- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 2 seats
- Engine
4.0i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
368kW, 460Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 12.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Review
For most, a car is a convenience to get from one place to another.
But machines like the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring are created for the journey and not the destination, with the pure pursuit of driving for pleasure at its core.
What that means is this isn’t a car for everyone - or even every day - but rather a selfish Sunday playtoy for those that get a thrill out of hitting the road with nowhere to go.
- Amazing engine
- Brilliant handling
- Doesn't shout look-at-me
- Heavy clutch
- Not the quickest supercar
- Not much storage space
Is it right for me?
The 911 GT3 Touring is essentially a less exclusive version of the limited edition 911 R that became an instant sell-out success a few years ago, and, in turn, created a few headaches for Porsche with speculators offloading them - and making hundreds of thousands of dollars - to those that missed out.
It is exactly the same car, albeit minus the stripes over the bonnet and the rarity of its build plaque, which itself was inspired by the iconic 1973 911 Carrera RS as a slightly more road-biased version of the race-ready GT3.
Can I afford it ?
Where the 911 R commanded a significant premium over the regular GT3 - each of the 25 cars that made it to Australia cost over $400,000 when it launched in 2016 - the Touring can be had for exactly the same price as the be-winged track-day machine, at $326,800 (plus on-road costs).
What do you get for your money?
And while that is a lot of money, what you get is a very special machine that offers all the driving thrills of the GT3 without so much of the look-at-me, boy-racer bodywork.
Sure, there’s the GT3’s gaping front bumper with its nostril air vent on the leading edge of the bonnet, a rear bumper with enlarged air ducts and central tailpipes, and there’s 20-inch centre-locking alloy wheels. But it really takes a Porsche-ophile to notice - and respect - the understated style of the Touring Package, particularly with our pure white test car, as it misses out on the oversized adjustable rear wing on the engine cover. Instead it features the pop-up blade from the standard 911 Carrera with a little gurney flap
Inside the cabin, the Touring Package swaps the GT3's Alcantara accents for genuine leather, there’s black aluminium dash inserts and the manually-adjustable race bucket seats have fabric trim on the cushions and leather on the bolsters.
While owners can choose to delete the air conditioning and multimedia system to save weight, the Touring comes standard with dual-zone ventilation and a 7.0-inch touch screen with sat nav, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.
How much does it cost to maintain?
All Porsche variants, including the GT3 Touring, are covered by a three-year warranty with roadside assistance. Service intervals are every year or 15,000km and costs alternate between $695 for an annual oil maintenance in the odd-numbered years and $995 for a full inspection every second year.
While the GT3 Touring isn’t as exclusive as the 911 R, it has above average residue value with Redbook claiming it will hold 70 percent of its price after the first three years.
Is it well built?
This is a car with meticulous attention to detail, even though it appears relatively simple and pared back. Developed by Porsche’s motorsport division by the same team that has dominated the World Endurance Championship and won Le Mans twice in the last three years, and as the basis for the car that races in Carrera Cup championships across the globe, everything about the 911 GT3 is designed to handle - and deliver - the most extreme driving experience.
What are the Standout features?
If anything, it’s the driving experience itself - rather than any individual element - that makes the 911 GT3 so special.
It’s that holistic way in which it all comes together, from the free-revving naturally-aspirated engine that sings to 9000rpm to the ultra-slick six-speed manual gearshift and the black magic within its chassis that delivers road holding beyond the boundaries of physics, that is near impossible to match.
What does it have that others don't?
The understated appearance of the Touring Package makes this the Clark Kent of supercars - which is a good thing for those that want to appreciate the purity of its engineering without the unwanted attention from gawkers, posers and - even - the authorities. It can be completely anonymous (as much as any Porsche can) and yet is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a… you know the rest.
How practical is it?
Well, this is unlikely to be the only car in the garage so its practicality (or lack thereof) isn’t going to be an issue for those that it appeals to most.
But it should be noted that, unlike regular 911 variants, the GT models have their back seats removed, making it a genuine two-seater sports coupe.
