Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package: Pure Motorsport in Understated Attire
When Porsche pulled the wraps off the 911 GT3 with Touring Package at the 67th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, it addressed a very specific, passionately voiced demand from the sports car community. Enthusiasts craved the raw mechanical violence of the motorsport department’s 4.0-litre atmospheric flat-six engine and the three-pedal engagement of a six-speed manual gearbox, yet wished to forgo the towering rear wing and extroverted aerodynamic appendages that turn every visit to a city center or countryside gathering into an impromptu car show.
The name itself is steeped in Porsche history. The Touring Package designation directly revives an equipment option first seen on the 911 Carrera RS for the 1973 model year. Back then, customers seeking the pure road-going essence of the Carrera RS could order the Touring specification (Option M472), replacing stripped-down competition austerity with soundproofing, refined upholstery, and classic road manners without diluting the mechanical brilliance under the skin. Four decades later, this 991.2-generation GT3 adopts precisely the same purist philosophy: race-honed running gear concealed within a subtle silhouette.
Crucially, this is not a softened or re-tuned derivative. Underneath its understated rear deck lid, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package is mechanically identical to the regular winged 911 GT3. Porsche offers the package as a genuine no-cost option, inviting drivers to choose their visual statement purely based on personal taste rather than budgetary considerations or mechanical compromise.
Subtle Styling and Tailored Aerodynamics
Viewed from the front, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package retains the purposeful, wide-track presence of the standard GT3. The specially sculpted front apron features large cooling intakes designed to feed radiators and front brakes, alongside the distinct air outlet slit cut cleanly across the front luggage compartment lid. The bodywork sits 25 millimetres lower than a standard 911 Carrera, hunkering down aggressively over wide-set rolling stock. Across the rear wheel arches, the wide GT body measures 44 millimetres broader than a base Carrera, giving the coupe a planted stance that hints at its true capabilities.
The key visual distinction emerges at the tail. The immense, twin-tier fixed carbon-fiber wing of the regular GT3 is completely omitted. In its place sits the variable rear spoiler derived from the series-production Carrera, modified specifically for this application with a subtle, body-colored aerodynamic lip known as a Gurney flap or tear-off edge. This small lip balances downforce across both axles, maintaining high-speed aerodynamic stability when the spoiler automatically extends at pace. The bespoke engine lid grille wears an anodised badge marked with the “GT3 touring” script.
Brightwork around the exterior further underscores the classic Grand Touring aesthetic. Silver anodised aluminium trims frame the side window apertures, accompanied by silver-finished dual central exhaust tailpipes and silver headlight washer nozzles. At the rear, the Porsche script is also rendered in a bright silver finish. For buyers who prefer a stealthier, monochromatic appearance, Porsche offers the optional Black Exterior Touring Package, which swaps the bright silver window surrounds, exhaust tips, and washer covers for high-gloss black components and adds dark-tinted lenses to both the front headlights and taillights.
A Classic Driver-Focused Interior
Step inside, and the cabin environment deliberately reflects the classic road-going character of a traditional sports car. Whereas the winged GT3 comes swathed in race-oriented Alcantara and synthetic microfibers, the Touring Package introduces supple, smooth-finish black leather across key touchpoints. The rim of the three-spoke sports steering wheel—complete with its subtle 12 o’clock center marking—is wrapped entirely in smooth black hide. The manual gearshift lever, door panel armrests, central storage console lid, and interior door pull handles are all finished in matching leather.
The seat upholstery follows the same purist theme. The center inserts of the sports seats are trimmed in black woven fabric, providing exceptional grip and breathable comfort during spirited driving. Headrests carry embossed Porsche crests, and every seam throughout the partial leather interior is carefully sewn with black contrast thread. Brushed aluminium trim strips finished in deep black line the dashboard and center console, creating a cohesive, restrained ambiance that avoids unnecessary flashiness.
Because the Touring Package is dedicated to the road rather than timed track sessions, the roll cage and harness mounts of the traditional Clubsport package are omitted from this equipment variant. However, virtually every other functional and personalization option from the GT3 catalogue remains available. Customers can specify the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system, a hydraulic front-axle lift system to negotiate steep garage ramps, LED headlamps, the Sport Chrono Package with analog stopwatch, upgraded audio systems, and Porsche’s full palette of standard and custom exterior paint options.
High-Revving 4.0-Litre Atmospheric Flat-Six
Mounted far out over the rear axle is the mechanical centerpiece of the car: Porsche’s glorious naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six boxer engine. Developing 500 horsepower (368 kW) and 460 Nm of torque, this high-revving direct-injection powerplant is lifted straight out of Weissach’s factory motorsport program. It shares critical components and its stiff valvetrain geometry directly with the 911 RSR endurance racer and the 911 GT3 Cup car, boasting the largest displacement and highest power output ever engineered for an atmospheric road-going Porsche flat-six.
