2020 GT350 vs. 2018 GT3

[Hawkeye1]

Nice review! What part of Arkansas are you in Hawk? I grew up on the east side close to Memphis. My parents retired to Harrison.

Little Rock area. Good roads just NW of here, especially toward Eureka Springs. I hope to go romp up there as the weather warms.

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[Hawkeye1]

Nice review! What part of Arkansas are you in Hawk? I grew up on the east side close to Memphis. My parents retired to Harrison.

I just looked at the map. Harrison is in great area for driving. If your folks are into cars, tell them to take AR 123 south from Mt. Judea. It's a series of 10 and 15 mph switchbacks right up the side of a mountain, followed by miles of gorgeous, well kept curves, all the way to I-40. One of my favorite drives ever.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Nice report. Not having three times the money available and liking Shelby stuff, I opted for the GT350 and have no regrets thus far. I am glad to see that guys who like sports cars are taking note of the modestly priced GT350.

Yes, mine turns heads and sounds great and is the most fun I've had driving in years. It is head and shoulders better than my last Mustang.

At full throttle I think you can hear this thing in the next county, which is just awesome. And it definitely turns heads, some of them attached to police officers...

 

[Decible]

At full throttle I think you can hear this thing in the next county, which is just awesome. And it definitely turns heads, some of them attached to police officers...

Yeah we used to carve the roads around greers ferry lake with my dads vette when I was a kid. We had a lake house there. Oh yeah Harrison has all kinds of curvy road. Bill shoals lake, mt. Home ...very nice driving roads. I played all my state championship games I. Little Rock at war memorial stadium in High School.

 

[Decible]

*Bull Shoals even

 

[oldbmwfan]

Totally agree about the GT350 relative livability. Even vs. my base 993, the GT350R is more comfortable and convenient on a long cruise. That's the magic of Magneride + the lazy top end gearing, as you pointed out. The GT350 is a secretly great road trip car. Huge trunk, too - can go to the track with a spare set of tires, tools, helmet, and weekend bag all inside the car. Pretty amazing for something that performs as it does!

 

[Hawkeye1]

Totally agree about the GT350 relative livability. Even vs. my base 993, the GT350R is more comfortable and convenient on a long cruise. That's the magic of Magneride + the lazy top end gearing, as you pointed out. The GT350 is a secretly great road trip car. Huge trunk, too - can go to the track with a spare set of tires, tools, helmet, and weekend bag all inside the car. Pretty amazing for something that performs as it does!

I'm a little jealous of the 993. Good air-cooled examples are becoming rare. And they'll never make them again (just like the GT350).

 

[95CobraR]

I own a 2019 Ford Shelby GT350 which is a great hotrod. It will do a sub-1:40 at Road Atlanta. No problem.

I have a 2020 Porsche 911 (the new 992 model not the older 991 one). It is more suitable to daily driving and has a nicer interior. It will struggle to get to a <1:40 at Road Atlanta.

I paid $60K for the GT350 and $100K for the Porsche.

 

[Hack]

Thanks for the comments. I drove a GT3 on track, but only for a few laps. And it was a PDK version. And then a couple days later I attended the GT350 Track Attack. Both cars have a lot of mechanical grip and in my opinion they really aren't that far apart as far as how quick they can get around a track. I would either need a lot more time with the Porsche or a lap timer to notice the difference. Sure they are very different cars in how they get there, but not worlds apart in how quick they are on track. I also didn't like the PDK much, but really did like the Porsche in general. Definitely a high quality and well made car. I'm jealous of people who can afford to own both. Great cars for sure.

 

[Hawkeye1]

I own a 2019 Ford Shelby GT350 which is a great hotrod. It will do a sub-1:40 at Road Atlanta. No problem.

I have a 2020 Porsche 911 (the new 992 model not the older 991 one). It is more suitable to daily driving and has a nicer interior. It will struggle to get to a <1:40 at Road Atlanta.

I paid $60K for the GT350 and $100K for the Porsche.

First, if you only spent $100K on a 992, I think you got a deal. I’ve ridden in one 992 and sat in a couple others. They are certainly more luxurious and comfortable than a 991.2 GT3. They also appear to be very capable cars, even in base form. I’ve never driven Road Atlanta, so I don’t know enough to comment on lap times, but the ‘car mags’ are smitten with the 992 and I imagine it wouldn't embarrass itself. Based on my own experience with an older and less capable Porsche at the track, it might surprise you, and the biggest issue will be the brakes. I took a 2013 911S Cabriolet to Hallett, OK last summer and it was great. Purists view the Cabriolet as an 'Orthodontist's Car' and not a serious track machine, but I passed everything in my flight, including an older GT3 (piloted by a less experienced driver...). Eventually the brakes went weak, then weaker. I called it quits early because I needed to drive the thing home that night. Had to replace the rear rotors and pads, because the ESC had eaten them up while saving me from getting too far out of line. That's a long winded way of saying your 992 might be a positive surprise on track.

 

[Zcobra1]

Nice write up and great pair of wheels. Unusual to have either in red color, let alone both in red. Owning a 911 is on my bucket list.
Awaiting my C8 to arrive, just rail shipped from factory, and just sold my 97 Viper GTS.
So the 17 GT350 and the C8 Vette will be my new stable to play with. Probably a older 911 GTS stick is the likely replacement for the GT350 down the road.
Enjoy and be safe !

 

[ice445]

Awesome review, thanks. I'm a little jealous because you have what I consider the ideal garage, at least for me. The GT3 is a fun weekend animal and the 350 is a perfect daily driver counterpart.

I will say it's unfortunate Ford didn't add auto rev match to the last years of the GT350. The regular GT has it now and it's utterly seamless. Always butter smooth downshifts no matter what. I always thought such a thing would be for noobs only but its definitely won me over.

 

[BoomBoy]

I gave up and installed Auto-blip. I don't drive enough to practice heel toe on or off track. Who cares what anyone thinks it is pure or not. It's your car. Enjoy.

 

[Hawkeye1]

Nice write up and great pair of wheels. Unusual to have either in red color, let alone both in red. Owning a 911 is on my bucket list.
Awaiting my C8 to arrive, just rail shipped from factory, and just sold my 97 Viper GTS.
So the 17 GT350 and the C8 Vette will be my new stable to play with. Probably a older 911 GTS stick is the likely replacement for the GT350 down the road.
Enjoy and be safe !

Just looked at your stable of cars. I should probably have a yen for the 360 (Modena or Spider?), but a good driving 70 TransAm would be sweet. I was a Z28 guy back in the day (had a 1970 and a 1974), but the big block TransAms were quicker.

 

[95CobraR]

First, if you only spent $100K on a 992, I think you got a deal.

OK, it was before the China Virus. I also got a low trade in price on a perfect 2014 Porsche 911.

It was a very nice 991.1 with all the paperwork (and original sticker).

It was the last of the 3.4L cars with no turbo. They are now more expensive.

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