by John Glynn | Apr 22, 2015 | Porsche News, Race and Rally
Dale Lomas of the Bridge to Gantry blog has just shared pics of an un-camouflaged Porsche 991 GT3 RS at the Nürburgring, a visit coinciding with rumours of an attempt on the Nürburgring lap record this evening.
“We’ve all seen the new 991-based GT3RS,” writes Dale Lomas, a driving instructor with RSRNurburg, who hosted our most recent track day at Spa Francorchamps. “I’ve seen the camo-clad test cars, and recently the stationary show-queens at Geneva and New York. But there’s nothing like seeing a hot new car in the wild, undisguised. And that’s what happened tonight at the Nürburgring Nordschleife car park.”
Dale’s pictures show a GT3 RS in Silver arriving at the circuit just before the close, then taking to the track during what photographers call ‘Golden Hour’ for pictures shot in end-of-day light. As the Porsche 911 started its laps of the Nürburgring, the track management cancelled this evening’s public touristenfahrten sessions, marking the circuit as closed.
I’m not sure that Porsche would try a speed record in the evening: early morning light and that cold, damp air would make for a better chance of breaking the Nürburgring lap record, if the track was dry enough. Maybe they want to do some more pictures: the evening light is superb for that. Either way, Dale’s pictures are exciting, showing the Porsche 991 GT3 RS in a normal, run-of-the-mill public situation.
Porsche 991 GT3 RS build slots selling over list price
Of course the Porsche 991 GT3 RS is already sold out. Preferential purchase options went to Porsche 918 owners, many of whom seized the option to buy. The cars that were left quickly sold out, and my Facebook feed has thrown up a few Porsche 991 GT3 RS buyers unsure of what colour to go for.
I have steered clear of discussions on what colour to order for maximum residual value, as that sort of stuff drives me nuts, but no doubt those buyers lucky enough to nab a build slot have already done well for their money. Slots that came available just after launch were changing hands at something like £20k over list price, but I now hear that some slots have been making more than £100,000 over list. Nice work if you can get it.
Edit 23/04/15: just spoke to a guy who has sold his for considerably more than £100k over. Ridiculous.
by John Glynn | Mar 3, 2015 | New Models, Porsche News
Transcript of Porsche CEO, Matthias Müller’s address at the launch of the Cayman GT4 and Porsche 991 GT3 RS in Geneva this morning. Interesting that the Glorious Leader’s first Porsche company car was a 997 GT3.
Matthias Müller Porsche 991 GT3 RS launch speech
“Ladies and gentlemen, Porsche builds sports cars. This also applies in an age when the best-selling Porsche today has four doors.
“The great success we have had by transferring sports car genes to our SUVs helps us to expand our lineup of extremely sporty cars. “Fit for the track, and fit for the road,” works in technical terms for each and every Porsche model and in economic terms for the entire Porsche fleet.
“Why is that the case? Well, striving for victory at the absolute limit on the race track was very often a source of information for extreme Porsche sports cars: for Porsche dream cars.
“For instance, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from 1972, which today is a coveted collectors’ item, or all past generations of the 911 GT3. I can speak from experience here, because the 997 GT3 was not [just] for a long time one of my dream cars, it was also my first company car when I joined Porsche.
“These two extreme sports cars that I am presenting [to] you here today – the Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS – follow this tradition and are continuing it with vigour and power. Both of them have set record times on the North Loop of the Nürburgring when they came into production and this says more than anything I can say for our GT customers. Most of our customers regularly drive their cars in races and they know what I am talking about.
“The 911 GT3 RS has a time of 7 minutes 20 seconds which beats many much stronger and more expensive sports cars. It’s 400 horsepower* have their maximum effect on the racetrack and nevertheless in everyday driving they are very comfortable. It is the top 911 that is still allowed to bear a licence plate for on-road driving.
“Ladies and gentlemen, ten years after the launch of the Cayman as a puristic mid-engine sports car, we have the GT4, which is introducing the crown glory of this model series. Its North Loop time of 7 minutes and 40 seconds is also unequalled in its segment.
“A pure racetrack version will follow during the course of the year: 385 horsepower and it’s irrepressibly fun to drive. The Cayman GT4 represents the lowest cost entry into Porsche’s GT world.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is not a coincidence that we are presenting the Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS here at the Geneva Motor Show. Switzerland and Porsche: that is a uniquely close connection. 8 million inhabitants: 39,000 Porsche sports cars registered. More Porsche per capita cannot be found in any market in the entire world.
“The Swiss when they select their models often like to go right to the top: more than 40% of all 911s here are Turbos or GT3s. In 2014, when we introduced the Macan, people in Switzerland also decided to opt mostly for the Turbo. Our continuing success here is represented by the sales figures last year, which speak volumes: they were up by more than 29%.
“So, the fact that the new Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS are being launched in Geneva is, among other things, a homage to our loyal Swiss customers. I am certain that they will provide a very good reception to these new extreme sports cars because dream cars are always in demand. Thank you very much for your attention.”
