For those who prefer their 992 911 GT3 to be just that little bit more understated.
To those who have been eyeing up the latest and greatest 992 911 GT3 but think its big wing is just that little bit too over the top for your tastes, well there is good news from Porsche as has recently announced the arrival of its wing-less Touring equivalent.
The second time Porsche has stuck the Touring name on the GT3, this latest addition to the 992 lineup is in essence just the German sports car manufacturer’s way of offering a rear-wing delete option on its most driver-focused flavour of 911. Having said that however, there are actually a few more subtle differences that just the ditching of its massive static swan-neck rear spoiler in favour of an automatically extending alternative.
Starting up front for instance, the more subdued spec of GT3 gains a bespoke lower-grille, a colour-coded front splitter and tinted headlights. This new subtler overall aesthetic is further complemented by aluminium window outlines down the side, with silver tail pipe finishers and a ‘Touring’ rear emblem completing the look.
Moving on inside meanwhile, the GT3 Touring adds a little bit more luxury within the cabin than its winged counterpart courtesy of the standard inclusion of the extended leather upholstery package. The door sills, dashboard trim and centre console also come as standard in brushed black aluminium in this particular spec of 911.
That however pretty much concludes the differences between the Touring and the regular GT3, as everything else is virtually identical between these two variants. This naturally includes the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat six hanging off the back of it of course, which still outputs the same 503 hp and 470 Nm of torque.
Its performance figures of this wingless variant is no less blistering than its winged counterpart too, with Porsche claiming the six-speed manual models completing the century sprint in 3.9 seconds and having a V-Max of 320 km/h (190 mph). The 7-speed PDK variants on the other hand shaves 0.5 seconds off its 0-100 km/h time, but loses 3 km/h in its top speed in the process.
Costing the same as the standard GT3, the GT3 Touring is set to retail in North America for $161,100 (RM 660,000). One interesting thing to note though for Californians is that due to a quirk with the state’s noise restriction regulations, only the PDK option will be available for sale over there for the time being.
As for when the 911 GT3 Touring will arrive in Malaysia on the other hand, this is actually more a question of if, considering that the prior iteration of this more subdued GT3 wasn’t officially offered over here. Rest assured however that its fully-winged equivalent would be making its way here in due course, as will most likely its even wilder RS counterpart when that is officially unveiled sometime down the line.
PRESS RELEASE: A high-performance athlete that does not show off about its talent, and loves understatement: that is the new Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring package. The seventh edition of the powerful GT car can now be ordered with the equipment package that proved extremely popular for its predecessor.
This purist and powerful 375 kW 911 GT3 with a weight of just 1,418 kilograms is delivered with a six-speed GT sports gearbox as standard. For the first time, the Touring package can also be combined with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission at no extra cost.
The exterior’s most conspicuous difference is the omission of the fixed rear wing of the 911 GT3. The necessary downforce at high speeds and even more understatement are guaranteed by an automatically extending rear spoiler. Silver-coloured trim strips made of high-gloss anodised aluminium on the side windows are another distinguishing feature that underline the newcomer’s discreet appearance. The front end is painted completely in the exterior colour. The interior, with extended leather items in Black, is particularly elegant and is available exclusively for the GT3 with Touring package. The front of the dashboard and the upper side sections of the door trim panels have special surface embossing.
The name ‘Touring package’ goes back to an equipment variant of the 911 Carrera RS from the 1973 model year. Back then, the focus was already on purist 911 design and elements of a classic interior. Porsche revived the idea again in 2017, and for the first time again offered a Touring package for the previous generation of the 911 GT3, the Type 991. Since then, this variant has appealed above all to lovers of top-class sports cars with a pronounced passion for understatement and classic driving pleasure.
The exterior and interior details
A rear lid grille with the ‘GT3 touring’ logo in unique design is located over the high-revving engine. The trim strips of the side windows and the tailpipes of the sports exhaust system are silver-coloured. These elements are finished in satin-gloss Black in the GT3. The front light modules are dark-tinted in this case.
The 911 GT3 with Touring package also offers the atmosphere of a classic sports car in the interior. The steering wheel rim, gear/selector lever, cover of the centre console, armrests in the door panels and the door handles are covered in black leather. The partial leather interior features black stitching. The seat centre panels are covered with black fabric, and the roofliner is also black. The head restraints bear embossed Porsche Crests. The door entry guards and trim elements on the dashboard and centre console are made of brushed black aluminium.
Porsche also offers almost all the optional equipment for the 911 GT3 in combination with the Touring package. This includes all exterior and wheel colours, LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System and Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus, various assist systems, PCCB ceramic braking system, the lift system on the front axle, all seat variants, the Chrono package and the audio systems.
Chronograph from Porsche Design
Porsche Design also offers a very special chronograph for customers of the 911 GT3 with Touring package. The timepiece features a movement with flyback function. The winding rotor evokes the vehicle’s wheel design and is available in six different versions corresponding to the vehicle configuration. The dial bezel in Agate Grey Metallic is based on the vehicle’s paint finish. The dial itself has a matte black finish, while the luminous yellow chronograph hands match the colour of the rev counter. The chronograph 911 GT3 with Touring package is worn with a strap made of Porsche vehicle leather with ‘GT3’ embossing. The black decorative stitching with Porsche vehicle thread adds a finishing touch to the strap. The chronograph is produced by the company’s own Swiss watchmaking factory and is exclusively reserved for GT3 owners.
With know-how from motorsport: the Porsche 911 GT3
With the seventh edition of this high-performance sports car, Porsche has transferred racing technology to a production model more systematically than ever before: the double-wishbone front suspension as well as the uncompromising aerodynamics with swan-neck rear wing – excluded from the Touring package – and striking diffuser originate from the successful 911 RSR GT racing car, and the 375 kW (510 PS) 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine is based on the drive unit of 911 GT3 R tried and tested in endurance racing.
Despite a wider body, larger wheels and additional technical features, the weight of the new GT3 is on a par with its predecessor. It weighs 1,418 kg with the manual transmission and 1,435 kg with the Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK). The carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) bonnet, lightweight glass windows and forged alloy wheels exemplify the focus on weight-saving, as does the lightweight sports exhaust system.
Its racing genes are expressed in practically all the details of the new 911 GT3. The cockpit is equipped with a track screen for the first time: at the push of a button, the digital displays on the left and right of the central rev counter are reduced to the essential information on tyre and oil pressure, oil and coolant temperature and fuel tank fill level. The 911 GT3 has an easily accessible Mode switch on the steering wheel. This facilitates fast switching between Normal settings and the customisable Sport and Track modes.
