Reports from overseas markets suggest Porsche has halted sales of the 911 GT3 in Europe as the carmaker moves swiftly to investigate a potential fire hazard with the high performance car. The 911 GT3 last sold here in 2011 as part of the previous 997 generation, priced from $276,200, but overseas markets get a GT3 variant of the current 991 generation.
Photos have surfaced of a GT3 in flames on a Swiss police website, with emergency services personnel extinguishing the fire. The St Gallen police website reported: "A Porsche has caught on fire on the Wilerstrasse. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire. The car suffered a total loss in the amount of 200,000 Swiss francs ($248,000)."
The report went on to say the GT3 had been travelling on the A1 highway towards St Gallen when the driver heard "strange noises" from the engine bay and pulled off the highway onto the Wilerstrasse. After stopping the car he noticed leaking oil and smoke coming from the rear-mounted engine, and shortly afterwards the GT3 caught fire, with the blaze being extinguished by the fire department. "The cause of the fire will be investigated by the Forensic Science Service of the Canton of St Gallen police," the police report says.
An unconfirmed post on enthusiast forum Rennteam cited another GT3 catching fire in Italy, saying it was the fifth car in Europe reported to do so. The post detailed the the low oil pressure warning light activated before the car reportedly caught fire. Porsche is said to have issued a Stop Sale alert through its European dealer network. The carmaker prides itself on its meticulous engineering and has always been swift to respond with a safety recall on the rare occasions when there have been problems.
This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott
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