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Andreas Preuninger is the boss of Porsche’s GT car division, responsible for reducing weight and applying fenders (and stickers) to 911s for more than two decades. No one knows more about rear-engined sports cars than Preuninger. Except maybe Mr. Chris Harris. Before the new 911 GT3 was revealed, Harris took a trip to Germany to see every generation of Porsche 911 GTs …
Andreas Preuninger: Chris, welcome to our Noah’s Ark. One of each type of Porsche 911 from the GT series.
Chris Harris: Did you know that normal people dream of beautiful women or handsome men? I dream of a room full of Porsche GT3s. Where are we going to start?
AP: Without me, actually. The 996 gen-two was the first GT3 I worked on. I missed the very first edition.
CH: So because you didn’t develop the original, I can say a couple of things, okay? I remember coming to Weissach, picking up the first GT3 ever left for the UK, in July 1999. It was very cool, but it wasn’t perfect. We took him to a track – it wasn’t as fast as I expected and he has no more brakes. The second generation you developed required 20 more horsepower, but I felt like it had 50 more and the brakes were working. Your magic had begun… How did it evolve into the first GT3 RS?
AP: It was my dream project because I always had a Carrera RS 2.7 poster above my bed when I was 10 years old. It happened because we had to homologate new wheel carriers for the 996 RS race car, but I wanted to pay homage to the 2.7 RS. So we added a carbon bonnet, and what was, at the time, a huge wing.
CH: He looks tiny now.
AP: Did you know that it was the first Porsche tram to be covered with Alcantara? Right on the steering wheel, the gear lever and the door handle. It was the first time that we had a polycarbonate window.
CH: It’s outdated. The steering of this car is amazing, isn’t it? It’s totally alive.
AP: BMW had just made the M3 CSL, which I loved: it was a good competitor. We had Pirellis, they had the Michelins and that influences the feeling of leadership a lot.
CH: Yes, to the 997. This car is kind of forgotten, because everyone wants the second gen, but actually this engine is spectacular, isn’t it?
AP: It was a very special, very successful car, for the first time it had ultra high performance Michelin tires. We offered it with ceramic brakes and only a manual gearbox. It’s all the sports car you need.
CH: How many times have you been in these activities to remind yourself of the DNA of what you are doing?
AP: I think it is very important to touch the base with old cars, to reset the internal button because in memory we tend to glorify the past and forget the new. My whole team drives these cars to make sure that the new car will properly match its lineage of ancestors so that the values, virtues and DNA of GT3 remain.
BMW had just made the M3 CSL, which I loved: it was a good competitor
CH: Aha, the 997 generation two. I have probably driven more miles than any other GT3. It gave me the impression that your GT division had really established itself. Everyone wanted one.
AP: Because we knew we would sell enough cars to pay back our investment, we went to town. New brakes, central locking wheels, 3.8-liter engine, different cams, more revs, more power.
CH: You once told me about a new coating on these grilles which allowed more air to circulate. I remember thinking, “Come on, really?” But you were adamant. And the people who buy these cars care about the details.
AP: We like to focus on the details because the sum of the little things makes the whole more desirable.
CH: Poetic. Now here’s the one everyone’s still talking about: the GT3 RS 4.0. I remember you had an ashy face explaining how much it costs to make a larger indicator repeater to accommodate flare arches. How much did this piece of plastic still cost?
AP: I think it was 250,000 € before even making a part of it. These are our first carbon bumpers. Inside, the car is stripped. The whole package is still in some ways referenced for today’s cars. I drove it a lot because of the new GT3.
CH: What’s right there under that blanket. Can I…?
AP: It is too early to show it. You will have to be happy to look at it with a veil on top, like a bride.
CH: You took me to Germany so as not to see a car. Are you sure you’re not Ferrari? Okay, let’s take a look at the 991 GT3. I seem to remember the first time I drove, it was in Barcelona. It quickly became clear that the Spanish police were not very happy with our presence.
AP: They were chasing us with helicopters, Chris.
CH: It’s true. It was like a bad episode of Team A, and they landed a helicopter on the road and they just said, “You have to go now.”
AP: We were concerned about this camera standing by the side of the road with all these images of us drifting over there.
CH: I put the SD cards in my sock. In short, the car. It was your most controversial step. Rear steering, electric power steering, and that was PDK only. All Internet forums have caught fire.
AP: The phrase I attached to this car was “shut up and drive it”.
CH: So what you have is a bunch of journalists like me saying, “Oh, there’s no manual gearbox”. What do you do in response?
AP: The 911R. I have to be honest, the 991 GT3 was such a big project that we had to save the manual gearbox for later and introduce it on the 911R. A star was born and we had the gearbox on the chainring of the new generation GT3.
CH: I know I’m an old man, but I love them wingless and with a houndstooth interior. I’m not going to stay here too long because I might have wobbly knees. Can we take the cover off the new one now?
AP: I told you, I am not allowed to do this. If I lose my job, I can’t build these cars anymore.
It’s like a car James Bond would drive if it weren’t for Aston Martins in the world
CH: I would have to hide. Ooof, I just saw a 991 GT3 RS.
AP: It was a game-changer in terms of tracking capacity. We have never had such an extreme car. We had first-rate support. There were other companies that claimed that their cars generated this much, so we put them in the wind tunnel. It wasn’t even close. Our RS really does 350 kg of downforce at top speed.
CH: I’m going to ignore the GT3 RS gen two for a minute because of what’s next: the GT2 RS. What strange part of your brain did this 700 horsepower monster come from?
AP: I wanted an engine that sounded like a 90s 911 Turbo with no lag. If I could keep just three cars that I helped build, the GT2 RS would still be one. The list changes with the mood I’m in, but there’s always a GT2 RS.
CH: Now tell me some details about this 992 GT3. The power step isn’t big compared to the last car, but 500 is enough on the road, isn’t it?
AP: A car of this size and weight of 500 horsepower is enough to put you in jail in a few minutes. We focused on handling and confidence. The car is much faster on the Ring, which pays off despite an upgrade of just 10 horsepower.
CH: The noise is good. I was worried that with the new regulations it might sound a little dull inside. It really is not.
AP: It might sound a bit mature, a bit more mature, but inside it’s even stronger than the old one. But it’s not just a question of the engine. For the first time we have a double wishbone front axle, totally new for a 911.
CH: There are a whole bunch of Porsche racing drivers right now who are saying “Thank goodness we’ve been waiting for this for 20 years”.
AP: It really helps the car. The car is a bit bigger, but it has some advantages. It has wider tracks, a whole new front suspension and it’s a lot better on the track now.
CH: So 992 GT3 comes with a manual and a PDK?
AP: You have both options because I’m tired of telling people what the right combination is.
CH: Will there be a tour?
AP: A little later, after putting this on the market, yes. You could go to the opera with that. It’s like a car James Bond would drive if it weren’t for Aston Martins in the world.
CH: Would that be cool? James Bond driving a GT3 Touring. We are talking now. Will there be a convertible?
AP: No.
CH: Will there be a diesel?
AP: Pffft. Yes, Chris.
CH: Will there be an electric one?
AP: Oh, absolutely.
CH: All kidding aside, seeing it all together makes me feel a little old.
AP: Are you feeling old? This orange 997 GT3 RS is the very car I took my son home from the hospital to when he was born.
CH: It’s an incredible legacy and it took a few years, but it’s now 20 years of good equipment, isn’t it?
AP: And yet, we still have ideas for what will follow …
Experience the all new Porsche 911 GT3 this way. Want to know the five best Porsche GTs from Harris? Get a copy of Top Gear magazine today
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