New Porsche 911 GT3 revealed: track-focussed supercar gets a mid-life update

• New Porsche 911 GT3 revealed
• Track-focussed supercar gets a mid-life update
• Tweaked exterior styling
• Minor mechanical changes
• Suspension bits borrowed from the GT3 RS
• On sale now from £157,300

Porsche has given the 911 GT3 a mid-life update to celebrate the model’s 25th birthday. It gets some styling updates, new packages and a couple of minor mechanical changes.

You still get the same screaming 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine as before, and you can choose between the full-fat GT3 or a slightly more understated Touring version.

New Porsche 911 GT3 design

At a quick glance, the new Porsche 911 GT3 doesn’t appear to have changed much over the outgoing car. This shouldn’t come as a surprise though, after all the 911’s styling has just been slowly evolving for over 60 years now.

Starting up front, this new GT3 has new headlights courtesy of the recently revealed 911 GTS – only here they have an optional white ring surrounding them, and the front indicators have been moved off the lower bumper and into the main headlight unit.

As a result of this minor change the new front bumper can actually provide more downforce than before thanks to the tweaked vents, and it has improved airflow. This goes some way to improving both the handling. Down the side you have new aluminium wheels measuring 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear, and they’re 1.5kg lighter than the old rims. Magnesium wheels are available as an option which weigh 9kg less again.

Moving to the rear you get a slightly different wing with new, angled endplates, as well as a new decklid. The taillights are also slightly revised with a new, full-width light bar. Unlike with the outgoing GT3, there’s no wait for the toned-down Touring version. It’s available straight away, and does without the massive spoiler.

New Porsche 911 GT3 engine and performance

Underneath that revised deck lid is the same 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine as before, and it puts out the same 510hp and 450Nm of torque. It’s also available with the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, or with a six-speed manual.

Both of these transmissions have been tweaked with a shorter final drive ratio, just like on the 911 S/T, which basically makes the engine feel more responsive when you put your foot down. This hasn’t impacted the 0-60mph time though, because it completes the sprint in exactly the same time as before. The automatic will do it in 3.4 seconds, whereas the manual takes 3.9 seconds.

It does have new camshafts from the GT3 RS, as well as revised cylinder heads to improve the sound and character of the engine as you get higher up in the rev range. This again has no impact on the actual performance of the car, but it does make it feel more engaging.

New Porsche 911 GT3 option packs

You can now opt for a Weissach Pack on the new 911 GT3, something which was previously reserved only for RS models.

For an additional £15,600 the roof, rear anti-roll bar, rear wing endplates, mirror caps and front air intakes are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic to save weight. Add another £3,900 and you can have a full roll cage made of the same material.

If you don’t fancy spending the starting price of a small hatchback on some carbon fibre, you can opt for the Clubsport Pack which is a no-cost option. This includes a steel roll cage, six-point racing harnesses and a fire extinguisher for track driving.

Finally there’s the Leichbau – or Lightweight – package for the GT3 Touring. This adds the CFRP roof and rear suspension components, lightweight door cards, magnesium wheels and the shortened manual gear lever from the 911 S/T. You get all this for the princely sum of £29,225.

New Porsche 911 GT3 suspension and driving

A few tweaks have been made to the GT3’s suspension to make it even better on the track than before, including some nicked parts from the flagship GT3 RS.

The front wishbones have a similar teardrop shape to the RS, which both reduces drag and increases downforce at speed. The ball joints on the lower suspension arms have also been moved lower down to reduce pitching and diving and maintain balance under hard braking and acceleration, another component borrowed from the GT3’s big brother.

You get a new lithium-ion battery which saves 4kg, and the lightest GT3 now weighs just 1,420kg – around 10kg less than the outgoing car.

New Porsche 911 GT3 interior

Inside the new GT3 looks very similar to before. You still get the twist-to-start paddle, as opposed to the facelifted 911 GTS which has a more traditional start button. The analogue rev counter has been ditched however in favour of a digital one.

You can now also get adaptive front sports seats with 18-way electrical adjustment, and the Touring is available with optional rear seats for the first time. These go along with new CFRP folding bucket seats to provide access to the rear.

New Porsche 911 GT3 price: how much is it?

The new Porsche 911 GT3 is available to order now, with prices for both the standard car and the Touring starting from £157,300. That’s a whopping £30,000 more than the outgoing car, although it is a good few thousand pounds cheaper than a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S.

Obviously this price can be pushed up even further with the option packs. You’ll be splashing out £186,500 for a GT3 Touring with the Lightweight Pack, and with some other cosmetic options on top of that it’ll head close to £200,000.

Looking for an easy way to change your car? Then Carwow is the place to go. You can sell your old car for a great price, and get the best deals on a new one. All through our network of trusted dealers and all from the comfort of your home. Tap the button below to get started today.