Track Tested: The Porsche 911 GT3 Road Car and Race Car Were Separated at Birth

• Both the Porsche 911 GT3 road car and 911 Cup race car were developed at the same time.
• They share a Porsche's iconic 4.0-liter flat-six engine.
• Upgrades to both the road and race car have made their performance more accessible. 
• Driving a factory race car is rad. 

Which came first?

Both the GT3 road car and Cup car were developed simultaneously at Porsche Motorsports headquarters. Both are built on the standard 911 chassis, and those that will become Cup cars are simply yanked off the standard assembly line and readied to be heroes. The front and rear suspensions are remarkably similar between the road and race car, and the engines are even closer in spec than you might imagine. Both use Porsche's 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine, and with the exception of some minor tweaks for racing, both the Cup and the GT3 engines received similar upgrades for their new generation. Even the power outputs are closer, with the Cup car delivering 520 horsepower (up 10 hp from last year) and the GT3 making 502 hp. The Cup car even runs catalytic converters.

Both the GT3 and Cup cars benefit from refinements to make them more user-friendly, comfortable and stable at higher speeds. The road car receives a redesigned front suspension, which has been tested in a wind tunnel to improve high-speed aerodynamic properties in the wheel well, more stability under heavy braking and revised active suspension management software. The Cup car carries over the basic suspension upgrades, but adds a new traction control system as standard, which can be adjusted, like the antilock braking system, with new steering wheel-mounted control knobs. Another nice-to-have for the Cup car is the addition of a standard air conditioning system for the North American market. That's not a new thing for the road car, obviously, but race cars don't usually include this and it shows how focused Porsche is on increasing driver comfort in this new Cup car.

Another thing the two cars have in common is a partnership with Pirelli tires. The GT3 comes standard with Pirelli's new P Zero R, and the extreme and track-focused Trofeo RS can be had as an option. For the Cup car, Pirelli is the exclusive tire supplier for the North American market and has developed all of its tires for the racing series specifically for the Cup car.

The warm-up act

I have been very lucky to experience both the new 911 GTS T-hybrid and the 911 Turbo S on public roads and a race track. Both of those cars can handle themselves just fine on track (the GTS feels a bit more natural than the Turbo S on a circuit), but the GT3 can call any track its second home. Porsche's Experience Center in Los Angeles has what passes as a tight, twisty short circuit, where I'm free to explore the GT3's considerable capabilities. 

The GT3 I'm driving, besides being painted in vibrant Cartagena Yellow, is equipped with the Weissach package. Named after Porsche's famed motorsports development center, this package focuses on lightweight, lap time-enhancing upgrades. From carbon-fiber rear suspension pieces and body panels to thinner glass and more basic interior components, this pack also unlocks the option of lightweight magnesium wheels and aggressive carbon-fiber seats. New for this generation, these optional seats fold (no more love-them-or-hate-them fixed-back chairs) and feature a removable headrest pad for improved comfort when you're wearing a helmet at a track day. All in, these options shave 48 pounds from the standard GT3. My car was also equipped with the optional carbon-ceramic brakes and the aforementioned Trofeo RS tires.

Straight away, the GT3 feels considerably more serious and focused than the GTS, Turbo S or any other current 911. It's not just the bark from its naturally aspirated engine, either.  The suspension is much more direct, as is the steering, and it takes about one corner to realize the GT3 is so far beyond a simple "sport package" for the 911. Selecting the GT3's Track mode dials back the stability control, firms up the suspension, sharpens the throttle response and instructs the transmission to hold every gear right to that intoxicating 9,000-rpm redline. In Track mode, you essentially stop thinking about driving the GT3 and simply go fast as a nearly unconscious act. 

Hard braking in the GT3, something that's always been a strength of any 911, feels somehow more stable and confident. Hauling the GT3 down from triple-digit speeds through a slight bend doesn't even raise an eyebrow. And neither does powering out of a slower corner, thanks to the GT3's massive rear tires. Even though the GT3 has "only" 502 hp, where many of its track-focused rivals boast a couple hundred more, the transmission's short gearing and the car's relatively light weight (Porsche claims just under 3,300 pounds) make the GT3 feel beyond quick around this tight circuit.

But the GT3's speed and performance are approachable and manageable, even for a non-professional like me. It never feels scary or unpredictable; instead, it always seems to let you know it has a bit more to give. That low-key encouragement, coupled with the fantastic seats and great visibility, make the GT3 a fantastic partner for any track day. But is the Cup car as forgiving?

The real deal

At a quick glance, the Cup car looks remarkably similar to the GT3 — or is it the other way around? Both sport the redesigned headlights found on new 911s, and both look suitably aggressive and singular in their purpose. But after a few more seconds of staring, the Cup's extra vents, deeper chin spoiler, modified engine cover and larger rear wing give everything away. Yet it's not what I'd call extreme. Case in point: Porsche brought brand ambassador and former factory driver Patrick Long to lead me around the track in a 911 GT3 RS, and that car looks slightly more bonkers and exaggerated than the Cup.

