Latest news with #GT3R
Forbes
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Porsche Unveils New 911 Cup And GT3 R For Motorsport Duty
Porsche recently unveiled two cars that are a cornerstone of its racing efforts: The new 992.2-generation 911 Cup and revised GT3 R. The former is part of the brand's one-make series that runs in North America, Germany, and Asia, whereas the latter sees duty in global FIA GT3-class competition. In the USA, this most prominently takes the form of the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship and SRO GT World Challenge America. Both race cars largely mimic their predecessors, yet, with some key changes to suspension and aerodynamics. Over 5,000 Cup Cars Built Since 1990 Built alongside road-going 911s at Porsche's Zuffenhausen, Germany facility, the current 992.1-generation 911 Cup has been in service since 2020 and totals 1,130 units. But now, with the 992.2 revision that debuted earlier this year, the new Cup will now be upgraded to reflect changes to its exterior. Additionally, some race-ready function is built into its bodywork. The front spoiler lip—acting as a key source of downforce—is now made up of three separate parts, which means easier and less-costly replacement after on-track contact. Similarly, the Cup loses the road-going version's daytime running lights, as, in the event of a collision, there's less threat to the Cup's radiator system. Plus, one less component to replace means less money spent by teams during repair. Additionally, a less-expensive carbon fiber fleece now comprises several rear body parts, which should be easier on teams' finances, too. The front fenders now feature louver vents and revised underbody aerodynamic engineering to improve overall precision on track, especially at high speed. Then, the rear spoiler has been revised for easier adjustment. In terms of power output, the naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter flat-six beneath every Cup car now produces 512 horsepower. Reigning it in is a revised braking package, with wider and larger brake discs up front with optimized ducting to improve cooling. Suffice to say, this will be the most capable, confident, and lively Cup car generation ever built since the series debuted 35 years ago. GT3 Brawler The current Porsche 911 GT3 R debuted in 2023 and has been no stranger to podiums around the globe. Last year, AO Racing's iconic Rexy GTD Pro entry claimed the season championship, and GT3 Rs claimed six wins in eight events in Germany's own Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). Now, a new revised R is set to debut in grids for the 2026 season. While upgrades are minimal, they'll ensure competitiveness up against other GT3-class contenders from Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, and more, for years to come. They're largely focused on front-end aero and suspension by way of revised fender louvers and re-engineering kinematics in its double-wishbone suspension. These louvers 'help to counteract front-end compression during deceleration, thereby maintaining aerodynamic balance. This reduces the tendency of the car to tilt forward during braking, also known as pitch sensitivity. As a result, the new 911 GT3 R offers more precise and predictable braking behavior, improving overall control,' Porsche Motorsport states in its official press release. Improved durability and reliability has been the focus of the new GT3 R, too. The electrohydraulic power steering system features upgraded cooling, and new ceramic wheel bearings are fitted to improve overall robustness dealing with sustained duty on circuits around the globe. Several add-ons are now standard equipment, too, making it easier for teams to adhere to different series' rulebooks. Finally, the GT3 R's mighty 4.2-liter flat-six engine produces as much as 557 horsepower, though, adjusting this figure based on series' balance-of-performance rules will be easy to achieve. As the 992-generation has been out for some time, Porsche states that it will offer upgrade packages to bring pre-2026 911 GT3 Rs up to this current specification.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Verge
A veteran toy racing company is trading slots for smartphone-controlled RC cars
Carrera, a German company that has been making slot car toys since the '60s, has announced a new scaled racing experience that does away with the slots altogether. Carrera Hybrid still has you racing 1:50-scale cars around a reconfigurable track, but you control them using an app on a mobile device and you're now free to steer anywhere you want, even off the track to overtake an opponent. Carrera Hybrid is already available internationally, but the company is launching a starter set in the US on September 1st for $199.99 that includes a mix of 15 straight and curved track pieces and a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R racers. The company currently offers a wide selection of licensed vehicles for its traditional slot car products, but plans to expand the Hybrid version with recognizable cars from Mercedes-AMG, Audi, and BMW. Instead of drawing power from metal rails on the track, the Carrera Hybrid vehicles use rechargeable batteries good for about 30 minutes of racing. Each one connects to a mobile device like a smartphone or a tablet over Bluetooth. You can steer the vehicles by physically turning your device like a steering wheel, but the free accompanying mobile app, available for iOS and Android, can also be paired with a wireless controller making the racing feel more like a video game. Sensors on the bottom of each car detect printed patterns on the track so the app always knows the position of all the vehicles, and while up to 30 users can race on a single layout, the app limits that to 16 for competitive races where stats are tracked. The free roaming nature of Carrera Hybrid creates more opportunities to overtake opponents while the app increases the realism through sound effects and by letting players fine tune the performance and handling of their vehicles including tire grip and brake sensitivity. The app can also simulate various track conditions for a bigger challenge, or assist less experienced racers with driving aids. The company says it spent the past few years developing the Carrera Hybrid. It's reminiscent of Anki Drive that debuted in 2013 with a fixed track layout, and the follow-up, Anki Overdrive, that introduced reconfigurable track layouts in 2015. Overdrive offered a lot of the same features and functionality of Carrera Hybrid, plus AI-controlled opponents, but Anki eventually shut down in 2019. Hopefully, given Carrera has been making racing toys for around 60 years, it will continue to invest in its Hybrid offering and keep the AI-powered racing sets around for a lot longer than Anki did. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Andrew Liszewski Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Toys Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Transportation
Hypebeast
08-08-2025
- Automotive
- Hypebeast
Porsche Unveils Optimized 911 GT3 R for 2026 Race Season
Summary Porschehas revealed an evolved version of the911 GT3 Rset to debut in 2026, building on the model's proven global success with over 500 race starts and 420 podium finishes. While the engine and core platform remain unchanged, the updates focus on improved aerodynamics, suspension balance, drivability and endurance performance, especially for customer teams. Key upgrades include front-arch 'louvre' vents to reduce pitch sensitivity during braking, refined front and rear suspension geometry to improve load distribution and a new Gurney flap on the swan-neck rear wing for more aerodynamic balance. The new model also integrates improved cooling systems for the power steering and drive shafts, ceramic wheel bearings for durability and a cockpit redesigned for endurance comfort. An upgraded air vent and swappable USB data logger add practical advantages for long-distance racing. Porsche's Motorsport division will offer an update kit for existing 992-generation GT3 R models starting at €41,500 EUR ($48,000 USD), allowing teams to convert current cars to the new spec. The new GT3 R's first competitivetest runat the 12H Spa-Francorchamps resulted in a second-place finish, affirming its potential. Multiple former option packages, like the sensor and camera kits, will now come standard, in an effort to ensure that the 2026 911 GT3 R is as versatile as it is competitive.
