2022 Porsche 911 GT3 drive review

Porsche released a press release today detailing some of the highlights from its testing sessionfor the 2022Porsche 911 GT3.As Porsche stands for, these numbers are surprisingly staggering.

Engineers ran the new 4.0-liter flat-six engine on the test stand for more than 22,000 hours, simulating a race track, and "running at full speed for an extended period of time".The new suspended spoiler spent more than 160 hours in the wind tunnel and went through more than 700 different simulations to properly insert it.Of course, non-performance testing is also necessary, as the car has undergone 600 emissions tests to meet the world's latest standards, while still boasting more horsepower and torque than before.

Perhaps the most interesting number of them all came at the end of Porsche's press release, like an afterthought.Engineers put the GT3 through 5,000 kilometers (3,107 miles) of continuous testing at a constant speed of 186 mph, requiring "perfect performance" to pass.The car's (and driver's) only break is to refuel.Porsche says it has completed an incredible torture test at the Nardo Ring.Putting aside the stress on the car and engine, the concentration required by test drivers to complete such a test is unimaginable.

The new-generation GT3 has a top speed of 197 mph, so they pushed the car to the top end so it felt like an eternity.This test takes about 17 hours to complete—it turns out you can cover a lot of distance at 186 mph.In fact, after taking into account the fuel stops, driver changes, and the amount of time it takes to accelerate and decelerate from 186 mph, it's probably more than 17 hours.

Do you think your 911 GT3 will be reliable on the track? Our guess is yes.Porsche has a history of doing this type of endurance testing - the company ran a 2,128-mile 24-hour Taycan at Nardo in 2019.As deliveries of the GT3 will begin, you'll be able to start your own torture test right away.This fall.