There are two ways you can see driving as an enthusiast:
1. Purism - The experience
2. For sport - The desire for cutting edge precision and agility
If you find yourself complaining that a car isn't a manual, you may be a purist. If you find yourself obsessing over lap times and making every millisecond count, you may be in it for the sport.
When talking about high performance cars, there isn't much out there that comes right out of the factory perfect.
The only two brands that come to mind with out-of-the-box racing capabilities and heritage are the ones with the horses on their crest.
However, there is only one that does it reliably with a mentality of perfection. That brand would be the one that has no substitute. Porsche.
This 2017 GT3RS is powered by Porsche's iconic formula of a rear-mounted flat six engine with a displacement of 4 liters, dry sump lubrication, and a redline of 9000 RPM...yes...it's a screamer.
The power is transferred by Porsche's lightning quick 7-speed PDK paddle shifted transmission and lays down its excess of 500 horsepower onto the ground with its gargantuan 325 section rear tires.
All of this combined with its light weight and still incredibly fantastic set of creature comforts really makes this a track animal that is worth every penny you spend.
For some people, the age old argument is that a purist's car is meant to be a manual, no sequentials, no auto-blipping gimmicks, pure heel and toe.
I tend to agree with that, but after driving this car I can confidently say that this car should not be longed for with a manual transmission. In fact, the car may be absolutely maniacal and almost cumbersome to drive with only one hand at the wheel. This car is meant for people who know what they are doing, it by far is not a "beginners" car. It is the car for a person that drives for sport. Someone at the track, constantly improving and pushing their absolute limits to the edge.
Therefore, if you're looking into/own this car you shouldn't call your self a "purist" to the bone.
Don't get mad at me.
BUT for those truly into the belief of automotive "purism" the perfect car would have true hydraulic steering, no assists from any computers, and also would be in the range of 1980's to late 1990's production dates.
Am I wrong, Mr. "Purist"?
That being said, this car needs both hands on the wheel at all times. It delivers an exhilarating amount of performance, but it is no more than a machine. It is a machine you need to control and use as a tool to cut through corners and challenge physics while carrying ballistic speeds throughout the race track. The shifts are instant, power delivery is superb, and electric steering is precise and extremely responsive, but it is a car for sport, not purism.
Any achilles heel to this car? Yes, and that's why it's the perfect track car, but not the perfect enthusiast's car. It pumps adrenaline, but it doesn't stimulate all the senses.
The purist yearns for getting up in the morning, stretching the legs and feeling every mechanical click and clack of a gearbox, the squeaking of the pedals, the crackles and smells of the exhaust, and the overall sensations delivered by the experience of driving. They feel the need to hear the cacophony of a carbureted engine. Purists bleed for the bare bones feeling of having nothing in the way of their feet to the throttles and clutches, no assists in the way of their hands on the wheel.
However, this car is still something remarkable. This car is more agile than anything most people could imagine. It is perfectly computerized (you can feel it) without it getting in the way too much. It is a car that I urge everyone to drive as it is unbelievably good.
Most importantly, it is definitely something that all drivers, sport and pure can agree upon...
It is a Porsche. If there's anything they do best, it's making an absolutely incredible feat of engineering every time a new car comes out.
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