GT3 or GTFO

Let’s try a little experiment. Go ask 10 people what their dream car of dream car is. I’m willing to bet that more than a few of them would bring up the Porsche GT3 as that car. for those of you non-car folk who happen upon the blog, (appreciate your exploring by the way) the GT3 is pretty much the staple 911 of the Porsche brand with everything you could imagine to get it as close to perfection as possible. It embodies every classic aspect of Porsche design and wraps it up neatly in a body dressed more prepared for an FIA event than a rural road. In today’s world of super/hyper cars the GT3 (this is my opinion) is understated. It doesn’t typically show up in the bright and outstanding colours like Rosso Corsa, (Ferrari Red) and it’s look has a very calm and composed aura to it, compared to something like say, the Huayra. What I’m trying to say is it’s the car your soul knows you want before your eyes realize it.  Supercars these days have an underlying need to display luxury and fierce style; and while that all has a valuable place in my heart, there is something to be said about letting the car speak where it really wants to. On the road. 

My first experience with the GT3 was on a race track in the states with a team of car enthusiasts travelling for the SEMA auto show. As part of a “thanks for taking a billion photos in the desert” the team purchased us a few hot laps in a supercar of our choice. It’s important to note that in 2016 I was somewhat of a snob with vehicles, and believed that Porsche was an overrated “mid life crisis” kind of car. (Dear lord was I incorrect). The team knew I wasn’t at the time a fan of the Porsche brand and as a joke they set me up in a GT3 for my time on track. Walking towards the car is when my mind slowly started to change. The wide hips of the GT3 compliment the tires needed to get all 469hp to the ground effectively, and the lines perfectly pull your eyes to the wing. It wasn’t overbearing or out of place either. It felt like it deserved to be there, and was ready to serve the purpose of a functional spoiler. I opened the door of a quiet white coupe and was met with black racing seats, and a bright yellow “IDGAF” seatbelt. Don’t ask me why I was obsessed with the fact that the seatbelt was yellow and stood out on a rather standard coloured car; It’s as if it was letting me know it is at it’s core - a race car; and you will need this belt. By the time I was around the circuit once, and had heard a 3.8L Flat 6 engine scream at me like a drill sergeant after I made my bed wrong, I was hooked. After setting the second fastest lap time of the day I immediately went to work on finding out why I was such an asshole - for lack of a better term - about Porsche for as long as I was.  Lots of internal and difficult reflection followed my time with that absolute monster on the track; and I’m proud to say I have grown up, and am now another certified Porsche fan boy. 

As a photographer there are many moments that friends and family want my lens to be present for. Vacations, Engagements, Weddings blah blah blah. As an Automotive photographer who has grown into a healthy obsession with the Porsche brand, there are no moments I’d rather capture than a friend enjoying their newly purchased GT3 on some Vancouver Island backroads. We are truly spoiled to live somewhere with winding roads along the oceans shores that dip in and out of literal rainforests as they please. No car is better equipped for pure enjoyment in that setting than the GT3. What I meant before about the style seeming less obnoxious than the typical supercars of today just means one thing - The GT3 is for car people. For drivers, and not for the faint of heart. It will do exactly what you ask it to, while maintaining its refined German precision and style. The dual clutch (PDK) gearbox snaps you into the next gear the second you tap the paddle next to the steering wheel. The engine roars back to its 9000rpm limit thanks to the help of titanium connection rods and forged pistons. The rear wheel steering makes tight corners feel effortless and smooth as the tailored track ready suspension soaks up the dips and bumps that come with open road driving. As you transition from the forested back roads to the ocean side towns one thing is obvious. People are staring. The overwhelmingly exciting downshift is quick to grab their attention but as you cruise by in a low gear you’re forced to feel the jealously as people use their feet for anything but mashing the throttle into the floor as hard as humanly possible. Empathy with the passerby’s is short lived as the road narrows and winds back into the forests and they are left with nothing but the echo’s of an engine they wish they could enjoy for more than that moment. 

Pit stops for ice cream and photos are met with jealous eyes as we parked the GT3 in some interestingly original locations, and while we typically do our best to remain out of the way as much as possible, people were clearly watching us everywhere we travelled that day. Parking at a small pub on Cowichan lake for chicken wings and burgers may seem standard, but they day feels entirely different when the view is obstructed by a car which fills the parking spot to its brim. Some vehicles are able to create a small and zippy feel ducking in and out of traffic, but few manage to create such a large presence lane to lane. The highway feels like a racetrack when sat behind the suede steering wheel and hugged by the bucket seats which are expertly embroidered with the iconic GT3 logo in the headrest. Porsche has done a phenomenal job generation to generation, of brining the  timeless “bug eye” front end forward throughout the years to maintain a futuristic yet classic appeal. The sleek rear end with the wrapped taillights could be my favourite on the 991 generation ever. Their subtle aggression and bright LED red create an impactful and stylish brake light, while keeping the lines of the rear end consistent. 

Sunsets, although highly overplayed, are gorgeous - always. Putting the 991 in front of one as dynamic as the one we witnessed, felt like the perfect end to the perfect day. It’s something that people who are not into cars just will not understand. (Read my Open letter blog below for more on that). The excitement from shooting and driving such a fantastic car carried into the night - loading the photos and editing them just to relive the entire afternoon. I will leave you with this. The 991 GT3 does everything; just a little bit better. It truly is one of the greatest cars in existence in my opinion. Somehow, it manages to settle into a style and design that is timeless - All the right inspiration from it’s deep rooted heritage with a modern and futuristic feel, without trying to make you feel like you’re in a spaceship. It’s a car. A drivers car; and a damn good one.