By Warren Gore

January 2003

To most of my friends it seemed like a bad idea. To drive 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) in a stiff-legged Porsche GT3 from Johannesburg to Plettenberg Bay and then back home again one week later. But here in South Africa, Plett is the place to be over the year-end holidays, not Jo'burg. My brother has a holiday house there overlooking the spectacular Robberg beach and I intended to be there for the glorious summer weather, the surf, and the girls. And bad idea or not, I was determined to do the trip in my GT3.

Yeah, it's twelve hours each way, in semi-racing buckets that are tight fitting and upright with no backrest adjustment. And yes, the GT3 can be a bit noisy inside, the suspension is very stiff, there's almost no ground clearance and there's in fact no spare tire. So what? It has an air conditioner. I personally find the seats comfortable and supportive, and I like the hard, low-slung suspension. And hopefully there would be no need for a spare tire. So it's a bit noisy - it's supposed to be - it's a sports car, right? A real sports car. And it has 360 horsepower! Yes indeed, I had a hunch this trip might prove to be too much fun to miss. And if it turned out otherwise, well I would have learned a lesson.

So I convinced my good friend Rodney that he should join me. Rod loves Porsches too (he has a Boxster S) and no arm-twisting was necessary. We decided to do the trip on Christmas day to avoid traffic, and to return on new years day for the same reason. So I picked Rod up at 5:30am on Christmas morning and we were on our way.

The weather was calm, and Johannesburg seemed quiet and sleepy as we rolled onto the N1 freeway heading south. The early morning sun cast a long relief of the GT3 next to us as we drove, the taco-shaped rear wing looking particularly weird in stretched proportion. We were alone on the road. As we felt no need for conversation so early in the morning, we let Santana play quietly in the background.  And we listened to the mildly hypnotic sound of wide, low-profile rubber strumming across the asphalt. With the tach needle showing some 2,800 rpm, the flat-six could be heard humming contentedly from behind. The car seemed happy to be getting out of town. I know I was. I cranked the volume, just a little, to listen to Santana's guitar. It was all good.

Rodney broke the silence; "So are we going to just cruise along at this boring pace all day?", he asked.
I thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, you're right", I replied.
I grabbed third gear with a quick blip of the throttle to match revs, and the car awoke instantly, ready to pounce.  With revs wound up a bit, the engine's rigid mounts allow a good supply of mechanical vibration to propagate through the chassis, providing a gentle massage through the seats.  Add to this a fair amount of noise, and you're left with no doubt that the GT3 puts involvement before luxury.  I pressed my foot to the floor and that awesome GT3 howl I love so much filled the cabin.  Santana stopped playing.  The morning malaise was replaced by a sense of urgency.

Moderate pressure forced us back into the Recaros.  No neck-snapping dynamics like in a Porsche Turbo, mind.  This is an atmospheric engine and Johannesburg's elevation is some 6,000 ft above sea level.  With two occupants, some luggage, and the 17% altitude-induced torque deficit, the 3.6 has its work cut out for it.  Yet it never disappoints.  It may not provide the head-slamming forces one experiences in a Turbo, but its thrust is impressive nonetheless, and I personally prefer the linear delivery of power from the GT3's high-revving engine.  The altitude is unfortunate.  I was looking forward to trying this car at sea level for the first time.  (The 93-octane gasoline in the tank would be replaced with 97, available only at lower elevations in S. Africa).

The revs climbed and the pressure from behind remained strong and forceful.  Engine torque is abundant  from 5,000 rpm all the way to the 7,800 rpm redline. And that beastly howl never fails to induce a nervous grin on your face. It's intoxicating.  Even at 6,000 feet the GT3 will flood you with adrenaline each time you explore the upper rev band. I noticed Rodney was grinning too.

I changed up to 4th. A glance at the speedo showed 180 km/h (112 mph). Damn, this car is fast! And the rush of speed just continued to pile on. At 205 km/h (130 mph), still in 4th gear and still pulling hard, I decided that was enough for now. Just too much excitement for so early in the morning.  But I had had a taste of the car's love for speed. I got the feeling it was homesick for the Autobahn.  Well, we were on an almost deserted freeway with 800 miles ahead of us. The weather was perfect.  The police were opening Christmas presents.  Might as well let the GT3 run. So we did.

I found that at 160 - 170 km/h (around 100 mph), the car cruised effortlessly. At times I noticed I was doing 180 - 190 km/h.  No effort, no fuss, no discomfort from the seats or the suspension. Just a controlled, hunkered-down, thoroughly comfortable driving experience. Sublime. Hours of enjoyment passed by. And the kilometers passed very quickly indeed. At one point when Rodney was driving I noticed the speedo reading 255 km/h. Yikes! That's 160 mph! And the GT3 was still pulling strongly. Top speed is rated at 302 km/h (190 mph), but we never did try for it.