Is it comfortable?
As such, it shouldn’t be seen as a regular Porsche 911 either, which manages to amazingly meld a comfortable ride with superb handling.
The GT3 Touring trades some of the former for even more of the latter, with suspension that is stiffer and lower, tyres that are wider and grippier than normal, seats that are snug, and a body with a little less sound deadening in order to reduce weight.
Yes, it’s a little sharper and louder than a regular 911, and it’s best advised to choose the optional front-end lift kit to prevent the nose scraping when entering and exiting steep driveways, but there is something genuinely staggering about the compliance of its suspension, even though it features ball joints instead of elastic bushes, that makes it relatively comfortable to use everyday.
Easy in, easy out?
Those deep bucket seats, however, do require a bit more effort to extract yourself from than a regular 911. But, at least our test car wasn’t fitted with the optional Clubsport package that most GT3s are equipped with that includes a half roll cage, racing harnesses and a fire extinguisher in the passenger footwell.
Space and versatility?
Versatile? Not so much, as the 911 GT3’s narrow focus on performance means it is designed for one thing - and one thing only - and that is the simple pleasure of driving… quickly… on a nice stretch of road. It can’t tow a caravan. Or head off the beaten path. Or carry the family. It’s a sports car, and that is all.
But it isn’t a cramped one, with plenty of headroom, good vision (particularly without the rear wing), just enough hidey holes (there’s a shallow centre console for a phone and two pockets in each door) for smaller items and a front trunk that can accomodate a couple of soft bags, or your race suit and helmet for a track day.
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What's the engine like?
It’s a masterpiece. The 4.0-litre horizontally-opposed six-cylinder might not create headline numbers in supercar circles - with 368kW of power at a dizzying 8250rpm and just 460Nm at an equally sky high 6000rpm - but very few motors have the kind of elasticity offered by the naturally-aspirated big six.
Without turbo chargers, the throttle response is instantaneous anywhere across its rev range while its low-friction dual-mass flywheel helps it spin quickly to speeds well beyond most others.
Oh, and the noise it makes it something else; building from a deep-chested roar under load to a screaming, high-pitched wail between 7000rpm and its 9000rpm ceiling.
While it breathes easily in that rarified air, it is equally as happy loping along under 2000rpm around town. It truly is one of the world’s greatest engines.
How much fuel does it consume?
And we should enjoy it while it still exists, because with an average fuel consumption of 12.9L/100km on the government cycle (which is near impossible to match if you use it as it is intended to) cars like this may not be around forever.
Is it enjoyable to drive?
That is the 911 GT3’s single purpose - at least for those that appreciate the purity of a completely analogue experience, as it is not a car you simply twist the key, stick in D and off you go.
This is a car where every element needs to be worked, even in the simplest of situations. For starters, with the six-speed manual transmission, the combination of its heavy clutch, light flywheel and the free-revving engine means you will either stall it or ride the clutch with too many revs on board for the first few getaways. You might even crunch a cog or two being too lazy with its beautifully-mechanical, quick shift gear lever.
And you’re unlikely to find its extreme handling abilities in the first five minutes either.
Instead, you have to build up to the GT3, learning its idiosyncrasies one step at a time - like painting by numbers - while it reveals itself. And, unlike some other supercars that can be either cold or even condescending when you’re not extracting its ultimate performance from the get-go, the GT3 gently rewards you with each step, granting you with what seems like the most thrilling experience on wheels and then asking for - and offering - a little bit more.
Does it perform as you expect?
In an age where even the greatest machines on the planet are somewhat diluted by technology, the Porsche 911 GT3 retains a sense of purity and engagement that makes it stand out.
Yet the Touring Package hides that intent with its subtlety. It doesn’t scream look-at-me. Instead, it just screams.
And, personally, it’s on the Lotto list as part of my dream garage.
2018 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Price and Specifications
Price: $326,800 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol
Power: 368kW at 8250rpm
Torque: 460Nm at 6000rpm
Transmission: six-speed manual, RWD
Fuel use: 12.9L/100km