The new Porsche 911 GT3 is closer to motorsport than ever before. The advancements in the 911 model series have allowed Porsche to even further improve the cooling-air flow and the aerodynamics of the 911 GT3. The aim here is always to achieve the optimal reduction of lift with the least possible drag.
The redesigned Matrix LED headlights of the 911, with the usual four-point light signature, integrate all the frontal light functions. As an option, a white accent ring surrounds the main headlights. Separate auxiliary light modules are no longer fitted at the front. This enables larger air inlets to be installed. They give the front end a sculpted, functional appearance with clear, defined contours and supply even more cooling air to the front brakes and the front radiators. This used air then exits through the air outlets in the front luggage compartment lid. These features also reduce the aerodynamic lift on the front axle. As is the case for all motorsport cars, form follows function. Aerodynamically shaped control arms on the front suspension further improve the aerodynamics of the 911 GT3. They reduce turbulence in the front wheel housings, which are subject to powerful airflows, especially at high speeds. The 911 GT3 adopts the teardrop profile of the components from the 911 GT3 RS.
The fundamental principle of functional performance also applies to the redesigned front spoiler lip. Together with the modified contour of the front diffuser, it reduces lift on the front axle. These measures, in conjunction with optimisation of the underbody panels, improve the air flow under the car and the overall aerodynamic balance. As with the previous model, there are additional air outlets in the rear apron. The redesigned rear lid further improves the supply of cooling air to the power unit.
A distinctive key element of the 911 GT3 is the fixed rear wing painted in the body colour. It remains a core component of the aerodynamics concept, as well as a distinctive symbol of the motorsport credentials of the Porsche 911 GT3. The redesigned end plates, which are angled slightly outwards, are also painted in the body colour.
Elegant silhouette: 911 GT3 with Touring Package
The fixed rear wing has been omitted for the 911 GT3 with Touring Package. Instead, it features the extendable rear spoiler from the Carrera but with a defined tear-off edge, known as a Gurney flap. Together with modifications to the front and the underbody, it ensures excellent balance. The 911 GT3 with Touring Package is a sports car with exceptional everyday usability. It offers an exciting driving experience while also retaining the classic and elegant silhouette of the 911.
The 911 GT3 with Touring Package is also set apart by finer details, such as the elegant silver-coloured side window trims that contribute to its sleek appearance. Above the engine, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package includes a rear lid grille specially designed for this model variant, featuring the 'GT3 touring' logo. In contrast, the model designation below the 'PORSCHE' logo on the rear is no longer included in the design. At the rear, the model's unique fin shape can also be seen.
As is usually the case at Porsche, customers can choose between exterior colours from the Legends, Dreams, Shades and Contrasts colour worlds. Legends includes the popular classic colours of the 911 GT3: Oak Green Metallic Neo and Slate Grey Neo. Dreams includes bright, vivid colours like Gentian Blue and Cartagena Yellow Metallic. Shades, on the other hand, offers elegant, muted hues such as Volcano Grey Metallic, while Contrasts comprises Black and White.
In addition, customers have access to the Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus programmes from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. They offer a wide range of other colours, right up to an individual colour of the customer's choice. There are currently more than 120 shades available. From the second half of 2025, Porsche will significantly increase its capacity to offer this exclusive option.
Lightweight design throughout
Intelligent lightweight construction is one of the basic principles of motorsport, and therefore one of the key design features of all Porsche GT models. The performance of a sports car is directly related to its mass. In the lightest configuration with the Touring Package, six-speed GT sports gearbox and the Lightweight Package, the 911 GT3 weighs 1,420 kg, achieving a power-to-weight ratio of just 2.8 kg/PS (3.8 kg/kW). That's racing-car standard. This makes the 911 GT3 one of the most agile and lightweight models in the current 911 series, and it can be felt on every corner.
