2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Revealed

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is the world’s best-selling and most successful production-based race car, selling more than 1,400 units. Porsche has just unveiled a new model for 2010, and says it is stronger, wider and faster than its predecessors.

Based on the street-legal 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, the 911 GT3 Cup is powered by a flat-six 3.8L unit that delivers 450-hp at 8,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a sequential 6-speed manual gear box.

Also like the 911 GT3 RS, the 2010 GT3 Cup features a 1.73-inch wider body, wider front wheel arches, three-piece light-alloy wheels and front body panels from its street-legal sibling.

The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is on sale in Europe with prices starting at 149,850 euros. It will be available later this year. U.S. pricing has not been announced.

Click through for the press release and high-res image gallery.

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup:

2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

Press Release:

World’s Most Successful Race Car adds Power, Proficiency

ATLANTA – August 26, 2009 – Stronger, wider, faster – Porsche’s new 911 GT3 Cup car is the latest-edition of the world’s best-selling and most successful production-based race car of more than 1,400 units. It will be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show September 17-27, 2009, along side the previously-announced 2010 911 Turbo and 911 GT3 RS.

For the first time, the race car is based on the street-legal 2010 GT3 RS version. However, in keeping with tradition, it continues to be assembled on the same production line as all road-going Porsche 911 vehicles in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

Like the flat-six “Boxer” engine in the new GT3 RS, displacement is increased by 0.2 liters over the former model to 3.8 liters and produces 30 more horsepower – 450 hp with a maximum RPM of 8,500. Additionally, it comes with a standard, sequential six-speed manual gearbox and weighs 2,646 lbs (1,200 kg).

Also like the 911 GT3 RS, the GT3 Cup car features the 1.73-inch wider body of the current 911 Carrera 4S, providing sufficient space for larger wheels. Wider front wheel arches allow for three-piece light-alloy rims measuring 9.5 J x 18 (previously 9 J x 18) utilizing 24/64-18 Michelin racing tires. The three-piece light-alloy wheels on the rear axle are up by one inch in width, now measuring 12 J x 18 with 27/68-18 tires.

The new 911 GT3 Cup is clearly recognizable at first sight through the special design of the front end. The striking daytime driving lights come straight from the current generation 911. Another carryover from the road-going 911 GT3 RS are the front body panels – as they prove aerodynamically-efficient for racing duty. The front spoiler lip is more than 0.5-inches lower to provide significantly more downforce on the front axle.

Downforce on the rear axle is also increased by the by virtue of a rear wing that is over 9-inches wider than the street version, 66.9 inches vs. 57.5 inches respectively. The rear air dam, with its air vent openings as well as the rear LED lights, also come straight from the road model.

Additional Unibal joints are featured on the track control arms and the front and rear anti-roll bars are now adjustable to seven different positions, allowing for an even more precise set-up of the car to best match each prospective race track.

The cockpit of the new 911 GT3 Cup caters even more to the specific needs of the driver. An additional vent in the upper part of the front lid, for example, provides the driver with a better supply of fresh air. The controls for the Info Display are now positioned directly on the steering wheel housing. And in addition to fore-and-aft adjustment, the steering wheel may now also be adjusted for height as on the regular production car.

Since the current era of sports car racing in the U.S started in 1999, Porsche 911 race cars have over 130 class victories, more than any other manufacturer. In addition, Porsche has won seven of ten GT2 manufacturers’ championships and eight of ten drivers’ championships in the American Le Mans Series. In addition, 911 race cars have won seven of nine GT championships in the Grand-Am Road Racing series, including an overall victory at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup will be available later this year. U.S. pricing has not been announced.

Porsche Motorsport, located in Weissach, Germany, is the Porsche factory division that is responsible for all worldwide Porsche motorsports activities. This includes not only the development, building, and servicing of race car models, plus all customer racing programs, but also the engineering development of Porsche street models like the 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS, the 911 GT2 and, previously, the Carrera GT.

Porsche Motorsport North America, located in Santa Ana, CA, provides a support system of race shop and at-the-track service for its U.S. professional and customer auto racing activities, a unique system unavailable from any other auto manufacturer – http://www.porschemotorsport.com

– By: Stephen Calogera