Just how excited should we be about this new 911 GT3?

Well, very. There has never been a 911 GT3 that wasn't brilliant when measured against its contemporary rivals.

Yet had you asked me only five years ago if I thought the 911 GT3 of the 2020s would have three pedals and an atmospheric engine, I would not have been that hopeful. In fact, I probably would have told you we’d be lucky if the seventh iteration of Porsche’s finest driver’s car possessed either of those treasured elements. A forced induction, PDK-only machine genuinely seemed to be on the cards, and for me that isn't what the GT3 is about.

So confirmation that the new car uses the latest road-ready development of the 9000rpm 4.0-litre flat-six race engine from the GT3 Cup and that Porsche will, if you prefer, pair that unit with a short-throw gearlever and three pedals is excellent news – and, even for someone who couldn't in his wildest dreams afford this car, also a relief. 

Elsewhere, we’ll have to reserve final judgement until we’ve driven it. Kerb weight is only 5kg up on the outgoing model – an impressive feat. However, it’s impressive mostly because the body is now quite a bit bigger than before, and it is the wider tracks and stickier tyres that this 992 shell hides that will affect the GT3's handling and personality.

Inevitably, the new car will grip harder and generate more stability than its predecessor, which is a characteristic shown to considerable effect by all the 992-generation cars when compared with the 991 (and, to be clear, also reasonable to expect in an industry that operates mainly on hard data points).

93 Porsche 911 gt3 2021 official images night rear 0