For wheels, something lightweight, strong and aggressive-looking was on the wish list. Rennworx has just the thing. The RSL is a one-piece forged mesh-style wheel that looks as if it just came off the track. These items start at 18 pounds and are manufactured for an ideal fit on modern Porsches.
Originally, we decided on a 19-inch tire and wheel package for optimum brake clearance. An 18-inch set-up would have been more practical from a performance point of view, but would have looked more dated. The front wheel is 19x8 and wrapped in a 235/35/19, while the rear fenders are stuffed with a massive 19x11 wearing an equally substantial 305/30/19. With the giant sizes and serious rubber, Project GT3 will never want for more grip.
While stock Porsches have always had strong brakes, with this much handling potential, a larger, more hardcore system was deemed necessary. Brembo has recently updated its Grand Turismo brake kit for the 996. The front consists of a six-piston monobloc caliper and 15-inch two-piece floating discs. The rear four-piston units come with 13.5-inch two-piece floating rotors. Because of the lighter rotors, the kit is virtually the same weight as the factory parts, but provides substantially more braking power. GMG chose Castrol SRF brake fluid.
The brake pedal is firm, but doesn't seem to require any greater effort than stock. We thought the new suspension had a lot of feel, but the brakes are even more tactile. There is no dead space in the stroke, just instant pressure. These are the kind of brakes that provide the confidence to barrel toward a corner at 150-plus mph, knowing full well that if the pedal isn't there, you're going straight off.
Project GT3 is now a true track weapon. If we had it to do again, we would go with 18-inch wheels and leave the 19s for 997s and street cruisers. The ride is definitely firmer than before, but the Bilstein PSS9s have surprised even us. We expected more compromise from such a high-performance coilover, but they are bearable on the street. That said, we can't wait to take this thing back to the track.