DriveTribe Takes 911 GT3 Over 911R

911R or 911 GT3? That’s a no-brainer.

Porsche has drummed up a lot of press for their newest 911 line up, particularly with the 911R and the revamped 911 GT3. Both feature some fantastic envelope-pushing technology, like rear-wheel steering, but they appeal to different sensibilities. The R calls to mind the earliest Porsches with side stripes, racing stripes, lightness, and simplicity. Well, as much simplicity as a modern 911 can have. On the other hand, Porsche crafted the newest GT3 from purpose-built race machinery. In the video above, Drivetribe takes them both for a spin to see which they’d rather have.

In terms of pure fun, well, it’s a bit of a no-brainer: you’d pick the one inspired by a race car every time, right? The GT3 sports an engine heavily based on the racing versions of the 4.0-liter flat-six engine. While it displaces the same amount and makes roughly the same power as the 911R, the dry-sump GT3 engine comes alive with a broader powerband.

The new 911 GT3’s chassis tuning also borrows liberally from the 991 GT3 Cup, which makes for a car that really enjoys being tossed around the back roads. As the Drivetribe host says, the steering feels heavier, but more precise than the 911 R. The GT3 owners can also adjust toe, camber, and anti-roll bars to suit the track (or road, such as it is) conditions. All in, it represents the kind of race-bred driving performance you should expect from Porsche.

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And the 911R? It’s also a great, fun sports car, although it’s more targeted toward a collector market. Indeed, some buyers have opened their wallets widely to take home a 911R. That owner then owns a proper H-pattern manual gearbox in one of the most attractively packaged 991s you’ll ever see.

We suppose it’s a different-strokes-for-different-folks situation. Porsche knows their 911 market is fractured between people who want to hammer the cars and people who want to appreciate their aesthetics (and have them appreciated by others). Unsurprisingly, Porsche has an upmarket 991 for either case, but we’d probably have the cheaper, more fun GT3 ourselves, too. What about you?