What an apt way to introduce a new segment with none other than the 991.2 Porsche 911 GT3 equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox. I had a chance to drive a Racing Yellow example for around 450km along some of the best roads in the Western Cape recently, and it left me utterly infatuated.

The Numbers

While I’d argue that the GT3 is more than a sum of its rather impressive performance stats, on paper, this car produces the sort of figures expected from a motorsport machine, despite the fact that it comes with air-conditioning, a touchscreen infotainment system and cruise control, never mind that it is also road legal.

The naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six that sits at the rear produces 368kW/460Nm and will rev to an astonishing 9 000r/min. The potent motor, 1 430kg kerb weight, manual gearbox and mechanical limited slip differential will allow a competent driver to get from zero to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 318km/h.

I make mention of the performance figures because as a brand, Porsche is in the business of supplying figures that are achievable in the real world, by regular drivers like you and me. The fact that Porsche now offers the car with a manual gearbox as an option to the seven-speed PDK also shows that the brand wants to cater to those who love being more involved in the driving process. As I discovered, the GT3 wants you, as a driver, to be more involved in the act of driving than almost any other new car available today.

The Drive

I was handed the keys to the GT3 at the Porsche Centre in Cape Town on a Saturday morning and was told to have it back at 5 pm, with the only prerequisite being a lunch stop in Gansbaai at a place called Coffee On The Rocks. It took me all of five kilometres to realise that the GT3 is something special.

Like the saying that stipulates that meeting your heroes often leads to disappointment, the same often applies to cars you have idolised growing up. Having been quite obsessed with GT-series Porsche models amongst other cars since I was a child, I can confidently say that the GT3 surpassed my expectations.

The first time that I gave it horns was during a second gear pull, as I put my foot flat, the exhaust opened up and I watched the rev needle climb past the point where you’d think a road car could go. Yet it just climbed and climbed until it hit 8000r/min at which point the tone changed from a familiar metallic flat-six whine to a violent scream, a crescendo that has to be experienced in-car to understand its aural impact on a driver.

The brief moment that you’re in that 1 000r/min band is the motoring equivalent of the twilight zone. It is, without a doubt, the rawest, unadulterated automotive soundtrack you’re likely to experience this side of an all-out racing machine.

It’s not just the sound that had me giggling though, it’s the vibrations, the mechanical clunks and ticks, the rifle-bolt-action gear changes, the exceptionally sharp brakes, the communication from the front-end, the grip, the sharp throttle response and of course, the near-perfect driving position.

But most of all, it’s the way that all of these attributes come together to form a driving experience so pure, so intoxicating and indeed so satisfying that you’re just compelled to keep driving, constantly chasing those sensations.

The fact that the GT3 is devastatingly effective as a track tool comes as no surprise, but it was the level of compliance it exhibited over some of the more rough road surfaces that amazed me. The suspension is still really stiff, but over bumps and crests, it’s not spine-shattering, in fact, the ride improves the faster you’re travelling.

Conclusion

The list price of a GT3 starts at R2 750 000, which sounds like a lot, but in terms of the sort of performance and experience it provides, you’re going to need to head to the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini to get similar thrills, making it a rather value-filled offering, if you can get your name on the list to own one that is.

Now more than ever, I’m convinced that we’re moving in the wrong direction when it comes to sports cars. The GT3 utilises a classic recipe for driver engagement and it works incredibly well. Sure, the Tesla Roadster will annihilate it in a drag race, but Musk’s creation will never take me into the twilight zone and for me, that’s what a performance car is all about.