Many of the Cup car's changes have been made to make it easier to operate over the course of a race season, as well as it make it faster and easier to handle. Things like the new three-piece front splitter and plastic rear wing end plates — items that both see regular damage during a race weekend — are easier to replace. The rear wing and myriad software settings are also easier to adjust. 

The Cup car's seat is obviously more aggressive than the GT3's, but it is still very comfortable. It's just getting into that seat that is a whole lot more difficult, especially if you're not in the best shape or particularly flexible. Thankfully, the seat slides and the cut-down steering wheel adjusts for tilt and reach, so even taller, more generously sized drivers can usually get in without too much of a fight. Once belted in, the view out the windshield is remarkably similar to what you see in the GT3. Under the familiar silhouette of the dash is a bright, fully digital and customizable display. The steering wheel is framed by various backlit buttons for functions like flashing your high beams, the pit lane speed limiter and your radio. Behind the wheel are small, thin, carbon fiber shift paddles, and to the right of the wheel is a button box with programmable presets. The air conditioning system is controlled by a giant red knob to your right and the vents (black hoses, actually) can be adjusted to suit. 

As this is a race car, Porsche mandated that I bring my own race suit, complete with Nomex underwear, including socks and a head-and-neck restraint device. Even with earplugs and my helmet, the Cup car's barking idle and noisy transmission leave no doubt that I'm not in a road car anymore.  To move forward, you select first gear with a pull of a paddle and then slip the clutch via a standard Porsche pedal. If you happen to stall it, the Cup car has a new feature that automatically restarts the engine. It works like a charm.

I was pretty worried about having to warm up the Pirelli tires on the Cup car, since racing slicks aren't really effective until they're fairly hot. After following Patrick Long around for just over a lap, I could feel the tires start to come to life. Another half a lap later, and the tires send me through corners at speeds that would have sent the standard GT3 into the gravel. 

With only 18 more horsepower than the GT3, the Cup car doesn't feel significantly faster than the road car. But since the Cup car is around 450 pounds lighter than the road car, it's even more responsive than I expected. This car pulls hard out of every corner. And despite the engine's 9,000-rpm redline, there's plenty of torque to leave the transmission in third gear through some of PEC's slower corners. Perhaps even more satisfying than the acceleration is the immediate — and I mean immediate — shifts from the transmission. This is not the same dual-clutch gearbox used in the GT3, but a bespoke racing unit shifted with authority, precision and speed. Every pull of the paddles snaps my head just a little bit, adding to the race car experience.

PEC's track is pretty short, and even with the Cup car's considerable aerodynamic downforce, the speeds you can reach here won't allow the invisible hand of downforce to be fully appreciated. Another limitation: I was told, in no uncertain terms, not to touch the preset ABS and traction control settings. But these systems are a boon for amateur and professional drivers alike. If you're good enough to drive without them, you can simply set the dials to zero, but if you need some assistance and confidence, the safety nets can be adjusted separately and on the fly. Remember, the Cup car is engineered for amateur racers, too.

Easy. Money.

Driving the Cup car is not at all exhausting. The steering is light, and despite the massive grip from the hot Pirellis, turning the Cup car into a corner takes more effort than it takes to park a Macan. The air flow from the air conditioning is spot on, so I never really broke a sweat — and no, the windows don't roll down. Ss for the noise, well, that will live rent-free in my head for the rest of my life, but not because it was too loud. Even with the least restrictive Supercup exhaust fitted, and ever-present gear whine, the noise is never too much. I have no doubt I could drive this car for extended periods without becoming exhausted or leaving with a splitting headache. 

The GT3 and GT3 Touring models start at $239,850, including destination and a gas guzzler tax. Add some personalization options, which Porsche does better than almost anyone else, and you can quickly add $30K to $40K to the total. The Weissach package-equipped GT3 has other lightweight options like magnesium wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes and the carbon bucket seats, and it rings in at just over $300K. 

If you'd expect the Cup car to be considerably more, consider yourself surprised. Ordering a Cup car directly from Porsche Motorsport will set you back a little over $300K before taxes and any options. That's not chump change, but you could not build a Cup car from a standard 911 for twice that much (including the car), and you're getting a factory-built race car from the company that knows how to do it better than anyone. Of course, after you buy it, there's the little matter of running the car for a whole season, which includes things like transportation, tires, fuel and all the annoying little things I leave out of my racing fantasies. 

Should you have the money, and should you want to go racing, and do it seriously at some of the best tracks in the world, the Porsche 911 Cup could be one of the best solutions. The fields are big, the talent pool is deep and the cars are as friendly as they are fast. But fi you'd rather just have a little taste of track life every now and again with very little compromise, the 911 GT3 is hard to beat.