Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale vs Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0
Brief highlights of the article in EVO magazine issue 160
Both cars have one make series and they are the road going interpretation of these race cars.
The Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0 is the bigger brither of the Porsche 997 GT3 RS 3.8litre model so it should be faster and the engine is more powerful but how will this effect the driving experience?
The Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale was given 5 stars in a previous test by EVO issue 155 so it will be interesting to see how this rating stacks up against the 5 star rated 997 GT3 RS.
The Maserati has a race setting on the exhaust which makes it very loud and is guaranteed to grab attention
The Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale has an automatic gearbox which can change in 60 milliseconds in “Sport”
The suspension on the Maserati is a conventional non adjustable coil and damper set up. It is set up quite soft from the factory which means it dives and rolls more than you would expect but once the weight has settled there is good grip from the P Zero Corsa tyres.
The transmission on the Porsche makes quite a loud rattling sound when at idle.
The flywheel is lightweight which means the revs jump almost instantly when you blip the throttle and the clutch is also quite heavy
Both the Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4litre and Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale have half roll cages and 4 point harnesses on their options list.
Porsche has excellent steering feel as per the 3.8 GT3 RS. The weight of the steering wheel changes minutely through a corner to constantly keep you updated with how much grip is available.
The difference between the 3.8 GT3 RS and the 4.0 litre are subtle but noticeable, the 4.0 has a bit more mid range punch and a more lively top end.
Turn-in of the 4.0 litre car is slightly more responsive than the 3.8
The 4.0 GT3 RS has a 8500 rpm rev limit.
Lap Times
Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0: 1.21.0
Maserati Grn Turismo MC Stradale: 1.24.5
Porsche 3.5 seconds faster
On track opinions
The Maserati was to heavy and too soft to really attack the track, the soft suspension also meant that the weight transfer took an extended time to settle on track especially through high-speed direction changes
The Porsche is much lighter and much more responsive than the Maserati, in the Porsche you can really attack the track in the Maserati you have to take a softer approach.
| Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0
Engine: Engine Location: CO2: Power: Torque: Transmission: Front Suspension: Rear Suspension: Brakes: Wheels: Tyres: Weight: Power-to-weight: 0-62mph: Top Speed: Basic Price: EVO Rating: 5 Stars |
Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale
Engine: Engine Location: CO2: Power: Torque: Transmission: Front Suspension: Rear Suspension: Brakes: Wheels: Tyres: Weight: Power-to-weight: 0-62mph: Top Speed: Basic Price: EVO Rating: 4.5 Stars |
