Gran Turismo 7’s latest update has seen a massive change with the driving physics, changing the driving techniques needed for the MR and FR cars and Gr.3 cars in general, with braking, handling and overall drivability of the cars shifting to more realism. So it only seems fitting we now take a look at what are the fastest cars in the most popular category of racing on the platform – the Gr.3 class.
Straight away it is worth noting that MR cars have become much easier to drive on this update and so there may be some Gr.3 cars in this list that might be a surprise. We definitely urge you to go and test them as you may find yourself being pleasantly surprised just like we were.
What Are Gr.3 Cars in Gran Turismo 7
Cars in the Gr.3 class are based on the actual FIA GT3 class of racing cars, with other similar cars coming under the same umbrella such as GTEs, GT300 cars and GT500 cars from the Super GT era (Not to be confused with YouTube influencer Super GT – but the actual Touring Car Championship from Japan).
There are 50 different Gr.3 cars in Gran Turismo 7 right now, but speaking from experience there are only a handful of Gr.3 cars that are really in the conversation as being the best and these are definitely subjective based on your preference of driving style and track selection.
MR vs FR When Choosing Gr.3 Cars
In the world of Gran Turismo there are several different drivetrains you will come across from the 500+ vehicles. But there are only two drivetrains used in the world of Gran Turismo 7 for the 50 different Gr.3 cars present. Of the 50 Gr.3 cars only 18 of them are MR cars and 32 of them are FR cars.
FR – Describes a vehicle which is front-engined and rear-wheel drive. FR is used in most modern day GT3 cars in real life since it provides good controlled power, whilst leaving the front wheels free to steer the vehicle. Generally this is where drivers feel the most safe, because FR drivetrains cause more understeer which is usually easier to deal with.
MR – Describes a rear-wheel-drive car that has its engine placed between the front and rear axles of the car. This shifts the weight balance towards the rear, creating a more responsive vehicle with higher cornering speeds, at the expense of being harder to control on the limit. In MR cars you are more likely to deal with oversteer which is usually outside a drivers comfort zone and is what catches drivers out causing them to crash or lose control.
Our Top Gr.3 Picks
Our top Gr.3 picks are in no particular order as we’d rather bring a list that is for the masses, but we will outline 4 cars with MR drivetrains and 4 cars with FR drivetrains, all with different strengths and weaknesses. Seeing as there are literally millions of players on Gran Turismo 7, it’s better to have a list of cars that are drivable, fun, good all rounders and that are pretty damn decent at most tracks you visit meaning you should still be competing at the sharp end.
Yes there might be one particular car that doesn’t appear on this list that is just way ahead of everything at a small number of tracks, but niche cars is not the aim of the game here. Our list should appeal to you regardless of being a new comer, a seasoned driver or a professional on the Gran Turismo World Finals circuit.
The following list of cars will put you in good stead in the majority of races you enter whether you like MR or FR cars. It is worth noting on the current update we do think MR cars are slightly faster overall due to the improved stability, but without further ado, let’s get into our top Gr.3 cars in GT7.
Porsche 911 RSR (991) ’17
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 509hp | 1,243kg | MR | 720pp | 450,000 Cr |
The Porsche 911 RSR (992) ’17 Gr.3 is one of the best all rounder cars in GT7 thanks to the latest update. The stability you now get in MR cars coupled with the usual Porsche strengths under braking and cornering makes this a fantastic pick for all levels of driver. You’ll be able to get up to pace right away if you are a new comer, you’ll be able to extract the best out of it if you are experienced and it now brings a level of confidence to everyone thanks to its strengths and very few weaknesses.
Toyota GR Supra Racing ’18
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 591hp | 1,243kg | FR | 738pp | 450,000 Cr |
The GR Supra Racing Concept ’18 Gr.3 can be ultra fast in the right hands, maybe the fastest FR Gr.3 car in GT7 now. It seems to handle like an MR car even though it’s front engined. But it is also probably the hardest car to handle on the list. You’ll be minding your own business and then out of nowhere the car can snap under you if you weren’t giving it the love it deserved, especially in the high speed corners where it loses some stability, so be careful of that. On throttle it also has a slight tendency to step out on you, but you know what they say, looser is faster. Maybe not a car for a beginner on GT7, but for a seasoned racer who knows how to extract the best from it.
Ferrari 458 Italia ’13
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 542hp | 1,215kg | MR | 733pp | 450,000 Cr |
The Editors pick. The Ferrari 458 Italia ’13 Gr.3 might surprise some being on the list as the second MR car. It certainly surprised us. The oldest of the Gr.3 cars to feature on the list. The latest update brings life into this machine again however. More stable than the Porsche, just as nimble and pointy in the corners, fantastic on the brakes, easily controlled on throttle and super fast! This might be the best MR car for so many of you right now. It will give you confidence in all aspects of your racing. Plus it’s a Ferrari! You’ll get bundles of joy out of this thing and you’ll be smiling from ear to ear whilst racing! It did also just win the latest round of the GT World Series Manufacturers Cup in Prague as well.