The basis for this is a lightweight aluminium-steel construction and the extensive use of carbon-fibre components throughout the car. The lightweight measures include the carbon-fibre front luggage compartment lid and a lightweight 40-Ah lithium-ion battery fitted as standard. These elements alone reduce the weight by around four kilograms compared to the previous model. Plus, the finely designed yet robust forged alloy wheels offer a 1.5-kg weight advantage compared to the wheels of the predecessor. They measure 20 inches on the front axle and 21 inches on the rear axle as standard. As usual on the 911 GT3, they are also equipped with a centre lock. A particularly lightweight stainless steel sports exhaust system with two black central tailpipes comes as standard.
On request, the Porsche 911 GT3 can be made even lighter and more agile with innovative lightweight Sports bucket seats, the Lightweight Package (911 GT3 with Touring Package only) and the Weissach Package (911 GT3 only). The packages each contain, among other things, stripped-back, puristic interior door cards, carbon-fibre interior door handles and storage nets in the door panels.
Puristic interior, innovative seating options
As a road-approved sports car, the 911 GT3 instils an authentic motorsport feeling both inside and out. The interior is black. Some surfaces are highlighted with an exposed-carbon-weave finish to accentuate the minimalist colour scheme. A combination of leather and Race-Tex fabric is used. Additional areas can be trimmed in these high-quality materials as an option. Contrasting stitching in GT Silver, Guards Red or Shark Blue is also available on the 911 GT3.
The Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package is equipped with black leather trim as standard: the steering wheel rim, gear lever, door panel armrests, storage compartment lid in the centre console, interior door handles and seat side bolsters are trimmed with smooth-finish leather. The seat centres are upholstered in fabric. Additional leather elements can be configured as an option. Decorative stitching is available in GT Silver or Black.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is equipped with the four-way electrically adjustable Sports Seats Plus as standard. The 18-way electrically adjustable Adaptive Sports Seats Plus are also available as an option. With the optional roll cage and standard two-seater layout without rear seats, the cockpit of the GT3 radiates uncompromising performance. For the first time, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package has the option of configuring a rear seat system - making it a 2+2 seater.
The seat shell of the new lightweight Sports bucket seat is made of carbon fibre. Compared to the Sports Seats Plus, fitted as standard, this reduces the car's weight by around seven kilograms. A thorax airbag, electric height adjustment and manual longitudinal adjustment are integrated in the seat. The padding on the headrest can be removed. This makes wearing a helmet in the car more comfortable. Seat heating is available as an option. The new lightweight Sports bucket seat can be configured for both models of the 911 GT3.
In addition to the GT3-specific equipment, the 911 GT3 benefits from numerous innovations that have been introduced across the 911 model series. This includes, for example, the smartphone tray in the centre console, which enables wireless charging at up to 15 watts.
Cockpit: stripped back to the essentials
The cockpit of the Porsche 911 GT3 is designed for sports performance. A 12 o'clock marking indicates the centre position of the sports steering wheel. The engine is started in the traditional way - by turning the ignition switch on the driver's door side of the steering wheel. The intuitive and user-friendly 'Porsche Driver Experience' control concept focuses on the driver's axis, so the controls for all of the essential driving functions are positioned directly around the steering wheel. This further development of the 911 control concept is particularly evident in the motorsport-inspired GT3.
Part of the new control and display concept is the instrument panel, which is designed as a high-resolution 12.6-inch curved display. In the centre of the display is the rev counter, which is especially easy to read thanks to its distinctive colour scheme. Depending on the display mode, the 9,000-rpm rev limit can be found in the traditional position or at the 12 o'clock mark. The 'Track Screen' option strips back the digital displays to the left and right of the rev counter so that only data relevant to driving such as tyre pressure and temperature, oil pressure, oil temperature, fuel level and water temperature are visible. In addition, there is a gearshift indicator and shift flash; the latter is particularly useful when driving on track. It suggests the next gear change at the optimum engine speed. A centrally positioned 10.9-inch touchscreen controls all functions of the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system as usual.
