A Porsche 911 GT3 was clocked at 312 km/h on a mountain highway in Haute-Savoie, shattering France’s public road speed record. The driver now faces criminal charges, a hefty fine, and the loss of both car and license.
Police in Haute-Savoie stopped a Porsche 911 GT3 after it blasted down the A40 at 312 km/h. This happened just after midnight on September 27. That number is now the highest speed ever officially recorded on a French public road. The Arve valley, where it took place, is no stranger to speed traps. Officers from the Gendarmerie’s rapid intervention team and Bonneville’s motorized brigade were on routine patrol. Their radar flashed a number so high, they checked the laser twice. The legal limit here is 130 km/h. Even after France’s standard 5% margin for error, the official speed stood at 300 km/h. That’s still 170 km/h over the limit. French media, including actu.orange.fr, confirm this margin is always applied to account for possible technical glitches.
Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten identified the driver as a 48-year-old Swiss citizen; authorities impounded the car and demanded a €1,500 deposit as a judicial guarantee.
Police acted fast. The Porsche, a German supercar with 500 CV and a top speed between 315 and 318 km/h, was seized right there. The driver, a 48-year-old Swiss citizen, lost his license on the spot. Officers demanded a €1,500 deposit as a judicial guarantee before trial. French law is strict: go more than 50 km/h over the limit and it’s a crime. The penalty can reach three months in jail, a €3,750 fine, and losing your car for good. Swiss outlet 20 Minuten reported the license was taken at the scene and the Porsche sent to the impound lot.
The Gendarmerie says this is the worst speeding case ever on a French public road. The last record, also on the A40, was set in May by an Audi RS3 at 287 km/h. Captain Joël Contal of the Haute-Savoie Gendarmerie told France 3 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes that at 312 km/h, the car covered almost 87 meters every second. That’s a huge risk on a busy mountain road linking France, Switzerland, and Italy. Autojournal.fr notes this stretch of the A40 is a hotspot for speed checks because of its location and history of high-speed runs.
These cases are rare. France’s National Road Safety Observatory says only 0.3% of speeding tickets are for going more than 50 km/h over the limit. Still, speed is a top cause of deadly crashes, as the French Road Safety Authority often warns. Several French and Swiss outlets point out the defense might try to challenge the radar reading in court. The difference between the first reading and the official number could be their angle. But so far, there’s no court ruling or final word on the Porsche or the driver’s fate.
Media outlets point out that the defense could try to contest the radar reading, since the difference between the measured 312 km/h and the legally retained 300 km/h is significant. This remains only a possible legal strategy, as no court ruling has yet been issued.
Europe sees its share of speeders, but this case is on another level. For comparison, Spanish police recently caught a driver at over 200 km/h, as reported earlier. The French case leaves even those stories in the dust.
The Gendarmerie summed it up: "It’s the first time we’ve seen anything like this in Haute-Savoie. We’ve recorded speeds of 230 km/h and 290 km/h before, but never at this level. The radar does not lie."
The Porsche sits in the impound. The driver waits for court. This case is a warning. Go too fast, and you risk more than a fine. You could lose your car, your license, and your freedom. The message is clear.