BMW M6 Sprint Model ’16
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 584hp | 1,300kg | FR | 740pp | 450,000 Cr |
The BMW M6 Sprint or Endurance Model ’16 are solid options when it comes to FR Gr.3 cars. It has great stability on entry and exit of corners and you can really trust where you point it. The BMW also loves the medium to high speed race tracks, where it really excels and comes to life when you can keep the revs in it. Contrary to the slow speed stuff where it is slightly cumbersome. It doesn’t like going slow but you can overcome that with some driving adjustments. A solid option if you want to feel safe whilst racing hard.
Peugeot RCZ Gr.3
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 520hp | 1,200kg | MR | 712pp | 450,000 Cr |
The Peugeot RCZ is another great all rounder that won’t really give you any problems. Unfortunately it is probably one of the more boring Gr.3 cars to drive in Gran Turismo 7 right now. It seems to lack character on the race track, the engine notes are flat and it just won’t excite you behind the wheel. That being said, it does great in all areas. Again it’s another MR car that just seems to be really good on this update as it is stable, good under braking, good on throttle and can attack corners with confidence, which in turn allows you to get the lap times with ease. It’s also the lightest car on the list so lends itself to being easy to handle.
Nissan GT-R Nismo ’18
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 576hp | 1,285kg | FR | 730pp | 600,000 Cr |
The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 ’18 is of the same driving style as the BMW M6 in that it gives you confidence due it being such a stable and forgiving car. The plus side to the Nissan is that it deals with the slow speed stuff better than the M6, but isn’t quite as strong on the high speed stuff. Generally it rides curbs very well, handles slides very well, has good traction out of corners and is decent on the brakes. You will be able to pick the Nissan and be fast right away and you’ll tackle your racing with confidence using this machine.
Mercedes AMG GT3 ’20
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 614hp | 1,285kg | FR | 745pp | 480,000 Cr |
The Mercedes AMG GT3 ’20 is one of the top performing FR cars on the platform. Although we found we needed to make the most adjustments to our driving style to make it work best. There is no doubt it is fast and stable, but the braking is definitely the weak point on the Mercedes, something that is of vital importance in this update. Slower in and faster out comes to mind with the Mercedes AMG GT3. It is much more planted on throttle than GT7s previous version, which will give you more confidence. Of all the cars we tested it will probably give you the biggest learning curve. It does require a unique driving style, but get on top of it and you’ll be up front.
Honourable Mention – McLaren 650s GT3 ’15
| Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
| 542hp | 1,240kg | MR | 717pp | 450,000 Cr |
Our honourable mention will be going to the McLaren 650s GT3 ’15. This car could be a dark horse for many and it even surprised us in our testing. It doesn’t have the raw pace of the other cars on this list, but it is probably the easiest to drive allowing you to extract the most from it. You won’t be fighting to try and find the lap time, it will just come naturally to you without really pushing much. Well planted, predictable and stable on entry and exists of corners. No issues with traction or braking either which should allow you to race this car on the limit.
How We Made This List
To come up with this list we conducted driving tests on the Nordschleife layout with the hard tyre compounds and stock setups. We tested drivability, controllability, braking performance, traction tests, tyre wear, dry weather racing and wet weather racing. The difference between FR and MR cars are now strikingly different with MR cars edging FR cars overall, but it is all driver preference and that is for you to decide.
Our personal tests found us to be fastest at Nordschleife in all of the MR cars compared to the FR cars – so the Porsche 911 RSR (991) ’17, the Ferrari 458 Italia ’13 and the Peugeot RCZ Gr.3, with the McLaren being the easiest car to drive but slightly slower – something we are putting down to the massively improved stability that seems to be the theme for MR cars throughout right now on this latest update. Our fastest laps of testing was actually posted using the Ferrari 458 Italia ’13 which surprised us the most.
The FR cars are still fast and could be even faster in the hands of someone with that preferred driving style, but trying them all out of the box they were just not as fast as the MR cars unfortunately. The FR cars were definitely safer to drive actually making it harder for us to make mistakes, even when we tried to purposely lose control. A strength of the FR cars however and where they excelled the most were in the wet conditions. Very controllable on throttle in the wet for all FR cars.
To Summarise
All of the above cars have their different strengths and weaknesses that can be called upon and worked around depending on the scenario. Some are better at fuel saving, some better with tyre wear, some will excel in sprint racing, some will suit longer distances, some will be better at medium to high speed circuits and some will perform better on slow speed tracks. Of course GT7’s BOP will play a part in how fast they are at each track as well.
We’d like to say you can’t actually go wrong with whatever car you choose from this list. The only pointer we will give you is choose between MR and FR and stick with it until you become a master at that particular style. The quickest way for you to be the best version of yourself and fastest on track is by learning how to drive your car properly. If you keep trying to switch between MR and FR styles you’ll never become a master at one.
*We’d like to give thanks to Andy Brook, aka KCR Clayholder in the Gran Turismo world, who supplied all photos in this article.