*as read by the translator. The new Porsche 991 GT3 RS in fact has 500 bhp.
by John Glynn | Feb 25, 2015 | New Models, Porsche News
Porsche will launch the all new Porsche Cayman GT4 and another currently unidentified sportscar at next week’s Geneva Show. This second car will (of course) be the eagerly anticipated Porsche 991 GT3 RS.
Porsche Cayman GT4 lead times for delivery
For all the buzz around Cayman GT4, I see very few people mentioning the delivery times. UK buyers dropping money on the counter now won’t see their cars much before the end of 2016 according to feedback from buyers – someone tell me if that is right! You’d think the cars would be in circulation well ahead of that time.
Porsche 991 GT2 development
Stuttgart’s press release claims a lap time of seven minutes and 40 seconds on the North Loop of the Nürburgring for the Cayman GT4, but “leaked documents” regarding the 991 GT3 RS claim a 7 minute 20 second lap time: just two seconds off the fastest-ever Porsche road car at the circuit – the 997 GT2 RS.
Thanks to hints from component suppliers, we know there is a 991 GT2 in development, although whether it will make it to production or not is a different matter (I think has to happen). So we can count on that GT2 laptime being smashed sometime in the future – maybe even by the new 991 GT3 RS in the right temperatures on the right tyres. That would be pretty amazing.
Porsche 991 GT3 RS launch live webstream
The world premiere will take place during the Porsche press conference in Geneva at 11:30 (CET) next Tuesday morning: March 3, 2015. A live webcast of the Porsche Cayman GT4 and 991 GT3 RS launch will be streamed from the event.
by John Glynn | Feb 4, 2015 | New Models, Porsche News
Porsche has finally released official details of its brand new GT4 Cayman. The car is expected to race.
Powered by a 3.8-litre flat-six engine derived from the 911 Carrera S, the GT4’s 385 bhp is sent through a six-speed manual gearbox with dynamic gearbox mounts. Cayman GT4 goes from 0-60 in 4.4 seconds, and on to just under 300 km/h.
The new Porsche Cayman GT4 shares some components with the 911 GT3. This is nothing super new, as GT3 parts are commonly used in upgrading Caymans: brake master cylinders and so on. But this car goes further, apparently using GT3 parts throughout the chassis. Some will be obvious from the photos, but more details to follow.
New Porsche Cayman GT4 Track Day/Race Mode
Outside, the GT4 majors in race mode. Three large intakes at the front and a sizeable rear wing point to downforce. The aerodynamic package is one part of a track-focused options list that includes ceramic brakes, carbon seats, custom Sport Chrono and a Club Sport package.
The Cayman GT4 premieres at Geneva in March, and can be ordered now for delivery by the end of March. Basic list price in Germany is about €86,000 (which is £65,000, or just under $100,000 according to fxtop.com).
by John Glynn | Jan 20, 2015 | Porsche News
In an interesting recent interview with Germany’s Westfalen-Blatt newpaper, Porsche CEO Matthias Müller was asked about the company’s plans to manufacture overseas, given the pressures which accompany exponential production driven by unprecedented demand.
“If the necessity does in fact arise, we will have to react. If an important market has obstacles such as taxes or customs regulations, you’ll eventually start building cars there rather than simply giving up that market. Up until now, however, we’ve seen no indications that we’ll have to do anything like that.
“Financially speaking, a new factory doesn’t become profitable until it produces 100,000 units. We don’t have any models that we sell on such a scale in China, for example. So, the whole idea doesn’t make any sense from a financial point of view. Nevertheless, we’re monitoring developments in various markets very closely in order to determine whether we might have to address this issue at a later point in time. If it comes to that, we’ll deal with it and come up with a solution.”
The Commander-in-Chief (above) was not pressed on the point by the bourgeois conservative newspaper (from Wikipedia – love it) and, while the transcript rings true with Müller’s straight-talking style, you sense a PR cloak on part of the picture. I don’t doubt that the boss is happy with things as they are, but generating 100,000 units could be possible if it was not purely a Porsche factory.
Porsche may build cars in China
Volkswagen sells well over 2.5 million cars in China. A VW manufacturing unit could build a Chinese Macan for that side of the globe, as part of a bigger production portfolio. With Porsche Macan using Golf GTi engines and who knows how many other Volkswagen parts, Macan will one day be Porsche’s biggest seller. Why would Stuttgart incur the risk and expense of shipping tens of thousands of cars from Germany every year, when a factory inside the Peoples’ Republic could just bolt them together and ship straight to dealers?
“We built nearly 190,000 vehicles last year,” says Matthias Müller, “which means we’re still not completely exploiting our total capacity [in Germany]. For the moment, there’s no need to expand our manufacturing facilities again.”
Porsche’s plants are recruiting and adding to production capacity. Porsche expects to add 3,000 new people in 2015, taking the total employed to 25,000. Consider the cost of supporting that workforce under EU legislation, add all the other costs involved in European production and how long can Stuttgart hold out against the economics of an overseas plant serving Eastern demand? It’s an interesting chess game of brand image versus bottom line.
