Porsche to replace engines of the 2014 911 GT3

Porsche has announced that they will be replacing the engines of  the 911 GT3 with model year 2014. As reported earlier, Porsche had suspended deliveries of the 911 GT3 model following two incidents of the car’s engine catching fire in Europe. While the problem might exist in more than 1,800 units produced so far, Porsche has recalled all of the 785 units it has delivered so far.

Following the two incidents, Porsche had issued an advisory asking the 911 GT3 owners to stop using their vehicles till the problem was identified. The company had initiated an internal investigation which has identified the problem to that of a loosened screw joint on the connecting rod. Porsche says that the loose connecting roddamaged the crankcase, cracking the engine block, which in turn resulted in oil leaking onto the hot exhaust system and hence started the fire.

For the recalled cars, Porsche will replace the existing engines with new units having optimised screw fittings, which will sort out the problem. The new engines will also be used in all 2014 Porsche 911 GT3, including those that have not been delivered yet.

The GT3 is a stripped out hardcore version of the 911 supercar. With a starting price of USD 1,31,000 (Rs 79.9 lakh), the 911 GT3 is a car for the enthusiast, who values performance more than comfort. From a manufacturer of such high caliber,it is expected that they would test out the car from every angle before releasing it to the public. Still, the German manufacturer’s prompt action of identifying and solving the problem is worth appreciation. Porsche also needs to take care of proper paperwork to ensure that the owners of the cars don’t face problems when they decide to sell their cars.