The United States was left out of the opportunity to purchase the first generation GT3 that debuted in 1999, but in 2004 we received our invitation to the party only to find out it had really started to kick off. Although there would eventually be a GT3 RS, the GT3 itself was the torchbearer to the RS moniker that long attributed itself to the most racing-worthy Porsche products – the 996 was no exception. A dry-sump 3.6-liter Mezger was carried over to the new platform and was enhanced with water-cooled jackets and heads to increase performance drastically. By the second generation of the 996, the GT3 was easily coaxing 380-horsepower out of its bore and stroke.
Performance did not hesitate or falter after that, either. Fixed aerodynamic features worked their sorcery to bend the wind into developing real, road-gripping downforce. Below, lightweight wheels with large, 6-piston brakes yanked even the highest speeds down quick. When new, racing legend Walter Röhrl took the GT3 for a run around Germany’s famous Nurburgring and set a track time of 7 minutes and 56 seconds – blistering speed back then. Coming soon to our auction blocks is a finely-kept example of a GT3 with all the goodies, that is to say, track-prepped and still street legal.
The 3.6-liter flat-six engine has around 98,000 miles on it, but recently (3,000 miles ago) went under the knife and was rebuilt. Torque Solutions semi-solid engine and transmission mounts were used to reinstall the motor to the car, the cooling pipes were welded in, and a Fabspeed muffler delete was put in place. After the restoration, a dyno run indicated 346-horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque were turning those lightweight 18” GT3 wheels. In all, this GT3 has been exceptionally well kept, and there are over 60 pages of service invoices detailing past maintenance to verify that claim.
Outside, the Arctic Silver Metallic paint which covers the car is in relatively good condition besides some stone chips to the front bumper and a scratch on the front fender. The headlights, known to cloud on 996, have been polished and resealed. As for modifications, the suspension has significantly been worked over and features a bristling armament of upgraded racing components to push performance right to the edge of the envelope. Moton 2-way adjustable shock absorbers were installed with specially weighted springs and the shock’s remote reservoirs fixed to the half-roll cage inside the cabin. The front brakes have been replaced with Essex/AP Racing 2-piece full floating rotors and stainless steel lines with performance pads outfit all four corners.
While inside the cabin, the first improvement most will notice is the inclusion of the two European fixed-back GT3 racings seats. Each black leather seat has been embossed from the factory with the Porsche crest in the headrest and has Schroth 5-point racing harnesses supplanting the traditional 3-point belt. Optioned with grey carpeting, and grey natural leather electric sports seats, the seats have been removed but will be included with the sale. Several other interior options exist from the factory and work wonders to upscale the exclusivity of the space without incurring unnecessary weight additions. The factory radio remains installed, and the air conditioning was also recently serviced.
The GT3 sale goes live soon, and we do not doubt that it will be a hot seller. A clean Carfax report from the original date of purchase until today, plus a clean bill of sale from Indiana justly dismiss any fears of damage or accidents. The original books with leather portfolio are included as are the service records.