An analogue stopwatch in the centre of the dashboard features as part of the Chrono Package. It adopts the same high-contrast and easy-to-read colour scheme as the rev counter. Alternatively, the colours Guards Red, Arctic Blue and White are available from Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur.
Packages: improved dynamics for both GT3 variants
For the first time, Porsche is offering the Weissach Package for the 911 GT3. As known from the 911 GT3 RS, the package sharpens the motorsport focus of the design, both in a technical and a visual sense, and reduces the weight of the car. Lightweight features can be seen in the body, chassis and interior. The rear anti-roll bar, its drop links, and the shear plate on the rear axle are made of carbon fibre. As well as the bonnet and rear wing, the roof is also made of carbon fibre. The components are painted in the exterior colour but with a central stripe showing the high-gloss carbon weave.
In addition, the end plates of the rear wing, the exterior mirror top shells, the front window triangle trim, and the front airblades are made of exposed-weave carbon fibre. Lightweight interior door panels with storage nets and carbon-fibre door handles round off the interior. Optional lightweight magnesium wheels and folding lightweight sports bucket seats further reduce the weight. Overall, the package reduces the weight of the 911 by about 20 kg. An ultra-lightweight, bolted carbon-fibre roll cage is also available as an option.
As usual, the Clubsport Package is available for the 911 GT3 at no extra cost, giving the sports car all the essentials for driving on track. The package includes a bolted steel roll cage located behind the seats, as well as a six-point harness for the driver's seat and a handheld motorsport fire extinguisher (extinguishing agent 2 kg FX G-TEC). The optional lightweight sports bucket seats are a prerequisite for selecting the Clubsport Package.
Lightweight Package for the GT3 with Touring Package
Conversely, the Lightweight Package is available for the 911 GT3 with Touring Package. It enhances driving pleasure and vehicle dynamics by providing particularly agile and direct handling thanks to extensive lightweight features throughout. In addition to the lightweight front luggage compartment lid, which is fitted as standard, the body-coloured roof, the rear anti-roll bar and its drop links, and the shear plate are made of lightweight carbon fibre. The lightweight forged magnesium wheels are also included in the package, as are the puristic, stripped-back interior door panels with storage nets and carbon-fibre handles. The Lightweight Package reduces the total weight of the sports car by about 20 kg. In combination with the six-speed GT sports gearbox, the Lightweight Package also includes the shortened gear lever from the 911 S/T. A plaque at the base of the gear selector bearing the inscription 'Lightweight' indicates that the car is the weight-optimised variant.
High revs, short final-drive ratio
The technical highlight of the Porsche 911 GT3 is its powertrain, which is also reflected in the driving experience. The naturally aspirated 4.0-litre boxer engine with a rated power output of 375 kW (510 PS) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm is based on a system developed for motorsport. Only a few modifications were needed to make the car suitable for use on the road. The six-cylinder engine has six individual throttle valves. A dry-sump lubrication system with a fully variable oil pump and separate oil tank takes care of the oil-supply requirements, which are crucial for a high-revving engine. The heavily loaded connecting-rod bearings are lubricated directly by oil pump via the crankshaft.
To achieve the impressive rev-limit of 9,000 rpm, Porsche uses solid cam finger followers instead of hydraulic valve lifters. Titanium connecting rods, forged pistons and an additional oil supply via the crankshaft ensure stability at high engine speeds. Plasma-coated cylinder walls reduce friction. Porsche equips the naturally aspirated engine of the 911 GT3 with two particle filters and four catalytic converters. The lightweight stainless steel exhaust system, with the two centrally positioned tailpipes characteristic of the model, creates an impressive sound, even with its highly effective emission control system.
The 911 GT3 is fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (PDK), while a six-speed GT sports gearbox with automatic intermediate throttle function (Auto Blip) is available as an option; Auto Blip can be activated or deactivated as desired. In contrast, the manual transmission is available as standard on the 911 GT3 with Touring Package, with the PDK available as an option.
