At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Porsche has unveiled the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car which will make its racing debut in 2017.
The rear of the world’s most-produced GT racing car now houses a 4-litre, 6-cylinder flat engine that delivers peak performance of 485 hp.
A range of innovative details also improve efficiency in addition to engine performance, ensuring even better durability of the naturally aspirated engine in racing mode and reduced maintenance costs. A valve drive with rigidly mounted rocker arms and a central oil feed is being used for the very first time. What’s more, an integrated oil centrifuge is used to optimise oil defoaming in the engine. A crankshaft with significantly increased rigidity has also been installed.
A new front apron and a new rear end improve the downforce of the new 911 GT3 Cup and therefore enhance traction and performance. The 184 cm wide rear wing has been retained from the predecessor model. The wheel dimensions are also unchanged: One-piece 18-inch racing rims with a central locking mechanism are used – with 270 mm Michelin racing slicks on the front axle, and a massive 310 mm tread on the rear axle. The intelligent aluminium-steel composite construction ensures maximum rigidity and a lightweight body. As a result, the new 911 GT3 Cup now weighs in at just 1200 kg.
In terms of safety, the driver is protected by a solid safety cage and an innovative, bucket-style racing seat that is moulded particularly heavily around the head and shoulder area. The enlarged rescue hatch in the roof, in line with the latest FIA standard, makes it easier to provide initial treatment and recovery following an accident.
Porsche manufactures the 911 GT3 Cup on the same production line as the 911 road car in its main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. The basic race tuning is performed at the Weissach motorsport centre, where vehicles are also thoroughly tested by a professional race driver prior to delivery to the customer. Some 3031 units of the 911 GT3 Cup have been built in the 996, 997 and 991 model lines since 1998. This makes the brand cup racing car from Stuttgart the most-produced and most-sold GT racing car in the world.
The new 911 GT3 Cup will be used in the 2017 race season, for the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race, which is held alongside the Formula 1 races, and in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, as well as in North America. As of 2018, the car will also be available for the other brand cups.
