STUTTGART, Germany — The latest iteration of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup — dubbed by Porsche as "the most successful racecar in the world" — was revealed Saturday night during the "Night of Champions" celebration.
Generation 7 of the car, which debuted in 1998, is the motorsports version of the iconic 911 GT3. The price is the U.S. equivalent of $234,056. Starting next season, it will be the standard vehicle in the single-make Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series.
Factory driver Timo Bernhard, who was involved in development of the new car, praised the improved machine's balance and new axle geometry.
"The new 911 GT3 Cup is much easier to drive at the limit," Bernhard said.
The car features a 3.8-liter flat-6 engine rated at 460 horsepower, 10 more than the previous model. Maximum power is obtained at 7,500 rpm. The new six-speed Porsche Motorsport transmission is operated by paddle shift, a first in a Porsche brand trophy racecar.
Also new are one-piece, center-mount racing wheels with slightly wider Michelin slicks, and new brakes.
The car features a new safety cage and a race seat that is distinctively shaped for better protection of the head and shoulders. A rescue hatch has been integrated on the roof to provide "easy access for primary medical attention and for the extrication of the driver," noted Porsche.
The car will be manufactured in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen alongside road-legal 911s and then shipped to the Motorsport Centre in Weissach for racing setup work and track testing by a professional driver. It is available only in white.
Ren� Rast, who also won the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona GT title with co-drivers Andy Lally, Richard Lietz and John Potter, is the reigning Supercup champion with five victories in the nine races contested this year.
Just the Facts:
- A new edition of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was revealed on Saturday.
- The new car will race in the single-make Mobil 1 Supercup series in 2013.
- The car features 10 more horsepower and other tweaks compared to its predecessor.
