Year: 2003-2005 | Generation: 996 | Units built: 2,313
Engine: 3.6L Water Cooled Flat-6 | Power: 376 hp | 0 – 60 mph: 4.7 s | Top Speed: 187.7 mph
In 2004, when Porsche updated the car to 996.2 specs, the GT3 inherited the 996 facelift’s new headlamps, but also received a more pronounced front splitter, a slightly reshaped front bumper, and an even bigger rear wing. The new headlamps were introduced following complaints from Porsche fans who were unhappy that the original units were identical to the Boxster’s. The restyled cars not only looked fresher, but they finally had their own appearance worthy of a genuine 911. This is our pick of the 996 series Porsche 911s.
Initially, the 996 GT3 came with 355 horsepower on tap. The 2004 update increased output to 376 horses and 284 pound-feet of torque, 80-percent of which was available from 2,000 rpm. This new figure made it 60 horses more powerful than the base 911 and 100 horses less powerful than the range-topping GT2.
On the inside, Porsche focused on weight reduction and getting the GT3 as close as possible to its race-spec sibling. But even though the cabin was stripped off many of the 911’s usual creature comforts, Stuttgart made sure the GT3 would still provide comfort on long distances. The most significant changes included a pair of new bucket seats for the driver and passenger, both wrapped in soft leather. The new seats alone shaved about 44 pounds off the car’s curb weight. Additionally, the rear seats were removed entirely, reducing the weight of the car by another 18 pounds. Further changes were noticeable in the center console and center stack areas, with some of the standard car’s equipment missing.