New 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Porsche has revised its popular 911 GT3 Cup racer for the 2012 motorsport season. Whilst the 997 road-car line-up has bowed out with the seminal GT3 RS 4.0 (an all-new 911 is revealed next month), the new racer retains 997 origins for one more season. Like 2011’s Cup racer, the 2012 model is based on the 911 GT3 RS road car – meaning that the new racer produces 444bhp at 8500rpm whilst a controlled catalytic converter in the race-specification exhaust provides a token nod toward reducing tailpipe-emissions. The new car differs most notably from the 2011 Cup by being equipped with a larger, 100-litre fuel tank; Porsche claims that this change not only increases the car’s competitiveness in longer-distance race series but also improves the model’s safety by dint of being an FT3 safety fuel tank. The GT3 Cup comes equipped with 18in light alloy wheels all round, with the front wheelarches being subtly flared to fully accommodate the front axle. Wheel rims and tyre width used vary depending on the series in which a GT3 Cup is raced, but all cars leave the factory on Michelin slick tyres. PCCB carbon-ceramic brakes are available exclusively for those competing in the F1-supporting Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, and offer a 20kg weight saving over the cast brakes used in Cup cars racing in other series such as Britain’s Porsche Carrera Cup series. Meanwhile, all cars come equipped with seven-way adjustable anti-roll bars both front and rear to allow greater set-up adjustability for different circuits. At 161,750 euros before VAT (roughly £170,000 after tax in the UK) the GT3 Cup is far from a cheap way to go racing but, with eligibility for 19 Porsche Trophy series and a whole host of other championships, it arguably represents good value. After all, the owners of the first 2,200 GT3 Cups can’t be wrong…

REVIEW: Chris Harris drives the new 911 GT3 Cup VIDEO: Porsche 911 GT3 RS v Ferrari 458 Italia VIDEO: Delecour drives the Porsche 911 GT3 RS BUYING GUIDE: The original Porsche 911 GT3 (996)

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Review of the mighty Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 road car...