Unlike turbocharged modern sports cars that deliver heavy low-end boost and run out of breath near 6,500 rpm, this 4.0-litre engine craves engine speed. The crankshaft spins cleanly all the way to an astonishing 9,000 rpm redline. Power builds linearly and relentlessly across the rev range, accompanied by an intoxicating, metallic flat-six howl through the central dual exhaust pipes that sharpens into a ferocious roar as the needle sweeps toward nine grand.
Crucially, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package is offered exclusively with a six-speed GT sports manual transmission. Porsche’s dual-clutch PDK transmission is deliberately excluded from this specification. The six-speed gearbox features short, mechanical throws and closely spaced gear ratios meticulously tuned to the power band of the atmospheric motor. Power routes rearward to a mechanical rear limited-slip differential paired with Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), which selectively pulses the inside rear brake to pull the nose tightly toward the apex during aggressive corner entry.
Downshifts are enhanced by an automatic throttle-blipping function activated via the “Sport” button on the center console. When engaged, electronics read the clutch pedal movement and blip the throttle during downshifts to perfectly synchronise gear and shaft speeds, preventing rear-axle lockup and filling the cabin with crisp, motorsport-grade rev matches on entry to every bend.
Chassis Dynamics and Rear-Axle Steering
Beneath the discreet skin lies the full motorsport suspension developed by Porsche’s racing department at Flacht. The chassis relies on adjustable coil-over dampers featuring Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), allowing the driver to stiffen damping rates for smooth mountain tarmac or track use. Solid ball joints replace rubber bushings in key suspension links, ensuring razor-sharp steering inputs and immediate chassis feedback without the numbness typical of standard road cars.
A central pillar of the car’s agility is standard active rear-axle steering. Electro-mechanical actuators adjust the toe angle of the rear wheels in response to vehicle speed and driver inputs. At lower speeds, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels, effectively shortening the virtual wheelbase, shrinking the turning circle, and making the car dart eagerly into tight hairpins. At higher speeds, the system turns the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, extending the virtual wheelbase to deliver rock-solid stability during sudden lane changes and sweeping sweepers.
Rolling hardware matches the demands of a 500-horsepower chassis. The Touring Package rides on 20-inch forged aluminium wheels secured with central locking nuts directly inspired by endurance racing. Up front, 245/35 ZR 20 high-performance tyres wrap around 9-inch-wide wheels, delivering tremendous turn-in bite and steering precision. Out back, massive 305/30 ZR 20 tyres sit on 12-inch rims, generating huge mechanical traction to put 460 Nm of torque down cleanly onto the tarmac.
Even with a manual gearbox and no aerodynamic wing pressing down on the tail, straight-line performance is blistering. The 911 GT3 with Touring Package sprints from a standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.9 seconds. Given sufficient unrestricted asphalt, the understated coupe pushes cleanly on to a top speed of 196 mph (316 km/h).
Digital Connectivity and Driving Telemetry
While the mechanical core remains purely analog, the cockpit incorporates Porsche’s latest digital infotainment and communication systems. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) unit sits prominently in the center console, equipped with high-resolution touchscreen controls and an online satellite navigation module with real-time traffic data. The Connect Plus module integrates smartphone tethering and connected vehicle services seamlessly into everyday road driving.
For drivers who still wish to assess their driving technique, the Porsche Track Precision app is fitted as standard equipment. By synchronising directly with the onboard telemetry control unit, the smartphone application records detailed vehicle dynamics data including throttle position, steering angle, braking force, and lateral G-forces. Drivers can record track laps or technical road sections, evaluate sector times, and analyze telemetry traces on their mobile screen to hone their car control and braking points.
Every customer taking delivery also receives an invitation to a bespoke driving program at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone, where factory instructors assist owners in mastering the car’s dynamic limits across low-friction handling courses and dynamic handling circuits. In every respect, the 911 GT3 with Touring Package represents an uncompromising driver’s car: race-bred capability wrapped in an enduring, quiet elegance.
Vehicle data
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Make | Porsche |
| Model | 911 GT3 with Touring Package |
| Generation / chassis code | 991.2 |
| Model year(s) covered | 2018 |
| Body style | 2-door coupe |
| Powertrain / engine | 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six boxer engine |
| Power / torque | 500 hp (368 kW) / 460 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed GT sports manual transmission |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive (mechanical limited-slip differential with PTV) |
| Key performance figures | 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds; top speed 196 mph (316 km/h); 9,000 rpm redline |
| Price (as stated) | No extra cost over standard 911 GT3 |
| On-sale / announcement period | September 2017 (Frankfurt Motor Show IAA) |
| Market | Global / Europe / UK |