2004 Porsche 911 GT3 Program #2307

The legend of the Porsche 911 is of a car that even brave men should fear. But in recent years Porsche has tamed its hairy beast, as today’s 911 is the most user-friendly supercar on the road. So does that mean that the old school Porsche experience is dead? Well, not as long as the Porsche 911 GT3 exists! It’s as back to basics as a modern Porsche can get, with performance that requires even the best driver to keep an extra-firm grip on the steering wheel.

But it’s not just pure velocity that makes the 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 a challenge to drive. There’s also the fact that the GT3 carries few of the electronic save-your-butt systems that modern Porsche pilots have grown accustomed to. There’s no traction control, no stability and spin control. In fact, anti-lock brakes are the only concession that the rear-drive GT3 makes to the 21st century.

What the GT3 does offer is everything that made earlier Porsche’s so appealing to the serious driver. Starting with power! The GT3 is propelled by a heavily modified, race developed version of Porsche’s 3.6-liter flat six engine spinning out 380 horsepower, 65 more than the base 911, and 284 pound-feet of torque. Potent power parts include lighter pistons, crankshaft and valves, longer titanium connecting rods, and sharper cam profiles.

Less component weight and variable-valve timing allows the engine to spin-up faster, and punch the GT3 to 60 in only 4.5 seconds. The quarter mile is flattened in a mere 12.9 seconds at 112 miles-per-hour. An asymmetric-controlled limited slip differential allows it to leap off the line with minimal wheel spin. Full power is available from almost idle to redline, with an extra hit around 5,000 rpm. The 6-speed manual, the only transmission for the GT3, has a shifter that feels a little rubbery, but the gears are perfectly spaced and includes an oil cooler for added durability.

To feed power to the road, the GT3 wears 18-inch wheels, shod with big ZR rated tires. At the front are 235/40s, while the rears measure a squat 295/30. Wheel movement is controlled by stoutly tuned MacPherson struts up front, and a multi-link coil rear. The GT3 shares its suspension with the GT2, and that means adjustable anti-roll bars, height adjustable front spring plates, and metal support bearings. This allows owners who race the car, and plenty do, to fine tune the suspension for different tracks. But it also means a sharp, nervous front end on the street, with super-quick turn-in. Fortunately, the high speed rack-and-pinion steering delivers healthy feedback. The twitchy front end and big rear wheel power demand careful, balanced throttle control. Hammer the go-pedal too hard out of a tight corner, and you’ll quickly be reading your own license plate. Too timid, and an overload of understeer is the rule.

This is a car that requires you to put down the cell phone, turn off the radio, and drive like you mean it. And when it comes time to stop, only 114 feet are required to bring the GT3 down from 60. Our tester wears optional Ceramic Composite Brakes. The ceramic stoppers provide astounding power and feedback, but the price is substantial brake noise at normal road speeds.

Helping the GT3 stick to the road are carefully tuned aerodynamics. The front fascia wears a deeper lip spoiler than the base 911 to reduce under-car airflow, while composite panels close off the underbody to reduce lift. The rear wing, unlike those found in high school parking lots, actually performs, while rear body airflow is optimized by reshaped side sills and wheel spoilers.

Inside, the GT3’s character is reflected in a familiar Porsche 911 cockpit that wears an abundance of GT3 logos. But the 911’s expected child-size rear seat has been deleted to save weight. And save it does, to the point that the GT3 weighs in at a svelte 3,043 pounds. And get this. EPA fuel mileage estimates are 15 city/23 highway. We actually averaged 19 miles per-gallon. All this and almost economical, too.

And, so are the prices, that is compared to other rare 911s. With freight and gas guzzler tax, our GT3 carries a base sticker of $101,965. That’s $15,000 less than a Turbo, and $81,800 less than the GT2. Pile on options like $8,000 for ceramic brakes, and our GT3 comes to rest at $120,965.

The Porsche 911 GT3 may have an old school character, but at maximum performance, it’s pure cutting edge. It delivers an unmatched, pure Porsche driving experience on both the highway and the raceway, as long as you keep your eyes on the road and an extra-firm grip on the wheel.