While the PDK enables ideal acceleration values with optimised shift times, the focus of the manual transmission is on ultra-short shift travel and a direct connection between the driver and the powertrain, as well as maximum driving pleasure. Compared to the PDK, it also shaves 17 kg off the car's weight. For both the PDK and the GT sports manual transmission, the final-drive ratio is eight per cent shorter compared to the previous model. This ensures greater agility and high-revving exhilaration in all gears, as well as noticeably improved overall dynamics.
When developing a GT3, the aim is always to achieve the optimum power to weight ratio. In the lightest version, with a six-speed sports gearbox, each kilowatt of the revamped high-revving naturally aspirated engine only has to move 3.8 kg of weight (2.8 kg/PS). The new 911 GT3 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds (911 GT3 with Touring Package: 3.9 seconds). The top speed is 311 km/h (911 GT3 with Touring Package: 313 km/h).
Aerodynamically optimised double-wishbone front suspension
Even in uncompromising sports cars, smooth driving behaviour is important in contributing to better handling and improved everyday usability. For this reason, Porsche has redesigned the bump stops of the suspension struts on the new 911 GT3. Shorter bump stops extend the spring travel on the front axle by 27 mm and on the rear axle by 24 mm. This reduces wheel-load fluctuations and the directional behaviour of the tyres, which is particularly noticeable on faster undulating stretches of motorway or when driving over kerbs or bumpy sections on the race track.
For the first time, Porsche is using special aerodynamically designed wishbones on the front suspension of the 911 GT3. The principle originates from the track-proven 911 GT3 RS. With an aerodynamic teardrop-shaped profile, the lower wishbones optimise air movement in the wheel housings, which are subject to powerful airflows. In this way, they reduce lift and direct the air to the front brakes for cooling.
The new Porsche 911 GT3 has also adopted the anti-dive system from the 911 GT3 RS: the front ball joint of the lower control arm is set lower on the front axle of the 911 GT3 RS. This gives the control arm a steeper angle. When braking, this generates torque that counteracts the suspension compression, which significantly reduces pitching motion.
Brakes and wheels
The size of the brakes on the Porsche 911 GT3 is in line with its high performance level and its role as a road-legal track tool. The standard brake system consists of brake discs with a diameter of 408 mm on the front axle and 380 mm on the rear axle. The system features cast-iron brake discs aluminium brake callipers.
As usual at Porsche, ceramic brakes are also available as an option. They are characterised by their high thermal load capacity and low mass: the brake discs have a weight about half that of comparable cast-iron discs. The resulting reduction in unsprung mass significantly improves the driving dynamics. The brake discs of the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) measure 410 mm at the front and 390 mm at the rear.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is fitted with forged centre-lock alloy wheels as standard (20 inches on the front, 21 inches at the rear). They are available in a total of six colour choices. The lightweight forged magnesium wheels of the same dimensions, which are included in the Lightweight Package and available as an option for the Weissach Package, are offered in four colour choices. This wheel option saves a total of nine kilograms compared to the standard wheels.
Porsche ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres are fitted as standard; 255/35 ZR 20 on the front axle and 315/30 ZR 21 on the rear. They guarantee a high level of driving stability, including while cornering, as well as optimal grip and improved driving behaviour in wet conditions compared to the previous model. Special road-legal track tyres are also available. A special tyre compound and slick-like tread design further improve grip on dry roads. The tyres can be ordered from the range of official Porsche Accessories.
Twenty-five years of the Porsche 911 GT3
The era of the 911 GT3 began in March 1999 with the unveiling of the new model at the Geneva Motor Show. As a road-legal track tool, it replaced the iconic 911 Carrera RS to become the point in the 911 model range where series production meets motorsport.
Since then, the puristic and authentic 911 has earned itself a dedicated fan base. Part of the principle of the 911 GT3 is that experience and technology from motorsport are translated as directly as possible into series production. The reason for this is simple: most of the 911 GT3 models ever built have been used regularly on the race track. Thanks to the level of innovation typical of Porsche, the 911 GT3 consistently breaks new ground with continuous enhancements in performance.
