There are plenty of detail changes to Porsche’s new 911 GT3, some of them significant, but the most important thing is yes, it is now available with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Following the outrageous demand for the manual-only 911R and Cayman GT4, Porsche has reintroduced three pedals and a lever, the six-speed ’box a bespoke unit rather than an adaption of the PDK gearbox like the regular 911’s seven-speed manual.
It drops the GT3’s weight to 1420kg (down 10kg), which combined with outputs increasing from 350kW/440Nm to 368kW/460Nm means the new GT3 matches the power-to-weight ratio of the previous 911 GT3 RS.
This power comes from a 4.0-litre flat-six that revs to 9000rpm, with internal weight and friction reduced courtesy of new pistons, bearings, crank case and lubrication system. A larger intake plenum also boosts mid-range torque.
Acceleration to 100km/h improves by 0.1sec for the PDK model to 3.4sec, with the manual 0.5sec slower at 3.9sec. Top speed for both variants nudges 320km/h.
All-wheel steering is once again standard, and the wheels remain centre-lock 20 inchers wearing track-ready Dunlop or Michelin tyres measuring 245/35 front and 305/30 rear.
Ride height has been dropped 25mm, but while the standard steel brakes are still 380mm rotors clamped by six-piston calipers front and four-piston rears, the optional carbon-ceramic stoppers now measure a whopping 410mm up front and 390mm at the back.
Styling tweaks front and rear are subtle, but downforce has increased by 20 per cent to 125kg at 300km/h. Inside there’s Porsche’s latest (and excellent) infotainment system, the option of four different types of seats as well as a roll cage and fire extinguisher if you’re a track day fan.
The new Porsche GT3 is scheduled to land in Australia in Q4 2017 at a price of $327,100.
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