About halfway to our destination, we found ourselves in a small, semi-desert town called Colesburg. We had to turn off the main highway onto a lesser country road. We weren't sure if this was going to be a good thing or bad.  Well it turns out that the real fun was just beginning.  The GT3 had so far proven itself to be a superb high-speed, long distance freeway machine, but really a Lexus can do that too.  Now we were on a narrow, undulating, two-lane blacktop, which wound itself through the desert canyons. We soon discovered, with great pleasure, that the previous five hours were just a warm-up for the real experience.

The GT3 absolutely came alive on this new road, the surface being good if somewhat uneven. In an ordinary car I'm sure it would have felt quite normal. But there's not much ordinary about the GT3's driving dynamics.  Its quick steering and near-race suspension made it feel like a go-kart here.  The surface was not broken or harsh in any way, it just felt slightly "lumpy", an effect most certainly exaggerated by stiff springs and high speed.

Rather than tracking smooth and straight over such terrain, the GT3 makes tiny side-to-side darting movements as the wheel wriggles in your hands. It takes a little getting used to at speed, but you soon learn that no path control is lost. It's just that the car takes on a slightly greater "dynamic width" as the short-travel suspension faithfully tracks every contour of the road surface.  "Camber sniffing" I have heard it called.

At first I found myself holding onto the wheel white-knuckled, in an attempt to stop it wriggling. But I soon learned to relax the tension in my arms and just let my hands dance with the wheel. Far from unpleasant, this aspect of the GT3 experience actually becomes quite enjoyable.  That gentle wriggling provides wonderfully detailed feedback about the road surface. And the entire suspension can be felt working as each bump in the road gently prods your body through the form-fitting seats. Honestly, this car makes you feel like you're an integral part of the machinery. Once you're accustomed to its lively character it never feels punishing or harsh in any way. Just constantly tactile, supplying real-time sensory input through your fingertips, your feet and through all of your body touching the seat.

I remember thinking at the time how well controlled and supple it felt.  Lumpy maybe, but somehow also smooth.  Like the machinery was immersed in a creamy liquid keeping every part moving with perfectly damped fluidity, and gluing the car to the road.  Yet never so creamy as to erase any details of your path. It's that last part, conveying the details, which the GT3 does so extremely well. It smoothes the edges off bumps but never erases those bumps entirely.  It reports a constant stream of information, keeping you involved and attentive all the time.  Wonderful, really.

By now the tank was filled with 97-octane gasoline to make full use of the thicker air. The engine had developed a noticeably lower-pitched growl in the mid-rpm range, and with the extra torque underfoot, the car took on a more aggressive demeanor, pushing us to attack the twisties with vigor.  On many of the steeper canyons the road is widened to allow for passing, adding confidence for aggressive cornering. With Ludwig Van B's "Pastoral" symphony providing the soundtrack, accompanied by the mellifluous music from the engine bay, we set about flattening the Outeniquas.

 The GT3 drives its rear wheels only, and it's not equipped with any electronic stability features (it's a real sports car, remember).  And as I am no expert at managing this beast at the edge of its cornering adhesion, I was careful to stay well within its limits as we swept through the twisting canyons.  But those are some impressive limits - the wide and sticky tires, well-damped suspension and tight-as-a-drum chassis always maintaining perfect composure and astonishing levels of grip.  And pushing on the firm brake pedal reigns in speed with such aplomb that you feel almost immortal as the corners approach at speed.  During such aggressive cornering maneuvers, the racing-style buckets prove a delight, holding you firmly in place as lateral forces build.  As you lean against the bolsters you can almost "feel" how the rubber contact patches are gripping the road.  Once again there's that sense of being connected to the machinery, not just riding in it.

And between those corners it was all about the engine.  Now at low altitude, with the full contingent of 360 horses available, the reserves of power felt almost endless and the car just seemed to squirt from bend to bend.  No longer short of breath, the boxer-six seemed downright angry compared with its more docile behavior at high altitude.  Mashing the throttle to the carpet would provoke a temper tantrum above 5k rpm, with no attempt at subtlety.  This was now a full-sensory-immersion driving experience with plenty of aggressive attitude.  At times I found myself wondering if the car was wearing tattoos on its flanks and a ring through its nose.  My grin continued to widen as I snicked from cog to cog, ripping through the revs just to hear that soulful wail emanating from behind, and to feel the power over and over again.  I was in heaven.  And as we descended the last of the elevation, we were afforded breathtaking views over the coastal landscape.  Oh how to go back to Johannesburg after this?

