-4 road car starts at $201,000, but don't expect that discount to translate into the motorsports version of the car. Don't expect it to apply to a potential Strada edition either, should Reiter decide to follow up on this racer with another custom road car. The previous generation car, pictured below, featured the same modest power gains as the race car, but saw its weight drop by just 20lb due to the inclusion of necessary safety and interior elements. Nevertheless, the GT3 Strada's custom carbon-fiber body, 60mm wider fenders, GT wing and custom suspension setup make for an attractive and even more competent package than the original. Via: Autoblog.nlReiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 Read More

Magneto rheological (MR) fluid has some pretty amazing properties. It can change from a low-viscosity liquid to a very stiff, nearly solid substance in milliseconds with the mere application of a magnetic field. Now that technology is heading from shock absorbers to engine mounts, and the first car to get the new mounts is the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3.

Why go so far into high technology for a relatively simply engine mount? Because controlling the noise and vibration of the powertrain can improve stability and traction, especially during 'transient torque events' - times when coming off or getting back on the power.

"This is the first... Magneto rheological (MR) fluid has some pretty amazing properties. It can change from a low-viscosity liquid to a very stiff, nearly solid substance in milliseconds with the mere application of a magnetic field. Now that technology is heading from shock absorbers to engine mounts, and the first car to get the new mounts is the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3. Why go so far into high technology for a relatively simply engine mount? Because controlling the noise and vibration of the powertrain can improve stability and traction, especially during 'transient torque events' - times when coming off or getting back on the power. "This is the first technology that allows precise real-time management of the relevant frequencies created by an automotive powertrain, including the challenging low frequencies and higher amplitudes caused by transient torque events," says Delphi's MR Mount manager Timothy Schlangen. "Vehicle manufacturers working closely with Delphi have been excited by the wide range of benefits that MR Mounts can bring and by the increasing list of ways they can improve performance, safety and refinement through vehicle-specific tuning." The new tech supersedes Delphi's previous solution of glycol-filled mounts. Those mounts could only be tuned to control a single main frequency, however, and didn't offer the dynamic capabilities of the MR mounts. The new mounts are good news for the industry, and for Delphi, but as the car-slump continues, Delphi has been one of the hardest hit, and things aren't looking up. The U.S. government is still in the midst of helping to organize a buyout of Delphi's assets as the company negotiates Chapter 11 bankruptcy - a bankruptcy that's been ongoing for nearly four years. Things may be turning around for Delphi soon, however, as the U.S. has offered a $250 million emergency financing loan contingent on a sale of assets being completed by July 23. As for the MR mounts, expect to see them trickle down through the rest of the industry as production and availability makes them more affordable, though high-torque applications like sportscars and luxury sedans are likely to be among the first adopters.2010 Porsche 911 GT3Delphi magneto rheological powertrain mounts Read More

Laying claim to the title of the fastest run around the Nurburgring's Nordschleife is one of the most coveted titles among the performance elite carmakers. The latest development from Germany has Porsche claiming a 7 minute 40 second unofficial time during an open test day at the hands of the legendary Walter Rohrl.

Porsche and Nissan's duel over the matter has taken on particular fury, with Porsche accusing Nissan of falsifying times, and continuing to insist that the GT-R isn't capable of anything faster than a 7:54 lap without cheating. Even a borrowed Ferrari 430 Scuderia couldn't muster more than 7:45 around the 'Ring at Porsche's... Laying claim to the title of the fastest run around the Nurburgring's Nordschleife is one of the most coveted titles among the performance elite carmakers. The latest development from Germany has Porsche claiming a 7 minute 40 second unofficial time during an open test day at the hands of the legendary Walter Rohrl. Porsche and Nissan's duel over the matter has taken on particular fury, with Porsche accusing Nissan of falsifying times, and continuing to insist that the GT-R isn't capable of anything faster than a 7:54 lap without cheating. Even a borrowed Ferrari 430 Scuderia couldn't muster more than 7:45 around the 'Ring at Porsche's hands, reports Motor Trend. Nissan, on the other hand, just last week reported setting a 7:27.56 second lap, just 1.1 seconds short of the Corvette ZR-1's 7:26.4 set last year - later lowered to 7:22.4 - but about 5 seconds short of the Viper SRT10 ACR's production car record of 7:22.1 (see the video here). How will it all shake out in the end? Will the Japanese underdog prove itself victorious despite Porsche's slanderous claims? Will the German giant emerge as the wronged but valiant winner? Only time will tell, but fans on each side will no doubt have their minds made up in the mean time.2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Read More