Porsche has simultaneously unwrapped the new 911 GT3 and GT3 with Touring Package in celebration of 25 years of the legendary nameplate.
The coupes underwent a mild cosmetic facelift for the newest evolution and were put on a diet to achieve an even lower kerb weight for more agile handling and performance.
Both the standard GT3 as well as the Touring will retail from R4,709,000 in South Africa, which includes a 5-year/100,000km Driveplan, with local order books to open before the end of the year.
25 years of GT3
Both new GT3 variants wear a re-contoured front diffuser with a refined spoiler lip and modified fins on the underbody that increase downforce and optimise airflow.
The redesigned Matrix LED headlights, which are available on the GT3 with an optional white accent ring, now combine all the light functions of the 911 and eliminate the need for additional lights in the front apron.
Consequently, this enabled the installation of an enlarged air inlet area.
At the rear, the diffuser, air inlets, and rear lid have been redesigned for a more structured look, and the rear wing of the GT3 features new angled side plates.
With the Touring Package, the coupe forgoes the fixed wing in favour of an extendable spoiler with a tear-off edge and a Gurney flap, and sees fitment of an adapted fin design on the underbody.
Revised lightweight aluminium wheels spanning 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear reduce mass by 1.5kg, and the new 40Ah lithium-ion battery shaves off another roughly 4kg.
As a result, the new GT3 weighs just 1,420kg in its lightest configuration.
Powering the new sports car is a potent 4.0-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol motor churning out 375kW and 450Nm, which reflects a 20Nm reduction compared to the outgoing GT3.
The downtune was necessary to conform to the latest European exhaust regulations, which Porsche clarified are “significantly stricter” than when the previous iteration was developed, hence the focus on minimising weight wherever possible so as to not impact the sports car’s legendary performance.
Additionally, the engine received new cylinder heads and sharper camshafts, which are complemented by flow-optimised throttle valves and oil coolers.
The gear ratios of both the seven-speed automatic and six-speed manual transmissions have furthermore been revised to be 8% shorter.
Keeping focus on its mechanical underpinnings, Porsche employed specially developed, aerodynamically shaped trailing arms with a teardrop profile on the double-wishbone front axle of the new GT3 to increase downforce in the wheel arch at high speeds and improve brake cooling.
To ensure that balance between the front and rear axles is maintained even when braking from high speeds, the suspension engineers have also reduced pitching by lowering the front ball joint of the lower trailing arm on the front axle.
New Sports tyres with improved grip in wet conditions are now standard, too, with road-approved track tyres also available at an additional cost.
Combined, these refinements ensure that the new GT3 provides even more responsive driving characteristics in the upper rev ranges than its predecessor as well as better control through corners and bumps.
In automatic guise, the Porsche now accelerates from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds and tops out at 311km/h. In manual, it does the deed in 3.9 seconds and climbs to a maximum of 313km/h.
Inside the cabin, the new GT3 gets new lightweight sports bucket seats with folding backrests, an integrated thorax airbag, electric height adjustment, and manual longitudinal adjustment.
The black design of the cockpit is derived from the standard 911 models, though in keeping to its hardcore roots, the GT3 is ignited via a rotary ignition switch instead of a button as is done on the normal Carrera variants.
It also comes with contrasting colours on the rev counter and stopwatch to improve readability as well as a bespoke “Track Screen” that reduces clutter on the driver’s display to keep focus on key data such as tyres, oil, water, fuel, and optimal shifting times.
A raft of optional extras is available for buyers to customise their GT3 to their heart’s content, including 18-way Adaptive Sports Seats Plus, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic seat shells, seat heaters, rear seats, the Weissach package, the Leichtbau (lightweight) package, the Clubsport package, and a roll-over bar.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the GT3 nameplate, Porsche is offering customers of the two-door an exclusive chronograph wristwatch.
The timepiece features a COSC-certified Porsche Design WERK 01.200 movement with a flyback function, encased in an ultra-lightweight titanium housing.
The dial was inspired by the instrument panel of the GT3, incorporating yellow accents and hexagonal structures, while the winding rotor seen through the glass caseback is based on the design of the car’s rims.
The dial ring is available in all exterior colours of the GT3, as well as in the colours of the Paint to Sample programme, with matching needlework on the leather band.
Porsche 911 GT3
Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package
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