One of My Dream Cars: Porsche 991 GT3

My current poster car is the Porsche GT3.

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Dream cars. Us petrolheads think about them all the time. I actually have a functional list that I made back in 2012, and haven’t swayed from it too much. Sure, some of us large garages. There are too many cars that are just tremendous engineering feats and artistic marvels. In my case, I try to narrow my list down to six cars. That way, at least in my mind, I have the idea that if I ever came across a serious windfall, I’d drive one of these cars on a fairly regular basis. One of the cars on my list, is the

Porsche GT3

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So, why the Porsche GT3? There are few features about the car that I love. I love the rear-engine bias. There is something unique about a car that acts more like a pendulum, rather than a train diving straight into a wall that just won’t turn. Sure, it’ll hint at oversteer. I’m good with that. I actually don’t prefer drifting too much, but I do enjoy the challenge of managing a car’s chassis dynamics in varying situations. That is further helped by the dynamic engine mounts that come as standard. The dynamic engine mounts detect a specific type of driving style and adapt accordingly, whether it’s a daily driving condition, or a racing condition.

Porsche 911 GT3 _18_ /

Then there’s the engine. With a 3.8 liter boxer-6, the engine has an output of 475 horsepower with a redline up to 9,000rpm. Sure, that’s nowhere near an 1,800 horsepower Regera or the 562 horsepower out of the McLaren 570GT, but it is still an overwhelming amount of power for daily driving use and much easier to maximize on a track surface.

Porsche 911 GT3 _9_ /

Did I mention the sound? Ferrari and Lamborghini attract a lot of attention on the road, not simply because of rarity or design, but because they make incredible noises as they fly by. The Porsche has a different tone out of the boxer-6, and absolutely sounds sublime screaming down a race track.

The transmission. For some, this is a major sticking point since it is not available in a manual transmission. My previous experiences with the PDK transmission are overwhelmingly positive. While you need a left foot and some coordination for proper rev-blips with the manual, the PDK does it to perfection every single time. Yet, while cruising along, shifts are nearly imperceptible. The transmission enhances the feeling of horsepower by getting the power to the ground with minimal shift time. It also has a short set of ratios, which help keep the engine in the power band. In fact, top speed is reached in seventh gear, not with sixth gear and a steep overdrive gear.

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But, perhaps, the best thing that I like about the GT3 is, it is the supercar, that isn’t. Allow me to explain. Porsche 911’s are relatively common on Southern Californian roads. They are distinct in design and drive, but do not necessarily come with the supercar habits. Do I think a Porsche GT3 will blow up on me? Not necessarily, although I’ve seen plenty of videos with that happening in a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Even when something doesn’t work properly, Porsche is quick to fix, and usually ranks among the better makes in reliability. They are sized just right for California roads and parking lots. I could fuel up my car in peace. I could peruse the aftermarket and find a variety of parts to modify if I so choose. I could drive the Pacific Coast Highway without the drivers ahead of me deliberately slowing down, or worse yet, other drivers scrambling for their cell phones and putting all of us in danger.

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More cars: 2016 Honda Civic Touring Manual, Buy It?

In the end, isn’t that what we all want? Don’t we want a car that is unique to our driving style without all of the attention? While modern cars are marvels of reliability and technology to anything made just twenty years ago, there are few cars that enhance the experience of driving.

That’s what a Porsche can do.

That’s why it is one of my dream cars.

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