Porsche 911 GT3 996

The story

Porsche built the original 996 GT3 in 1999 for Europe only, a lighter, sharper 911 for drivers who cared more about the racing department than the options list. America had to wait for the revised 996.2 version of 2004, with 380 hp from a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter flat-6 and a redline of 8,200 rpm. There was no automatic, no all-wheel drive and no turbocharger to soften the edges. Car and Driver weighed one at 1,460 kg (3,219 lb), ran it to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 12.3 seconds.

Its personality comes from where the engine lives. With that mass slung behind the rear wheels, the GT3 wants a patient entry to every corner and a gentle right foot on the way out, and it rewards drivers who take the time to understand why. That learning curve is the point. Familiar roads get better as the inputs get cleaner, and the engine makes a persuasive case for staying in each gear far longer than necessary. Later GT3s grew faster, wider and much more complicated, but this one set the terms, and it remains the reference point for the breed.