Porsche 911 GT3

The 911 GT3 is like an athlete. Nothing is left untouched in the search for performance – weight has been shed and everything is honed, tested and constantly improved in a constant quest for speed.

As a result, each generation is faster, sharper and more accomplished than the one before. Power from the latest model’s normally aspirated 3.8-litre flat-six engine is up by 20bhp, to 435bhp, and torque rises to 430Nm. Plus, for the first time, the GT3 gets the firm’s PASM active suspension.

Other updates include race-inspired single-nut wheel bolts, which save 5kg of weight, and optional £5,567 ceramic brakes, which shed an extra 20kg – all of which improves the purity of the steering feel. You even get active engine mounts that automatically tighten when they sense cornering loads increasing. And the effects of these changes are clear from the moment you drive the GT3. No other road-legal car feels as closely related to a competition machine – grip, traction and agility are staggering. Turn-in and front-end grip are truly incredible, while the feedback delivered to the driver is second to none. The short-shift gearbox is superb, and the mechanical roar of the engine stunning.

Stopping power from the brakes is in a class of its own, and while the GT3 requires skill to master at the limit, even at lower speeds the razor-sharp directness of the controls is impressive. The active dampers ensure it’s sublime on the track, and the Porsche is now a far better road car as well.

Beautifully engineered and enthralling to drive, the GT3 is the purest 911 to date – and one of the best performance cars in the world.

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