The first 911 GT3, based on the 996.1 model generation, developed a remarkable 100 PS per litre in 1999. Its 3.6-litre naturally aspirated engine delivered 265 kW (360 PS) and 370 Nm of torque. The sports car revved to 7,800 rpm and reached a top speed of 302 km/h (0-100 km/h: 4.8 s). It was the first road-approved series-production car to complete a lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than eight minutes.
In 2003, the model update of the 996 generation followed, which was set apart from the original by its new rear wing, new wheels and new headlights. These components made the 911 GT3 even easier to distinguish from the Carrera models in the series. The power increased to 280 kW (381 PS), and the top speed and acceleration were also improved (306 km/h; 4.5 s). An important new feature was the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB), which was offered as optional equipment for the first time and reduced the unsprung mass by 18 kg.
With the model change to the 997 generation in 2006, the 911 GT3 underwent significant further development, both technical and aesthetic. A key innovation: with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which was fitted as standard, an adaptive suspension system was introduced in the sports car for the first time. The completely redesigned 3.6-litre boxer engine was now capable of delivering 305 kW (415 PS) and 405 Nm of torque. In addition, the aerodynamics were improved thanks to a new spoiler lip on the front end and a new, one-piece rear wing. The top speed increased to 312 km/h, and the new GT3 could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.
With the model update in 2009, the performance of the 911 GT3 was even further enhanced. The displacement of the naturally aspirated engine was increased to 3.8 litres, and the rev limit rose to 8,500 rpm. This resulted in an increase in power output up to 320 kW (435 PS). Porsche once again improved the design of the rear wing, which also contributed to the increase in performance: the sprint to 100 km/h was now possible in 4.1 seconds, with a top speed of 312 km/h. An enticing feature was the central locking of the wheels, which now came as standard. This would soon become one of the trademarks of the 911 GT3.
The move to the 991.1 generation in 2013 marked a significant leap in terms of dynamics. Although the Porsche 911 had grown larger, it had also become lighter and more agile. Equipped for the first time with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and rear-axle steering, the 911 GT3 significantly improved upon the lap times of its predecessors. The enhancements were also reflected in its faster acceleration (0-100 km/h: 3.5 s) and the increased top speed (315 km/h). The completely redeveloped 3.8-litre naturally aspirated engine, which for the first time was no longer based on the legendary Mezger engine, provided a power output of 350 kW (450 PS).
With the model update of the 991 generation in 2017, the 911 GT3 was fitted with a newly developed naturally aspirated engine with a displacement of 4.0 litres. The power output increased to 368 kW (500 PS). While the performance was modestly improved (0-100 km/h: 3.4 s; Vmax: 318 km/h), Porsche had also introduced a significant change. The Touring Package was made available for the first time, which gave the puristic 911 GT3 completely new qualities that made it even more practical for everyday use while maintaining an exhilarating driving experience. This variant dispensed with the model-defining rear wing and, at the request of many customers, a manual GT sports gearbox was offered, intensifying the connection between the car and driver.
With the transition to the 992 generation, Porsche once again focused on enhancing handling on the race track. Various technical details were carried over to the 911 GT3 from the 911 RSR motorsport model. These included the double-wishbone front suspension, a four-way adjustable swan-neck rear wing, an aerodynamically optimised rear diffuser and an adjustable front diffuser. The power output increased to 375 kW (510 PS). As a result, the 911 GT3 completed a lap of the demanding Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes for the first time.
Moving to the 992.2 generation in 2024, Porsche further differentiated the available variants of the 911 GT3. For the first time, a rear seat system and a Lightweight Package are available for the 911 GT3 with Touring Package. The 911 GT3 can be equipped with the Weissach Package as an option. Both models are equipped as standard with aerodynamic features that were previously reserved for the 911 GT3 RS. The 911 GT3 continues to strive for the ideal line between racing and everyday usability.
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