Porsche presents the new 911 GT3 with a family surprise

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Porsche has unveiled the new 911 GT3, and for the first time in its 25-year history, the track-ready sports car is available with rear seats.

Until now, the GT3 has been strictly a two-seater, eschewing the small, child-friendly rear seats that have given the 911 its practical points for the past 60 years. But now, for the first time, the GT3 can be ordered with those extra seats in place.

There is still a caveat, though. Rear seats (and a pair of new front bucket seats that fold down for easy access) are only available as an option on the new 911 GT3 with Touring package. The standard GT3 retains its track-ready character and is strictly a two-seater.

Both cars have received the same minor updates that Porsche introduced to the standard 911 Carrera earlier this year. This includes a sharp, streamlined front end with a reshaped front diffuser and redesigned headlights. At the rear, both GT3 versions get a subtly redesigned diffuser and air intakes.

Part of the 992.2 generation of the Porsche 911, the new GT3 has the same 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine used by the 992 introduced three years ago.

The new hybrid system debuted in the 911 GTS earlier this year is not present in the GT3, which instead has the same performance as its predecessor. That means 510PS of total power and a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 3.4 seconds for the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and 3.9 seconds for the six-speed manual . Torque is 450Nm, slightly down from the outgoing model’s 470Nm, and top speed is 193mph for the dual-clutch and 194mph for the manual, both also slightly down on the previous generation.

Despite the same 0-62mph times, Porsche says the new GT3 and GT3 Touring benefit from a final drive ratio that’s eight percent shorter than before. Combined with the GT3 RS’ revised cylinder heads and sharper camshafts, Porsche says this gives the new GT3 “even more dynamic performance in the upper engine speed range”.

As with the previous GT3 generation, the standard car gets a large rear wing and a set-up more suited to track days, while the Touring package removes the wing and gives the car a more road-oriented demeanor.

Inside, the GT3 and Touring eschew the push-button engine start of the latest 911 Carrera and instead retain the rotary key-shaped ignition switch. The same cannot be said for the previous generation’s physical rev counter, which is now replaced by a digital display. This has at least one advantage, as Porsche explains how the virtual rev counter can be rotated so that the 9,000 redline appears at the 12 o’clock position, if the driver prefers.

Also new is how the updated 911 GT3 can be purchased with the Weissach package for the first time. Previously only an option on the hardcore GT3 RS, the package uses carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the roof, sway bar, tie rods and cowl panel, as well as the spoiler side plates rear, the outer casings of the side mirrors and the air blades in the frontal area. The package also adds a roll cage and lightweight forged magnesium wheels are available as an additional option.

Alternatively, the GT3 is available with an optional Clubsport package at no cost, which includes a steel cage bolted to the rear of the cockpit, a six-point racing harness for the driver and a hand-held fire extinguisher.

Meanwhile, the new GT3 Touring can be bought with its own optional pack, called Leichtbau (which means lightweight). This also swaps some CFRP components, including the roof (which is painted to match the body colour), while the aforementioned magnesium wheels are included, along with lightweight door panels and, if you opt for the manual gearbox, the same shortened shifter. like the recent 911 S/T.

These packages are not cheap. The new car starts at £157,300 for both the GT3 and GT3 Touring, while the Weissach package for the GT3 costs £19,530 (or £15,597 without the safety box), with magnesium wheels costing an extra £13,760 .

Adding the new Leichtbau package to the GT3 Touring costs £29,225, but in this case the lightweight magnesium wheels (which save 9kg over the standard set) are included.

Speaking about the new 911 GT3, Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT Cars division, said: “The new 911 GT3 has become even more exciting and individual. We went into a lot of detail and gave it a lot of features that our customers wanted. This allows the GT3 to be tailored even more specifically to the driver’s purpose or preferences.”