► New 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring driven
► Now with added seats!
► Big uplift in cost to £157k in the UK
Never mind all the incredible engineering and devotion that the Porsche GT department has poured into the 992.2 version of the GT3 Touring – the headline that you need to know is that it’s now available with four seats. All the brilliance of the 911 GT3 in a car that can also take the kids to school: nirvana has been achieved.
At a glance
Pros: Pin-sharp handling, supportive seats, now available with four seats
Cons: Expensive options, only two colours as standard, big uplift in cost from the previous gen
What’s new?
Engine-wise, there aren’t any dramatic differences in the numbers. Gone are the days when a facelift from a German brand saw power and torque jump by significant amounts. With ever stricter emissions regulations, Porsche’s GT department was up against it even just to stand still.
As such, power remains at 503bhp while torque has actually dropped by 15lb ft. In fact, the power would have fallen compared to the previous car but thanks to a reshaped, smoother throttle valve and more aggressive cams (leading to longer opening times on both inlet and outlet), Porsche could achieve 503bhp.
There are other mitigation measures. Gear ratios that are eight shorter, and now the same as the limited-run S/T, should help make the car feel just as snappy as the old one. Additional cooling on the engine and brakes helps keep temperatures in check.
Chassis changes are just as significant. An adapted bump stop yields an extra 25mm of linear spring travel while there should be less dive under braking thanks to a lower front pivot point on the double wishbone suspension. Not as significant as switching to double wishbones up front, as happened in the 992.1, but still a noticeable improvement on track.
Weight is up but if you spec all the lightweight components (£29,223 – ouch!) it helps bring the facelifted car within touching distance of the 992.1 kerb weight.
What are the specs?
More numbers for you. There are new lightweight wheels available that shave 1.7kg off the unsprung mass. It’s possible to go even further with optional magnesium wheels, again shared with the S/T, that drops the unsprung mass by 9.1kg.
Kerbweight jumps from 1418kg to 1439kg but thanks to lightweighting across various elements – some standard, some optional – it’s possible to get the car’s weight back to 1420kg.
How does it drive?
Even better than ever. This is a car with a broader appeal than before, especially in Touring trim. The tweaked steering (still electrically assisted but with more feel and a more linear progression) is delicious and a delight to smoothly pivot from one corner to the next. It’s like stirring a spoon through treacle, balanced and less nervous than the 992.1.
It makes for a car that’s grown in maturity but without losing its sense of entertainment. There’s good damper comfort over most surfaces and a real sense of control and predictability, while the feedback and agility are as impressive as ever. As a road car, few can touch its combination of civility and tactility, with the short-throw manual (a PDK is a no-cost option) snicking between gears slickly.
What about the interior?
The digital dash is dominated by the central rev counter (you even get an option of rotating this so that the 9000rpm peak is top dead centre), while the touch screen in the middle falls easily to hand and there are enough physical switches to keep the operation of all the major controls simple.
The incredibly low-set seats are new, though. As before, you can spec your GT3 with lightweight carbon seats (£5390) but the difference this time is that these now split fold making it easier to get into the back of the car. Previously, that wasn’t such an important consideration, as GT3s never came with rear seats. But in this 992.2 generation, that’s all changed as Porsche has decided to add optional rear seats to the GT3 Touring. What’s even better is that they’re a no-cost option.
They also come with a removable headrest so you can more easily drive the car with a helmet because without the padding, you’re not forced to crane your neck forward.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
As we’ve said, there are two flavours of GT3 – winged or not. No other trim levels are available but you can go crazy on the configurator.
The main option to consider on the Touring version is the Lightweight pack (£29,233). It saves 22kg and gets lightweight bucket seats, a carbon roof, the lightweight door panel with door pull handle as well as a shortened GT-specific gear lever (but only with the manual). It also has carbon anti-roll bars and coupling rods on the rear axle as well as a rear shear panel made of carbon fibre. 20-/21-inch magnesium alloys are also included.
Although the Lightweight pack is a painful additional cost, I have a feeling you’ll have to stomach it to get the best return come resale time. These are the details that matter to GT customers.
The GT3 sits largely in its atmosphere at the moment, while Ferrari has no hardcore 296 and McLaren doesn’t make a Long Tail. Both will almost certainly come and when they do, it’ll be a great time to be alive.
Verdict
Outstanding. Torque might be down on the previous generation but every single one of the other changes made to the 992.2 GT3 have elevated the car even further. And now that it comes with four seats, it’s difficult to think of any other way to improve it.