- The tightening of emission controls in Europe would be a death knell for the current Porsche 911 GT3’s 4.0-liter flat six engine.
- Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT series, said that while the engine can last for a while under US emission standards, it probably only has a few years left in Europe.
- Although Preuninger did not say for sure whether the future GT3 engine would have turbocharging, he implied that it could well be the case. m mm m mm mm m m m mm m mmm m m
Since the introduction of the first-generation Porsche 911 GT3 in 1999, the flat-six engine without turbocharging has always been an integral component of its character. Even though the GT3 generation has proven itself capable of evolving to withstand increasingly stringent emissions standards through six generations, it seems highly probable that the upcoming 992.2 GT3 will mark the final iteration with an engine that breathes freely.
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During a quick chat with Car and Driver, Andreas Preuninger, who is the head of Porsche’s GT cars, indicated that the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine used in the GT3 would not last long anymore, in its current form. As a follow-up to our question on how long the engine would last without any enhancements coming from either forced induction or hybridization, Preuninger did not seem optimistic. “In America, I’m not sure. Probably quite a while, maybe. But in Europe, probably just a few more years without any significant change,” Preuninger told us. We asked if he considered turbocharging an option for the GT3 going forward, and his answer was, “Maybe.”
Although the flat-six in Porsche’s upcoming GT3 may not have the same amount of pressure on it in terms of development deadlines in the U.S., it seems improbable that the company will develop separate versions of the car for the American and European markets, because in doing so, the brand would have to develop two unique cars, each one going through its own certification process, and thus making it much more costly and time-consuming to launch the next GT3 on the market. Instead, the GT3 is expected to be adjusted to meet the EU’s goal of reducing vehicle emissions by 55 percent from their 1990 level.
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In case the new GT3 does come equipped with turbo(s), there will definitely be many uncertainties regarding Porsche’s other GT models. It has been speculated that the 718 will make a comeback, complete with an electric motor as well as a combustion engine. This leaves many uncertainties about what engine the next GT4 will have. Another thing we can certainly be looking forward to is a new GT2, but with its engine turbocharged, it might get overshadowed by the GT3.
