Ford GT vs GT3 RS


tiger 6

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Mar 5, 2006
234
virginia
If any one has had the experience of driving both the FGT and GT3 RS on a track, I would appreciate hearing what you experienced and a comparisom of the 2 cars. Thanks.
 

kjslider

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Mar 1, 2006
360
socal
I've taken the GT's to the track(Willow Springs) once. I've yet to take the RS. It will have completed it's break-in miles very soon and I'll be heading back out to see how it compares.

The Porsche is precise and feels more "like a track car". Whether or not that "preciseness" can make up for the HP disadvantage remains to be seen.

The RS has ceramic brakes, unlike the Ford, but the Ford nevertheless stops very well. We were beating up on them all day and there was no discernable fade.
 

S592R

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Dec 3, 2006
2,800
Depends on the track, drivers and of course the car set up. I ran an hpde day against one in my gt. Never really pushed the GT as I am still learning the car and the driver of the gt3 rs has huge seat time in his. The track was tight but on the straight the gt ate the gt3's lunch. Getting into the tight stuff ... well it was more me than the car having issues. Not wanting to put my car into the wall I never pushed the car on street tires past 7/10's although it felt like i was due to my tension. More seat time will correct that.

Also I needed to do some front setup changes with some more camber. As the shims did not come in from Ford in time I could not do that. I have them now but have not installed them as of yet. Might do that today as I have an event on the 10th of Nov.

Sorry I just realized that I did not say that we did a ride and drive in each car ...... did not drive the gt3 but as a passenger and then with the cars together that was my above assessment.

Sorry for the confusion there.

S
 
Last edited:

John B

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 28, 2006
158
I had my Ford GT up at a track day at Watkins Glen last year and was on track with some Porsche 996 GT3 Cup race cars. They are gutted purpose built race cars, not street legal, slicks, full cage, very little if any muffler. Driven by guys that race in PCA.

My car had Hoosier RS6 DOT Slicks, Performance Friction pads, Castrol SRF, Trans cooler, Borla exhaust & no Whipple at the time.

Bottom line, the Ford GT reeled them in and ate them up. Also picked off a Carrera GT and Panoz GT race car, all driven by guys with racing experience. Couldn't catch the Craftsman truck though...

It was funny, it was my first session with this group Trackmasters so they put a "Rookie" stripe on my car. The instructors were heard to say "Whats up with the rookie in a street car passing race cars?"
 

B O N Y

MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 5, 2005
12,110
Fresno, Ca.
good job rookie, love to get a report when you go back out with the whipple.
you interested in ceramic brakes? see the sema brake thread.
cheers,
daniel
 

SYCO GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Sep 9, 2006
5,046
California
Nice Job, John B.
 

t32b

Verde
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 21, 2007
432
Bay Area, CA
Very nice work.
Having a more pedestrian 997 and not having tracked it I'm not sure my comments are too relevant. But I gotta say that, as much as much as those geniuses in Stuttgart try, overcoming the physics of a rear engine is like defying gravity. Sooner or later, it catches up with you.
Driving the Porsche hard reminds me of a quote from a book written by a pilot of the SR71 Blackbird (the finest aircraft ever to grace the skies - and roughly the same era as the GT40) who said (paraphrasing), 'my toes were curled in my boots from takeoff to landing'.
Yea, like that.
I like my engines in the center and my polar moment of inertia low.
Physics beats genius two out of three falls...
:)
 

roketman

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 24, 2005
8,095
ma.
watkins glen

John ,
What were you doing for lap times at the glen???
If you go next year let me know and I will join you.Would love to go with another FGT!!
I too have kicked but on my fellow pcars on the track!!! GREAT FUN
But I do love my 964 cup car!!
 

John B

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jan 28, 2006
158
Unfortunately I didn't get any lap times. I would guess around 2:06
 

B O N Y

MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 5, 2005
12,110
Fresno, Ca.
How do you think the two cars would compare at Lime Rock?
 

roketman

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 24, 2005
8,095
ma.
tough call, not sure .Limerock is so bumpy right now.