Porsche Revises 911 GT3 Cup
Sure, a new 911 is on the verge of its debut. And yeah, there will undoubtedly be a new 911 GT3 Cup launching on this new platform. But until then, well-to-do club racers can’t exactly be expected to make do with the old one now, can they?
The new 911 GT3 Cup is still based on the lightweight 911 GT3 RS (997) street sports car. The power unit is largely identical to the production engine of the 911 GT3 RS with the same output of 450 bhp and the same maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm. A race exhaust system with a controlled catalytic converter keeps emissions to a minimum. The flared wheel arches at the front axle accommodate light alloy rims measuring 9.5Jx18 with 25/64-18 Michelin race tyres. The light alloy rims at the rear measure 12Jx18 with 30/68-18 tyres. Depending on the type of racing, the new 911 GT3 Cup features different rim specifications. The blade-type anti-roll bars at the front and rear are adjustable in seven positions allowing an extremely precise set-up for each race track. Exclusive to the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup which runs as support to Formula 1 is the PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake; an option that’s also available for Porsche's road models. Compared to the composite cast brakes in the Carrera Cups and the GT3 Cup Challenges, PCCB reduces the weight of the car by around 20 kilograms.
But some of those weight savings will be offset by the chief modification for the 2012 model year: a new, larger 100 litre FT3 fuel tank that not only holds more gas, but also complies with more race sanctioning-body regulations…. Which is a good thing, because if you drop as much coin on a car like this as Porsche demands, you’ll probably want to be out racing it in just about every series you can!
