For the 2012 and 2013 racing seasons Porsche is introducing a new 911 GT3 Cup car that brings forth new safety updates along with lightweight Porsche rims, adjustable suspension, and a powerful engine.
The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car is the most successful racer in the world, competing in a many different racing series including factory racing series. Since it was first introduced, Porsche has sold over 2,200 units to customer racing teams across the world. With the new 997 model, the car is eligible to race in even more series.
The new 2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car is based heavily on the 911 GT3 RS production car. The production 911 GT3 RS is the closest a customer can get to a street-legal racecar. The GT3 RS features a potent 3.8 liter engine that sends over 400 horses to the rear Porsche rims, a large rear spoiler, and a stripped out interior. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car builds on the production model and uses the same 3.8 liter engine with 450 brake horsepower and a maximum engine speed of 8,500 RPM. The GT3 Cup car however, features a race exhaust system with a catalytic converter to reduce emissions as much as possible.
The race car has been fitted with bigger fender flares than the production model to accommodate larger wheels and a wider track. New lightweight 3 piece wheels made of a lightweight alloy can be installed for racing. The 3 piece wheels measure 9.5J x 18 at the front and a wide 12J x 18 at the rear to achieve greater grip. Each of the Porsche rims wear 25/64 €” 18 front and 30/68 €” 18 rear Michelin racing tires. To give race teams the ability to optimize their setups, the German automaker has installed blade type anti roll bars at the front and rear with seven way adjustability. Behind the 3 piece wheels are standard composite cast brakes, but customer race teams that participate in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup can option the GT3 Cup with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) that reduce weight by 20 kilograms and provide fade free braking.
Inside the 911 GT3 Cup car, Porsche has removed every stock trim piece, seat, amenity, and comfort option to reduce weight. The driver sits in a lightweight racing seat and is faced with an adjustable steering wheel with six switches and a display unit.
The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car participates in 19 Porsche trophy series around the world, a number of different GT series, and various endurance and long-term races. The new model will be built to 2012 and 2013 racing specifications with a new 100 liter FT3 safety fuel tank under the front hood. Deliveries will begin in September of 2011 and prices start at 161,750 Euros plus country-specific tax.
