The 911 is on the eve of a major update, which means that type 992.1 will be succeeded by type 992.2. A great moment for us to try one of the top 911s that we have not tested before: the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring with PDK transmission.
The lack of the rear spoiler makes it a bit more cuddly at first glance. And the Touring addition sounds like you can also enjoy traveling with it. As if it has become a kind of GT that can go very fast, but is comfortable enough to cruise to the south of France. Especially because it has that nice, sharp pinball machine. So, nice touring? Forget it.
Why the 911 Touring is not a long-distance cruiser
In normal driving mode the noise is quite loud: you hear the six cylinders grinding up and down in the block. If you put it in Sport, it becomes even more extreme. Drive into a tunnel and almost all traffic spontaneously moves aside for you, possibly out of fear. Initially because people think they hear that a pack of souped-up racing motorcycles is coming. Then they see a 911 nose with large air scoops looming in their rear-view mirror, which 0.1 second later drives half a kilometer in front of them. What we're saying is: the Touring is loud. Very loud.
And not just for bystanders. It has little sound insulation inside, so you hear everything the engine does. That's what you get when 510 horsepower from six cylinders enthusiastically wants to work with you up to 9,000 revolutions per minute. Don't think we're complaining, by the way. That loud thing, it has to be that way. After all, the GT3 is based on a racing car.
How much does this Porsche 911 cost?
With this 992.1 GT3 you don't get a rear seat, but you do get air conditioning and a complete multimedia system. That is also possible for the slightly more than 275,000 euros that you have to pay for it in the Netherlands. As usual, Belgians pay a lot less: 205,080 euros.
The test car we drive still has almost 47,000 euros worth of options. Think of even larger wheels, eighteen-way adjustable electric sports seats, carbon exterior mirrors, a 90-liter fuel tank, silver-colored stickers on the body and some other weight-increasing things. But yes, then you also have a very complete package. For the sake of it, we would say.
Too intense as a daily driver
As a daily car it is just too intense (for most people). If you want to drive a 911 with extra pizzazz, you'll have fun enough with a GTS. Even the basic Carrera is fine. Does it really have to be faster and can it cost a lot: get a Turbo. It is 1.1 seconds sooner at 100 than the GT3. And not comparable, but that's another story.
Most buyers have a GT3 for it. They want a car that can push you to the edge, especially on the track. In such a case we would go for the standard GT3, with an impressive spoiler. And then also in bright orange or something. With or without a rear wing, this is the ideal car for track days.
What you buy is a strong, performance-oriented, impeccably finished sports car that allows you to go all out, brake hard and attack corners unashamedly again and again. He doesn't budge, no matter what you do to him. With many supercars you have to be careful that everything continues to work after three full brakings, but with the GT3 you don't have to take that into account. It is really built to continue performing under high loads. And the joke is: such a PDK is a delight on the track, but equally so during traffic jams.
Specifications of the Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Touring (2024)
Engine
3,996 cc
six-cylinder boxer
510 hp @ 9,000 rpm
470 Nm @ 6,100 rpm
Drive
rear wheels
7v automatic
Performance
0-100 km/h in 3.9 s
top 320 km/h
Consumption (average)
12.9 l/100 km
292 g/km CO2 G label
Dimensions
4,573×1,852x
1,279 mm (lxwxh)
2,457 mm (wheelbase)
1,418 kg
64 l (petrol)
132 l (luggage)
Prices
€275,700 (NL)
€205,080 (B)
#Porsche #GT3 #Touring #PDK #gearbox #daily #driver