When we arrived after ten hours on the road, we felt exhilarated, not fatigued or tired at all. The bucket seats, which we had feared might be too extreme for so long a drive, proved instead to be properly firm and supportive.  In fact everything seemed just right for the open road, including the stiff suspension.  Rod and I both agreed that neither of us had enjoyed a long drive so much before.  The car had provided ten hours of tireless enjoyment, keeping us involved all the time.  Clearly the GT3 can be an excellent touring car if you're passionate about driving.  And to think that real touring cars are designed to isolate you from the experience - how boring!  We were sorry that the delightful journey had come to an end, and all we had left to do was clean the bugs off the nose and out of the radiators.

Our vacation in Plettenberg Bay was fantastic, the GT3 drawing crowds wherever we went.  I challenge anyone to find a more fun summer vacation spot than Plett.  It has everything - sun, surf, mountain biking, quad-biking, abseiling, bungee jumping (highest in the world), nightlife, restaurants, etc.  I did quad-biking and abseiling but chickened-out of the bungee (maybe next time).  We were having such a good time that when new years day arrived I put Rodney on a plane back to Johannesburg and stayed another week (Rod is a doctor and had to get back to his office).

So a week later I drove the GT3 back home alone and had the whole wonderful experience again.  This time, however, I split the trip over 2 days and did it quite a bit slower.  I stayed overnight at the rustic Drostdy Hotel in the historic town of Graaf-Reinet.  The Drostdy's charming cottages of "Stretch's Court" date back to the mid-19th century when they were used as residences by emancipated slaves.

Parked here, on the cobbled alleyways of Stretch's Court, the ultra-modern GT3 appeared particularly beautiful, offering a stark contrast to the old-world charm of the place. And as evening fell, it somehow looked just right in this setting;  Dusty from its long drive through the dry Karoo, it sat hunkered down as always, looking much the part of the weary traveler resting for the night.  I rested well too, in cottage 9B.

As I lay in the comfortable bed, relaxed and tranquil, wishing the air-conditioner was a bit quieter, I wondered about the slaves who slept here more than a century ago.  I imagined that they had bigger worries than a noisy air-conditioner.  I sensed the unfairness that seems to pervade humanity, and I realized just how fortunate I am.  Thinking  back on the day's drive, I recalled passing now and then through sprawling shanty towns dotted with dwellings constructed from a few sheets of corrugated iron.  And I was viewing these scenes from the air conditioned interior of an expensive sports car.  Strange world we live in.  Strange indeed.

The next day brought the final leg of my little adventure.  It was a long leg too - about 850 km.  As I was now sharing the road with a lot of other cars also returning from the coast, I had the opportunity to experience the GT3 at an unexciting cruising pace for about eight hours.  It was pleasant enough, the cabin being a nice place in which to spend time.  Except for the seats, it's not very different from other sport-luxury tourers when cruising on a well-maintained road.  And the GT3 has the added benefits of a powerful engine, powerful brakes and great handling, all the better for affecting quick passing maneuvers.  It's just somewhat noisy and too stiffly suspended to be considered a luxury car.  It could never be accused of being 'plush'.  Refined yes, but not plush.  Fine by me.

So now I'm back in Johannesburg at 6,000 ft and wondering where my horsepower went. Oh well, the weather in Plett is great through April...

The story is true - it really is an accurate account of a wonderful trip.  However, while it portrays the GT3 to be a perfectly user-friendly car, that's not always so.  We were really fortunate to have had such ideal conditions throughout the journey and to have been spared any circumstances for which we were ill-prepared.  We had no need for a spare tire, nor did we come across any situation requiring more than the GT3's minimal ground clearance.

Using the car as around-town transport can prove tiresome with the stiff clutch and very stiff suspension.  Also, the bucket seats may not suit everybody as they are not adjustable and they require some contortionist effort for ingress and egress.  And they don't fold forward, making access to the rear of the car difficult (regular, fully adjustable sport seats are an option, but they detract from the character of the car, IMO).  But what most limits the car's usefulness as a daily driver is the long, low chin which scrapes on any ramp angled more than a few degrees.  Entering or exiting parking lots and driveways can pose a real problem, especially if they're too narrow for an angled approach.

But remember, this is a street-legal race car, and as such it does an outstanding job providing reliable, comfortable daily transport for the sports car enthusiast.  Maintenance costs are reasonable, and fuel economy is good - about 12 - 14 l/100km (17-20 mpg) average, driven hard around town.  And just 8 l/100km (30 mpg) at highway cruising speeds.  Not bad for a 3.6L with 360 bhp.  And as a canyon carver it just flat rules!