Porsche 911 GT3

How do you improve on virtual perfection?

- Kyle Fortune

THE TRACK IS MINE for the afternoon and the 992 GT3 is here. It’s not Bilster Berg in Germany, where the international launch event is being held, because Covid, but instead it’s Bedford Autodrome, UK. There’s no Andreas Preuninger or Frank Walliser to download after driving here, either, but having spent time in the prototype last year between lockdowns with Preuninger, I’ve already had the lowdown from the GT boss. The car, a RHD PDK example, arrived a couple of days ago, the track was hastily booked and I got the call to come and drive it. There was only ever going to be one answer to that request, but empty track or not, I climb into the wonderful embrace of the optional carbon fibre full bucket seats, start the engine and point the GT3’s snout towards the exit and head out on the road.

For every mile that a GT3 will do charging around a circuit, they’ll do many multiples on the road. I know it’ll be fast and capable around Bedford’s wide, fast circuit – the ludicrous sub seven-minute lap time it’s achieved around the Nurburgring underlines that – but discovering just how fast and capable it is can wait. For a bit, at least. It’s on the road that the GT3 needs to work, because no matter how singular the GT3 is in its intent, it’s no use to anyone if it rides like a sack of spanners between track days. Expectations are high, as that previous prototype passenger ride on German country roads did suggest it’ll ride well enough, but that’s German tarmac, which is curiously smooth, in contrast to what passes for roads in the UK and Australia.