2025 Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2) | PH Review

Even with the rest of the 992 range as good as it is, the GT3 remains in a class of its own. As the Carreras and Turbos and Targas of the world evolve and mellow into everyday super tourers, so we look to the GT cars for the essence of a 911: rear-wheel drive, natural aspiration, not very much weight and a huge amount of fun. The GT3 should – indeed, must – be the kind of 911 that made us love Porsche’s most famous car in the first place. A harder job than ever in 2025.

On the face of it – we’ll say it before you do – not much appears to have changed for this latest 992.2 GT3. ‘Twas ever thus: the new front end is smart, less goofy than before, the optional magnesium wheels are pretty glorious and the digital rev counter really isn’t the end of the world. Nobody will confuse it for a Carrera (even as a Touring, because the stance is so racy), though only the diehards will pick out the evolutionary changes. Like you expected anything different. Under the skin a fair amount is different however; the 510hp 4.0-litre flat-six appears unchanged (because the last one had a 510hp 4.0-litre flat-six), but there are now four catalysts to keep it compliant with various emissions rules, then new cams and ‘flow-optimised throttle valves’ to make up what they sap away. It’s a weird world now, spoilt by turbos and hybrid assistance, where 332lb ft doesn’t look much to shift 1,400kg or so of GT3 – and it’s actually less than the old car 347lb ft, which the eight per cent shorter final drive aims to address, keeping the car accelerating just as hard as before. 

There are steering changes as well, aimed at reducing the friction in the rack and improving off-centre feel, and anti-dive suspension technology from the RS. Changes to the damper, with a smaller bump stop than before, should mean another inch of linear travel right at the limit, for those who like playing Carrera Cup on a track day. There’s some additional CFRP bracing underneath and downforce ‘at a comparable level to the predecessor.’ Again, as is familiar from the past 20-odd years, it reads like an update and improvement of what the GT3 was good at, rather than an all-out overhaul. Thank goodness this was already a 510hp 911 capable of lapping the Nordschleife in less than seven minutes and winning five-star reviews all over. In need of enormous modification, it was not. 

Perhaps the biggest change buyers will notice is the increased scope for personalisation now on offer to anyone who actually gets a GT3 allocation. It’s in response to a customer survey that Porsche conducted which found buyers specifically wanted more lightweight options – hence Weissach for the winged car and Lightweight for the Touring this time around – as well as more individualisation extras. Accordingly, the configurator now offers almost every possible surface with Race-Tex, carbon or leather, to the extent that the central air vents can be painted, then surrounded with Race-Tex that has stitching to match the vent colour. For £1,161. Wheels can be painted high-gloss California Gold (which looks a lot better than painted vents, in fairness). The only standard colour options are black or white – even Guards Red is now a £1,704 option. Which is hard not to see as a bit mean, when the car is already tens of thousands more than the old GT3. Then again, if people have requested more options, Porsche is hardly likely to blink (for obvious reasons). Just don’t be surprised to see your dream configuration end up scarily near £200k. 

Our first driving experience of the new car comes in a Weissach Pack’d, PDK’d, Cup 2 R’d car with a wing at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit. As hardcore as it’s possible to get a GT3, and the ones that’ll probably be for sale soonest. And wouldn’t you know, it’s pretty damn wonderful. The steering seems to have benefitted from the changes, more direct and maybe a tad more feelsome than before, though the construction of Michelin Cup 2Rs does tend to lend a bit more life to steering anyway. So it’s hard to be absolutely definitive, though certainly it was even easier to be confident with turn-in and gauge grip this time around. 

The gearing makes a significant difference, all for the better. Not only are you kept busier on the paddles (or the stick) because of ripping through the gears faster, it also means third can be carried where previously you might have felt compelled to get second. So there are options for cornering depending on mood. Definitely this GT3 didn’t feel any slower than previous versions. And more exposure to 9,000rpm, plus the baying din you’d happily lose hearing for, must be a good thing. If Porsche said there were fewer filters and cats than before rather than more, you’d believe it. 

Stability isn’t quite at RS levels, understandably, though this remains an eminently friendly and approachable – as well as obscenely capable – track car. Braking was always a strong suit, of course, though now a GT3 feels even more unperturbed when jumping on the pedal as late and hard as you dare. Kerbs can be clubbed, intentionally or otherwise, without drama, and only the briefest flicker of a stability control light will hint at any duress. Without that there is no perceptible intervention.

All of which potentially sounds a bit dull, but the GT3 is anything but. Partly because of the powertrain, but also because every aspect of the GT3 ensures that it’s such an engrossing experience. There’s feel and weight and substance to the controls – more so than any other 911 – so even with a formidable chassis beneath it feels like you’re imparting some say on what’s happening. Despite those cheat code Michelins, there are subtle adjustments to be made with throttle and brake; even if that’s by accident rather than design, the inherent friendliness is welcome. Whatever your level, the GT3 can always raise its game to accommodate, and engage amateurs to seasoned racers. Which means you’re not likely to stop lapping, put it that way. Expect an ever so slightly faster Nurburgring lap to come when the weather warms. Then a Manthey kit. And, actually, to have even more fun on the regular Cup 2 Michelin – the super sticky R with just 332lb ft did feel a bit like overkill, especially as GT3s never feel better than when between grip and slip.

If anything, this is an even more enjoyable car away from the circuit; if toned down a little by the standards of the model with just the standard tyre, a manual gearbox and no cage, it’s an utterly absorbing road-going sports car. It’s a car characterised by perfect compromises: supple enough to be comfortable yet taut enough to feel alive, alert because of the four-wheel steer but never nervous, exhilarating to chase every rev in while also agreeable company at low and cruising speeds. The gearing again makes a big difference; while a second gear that’s good for 70-ish and a third that’s all out by a hundred isn’t exactly sprint spec, Cayman GT4s that would do 116mph in third gear aren’t ancient history. So the combination of 9,000rpm, 510hp, six nicely spaced gears and the rush that comes from about 5,500rpm or so means that a GT3 is always a vivid, thrilling partner. The shorter lever for the Leichtbau package is a wonderful addition, though probably the overall £29,223 package, saving 22kg with a carbon roof, lighter seats and the magnesium wheels, plus some other goodies, is hard to justify. Meaning – remember the survey – it’ll probably be lapped up. 

The GT3 is one of those cars where you don’t want a good road to end. You’ll always want just one more hit of that brake pedal, one more downshift blip, one more perfect compression and rebound over a yump, one more apex clip you’ve planned for hundreds of metres… GT3s have done this before, of course, but as so many cars stray further and further from what makes a truly memorable experience it’s hard not to be enamoured like it’s the first time all over again. Without S/T miles it’s hard to know how the ultimate 992s compare, though it was hard to find meaningful fault on this isolated drive. A manual GT3 remains one of the most rewarding and exciting cars on sale. Of that there is no doubt. 

Wider flaws are pretty few and far between, as might be expected. It’s a shame that the damper mode button has been relegated to the screen to make way for one that toggles the assistance features, but it’s seldom that the additional support is ever really necessary on the road. Turning off lane keep and whatnot requires easy access more regularly. The rev-match on our manual car was misbehaving, making a sound like a rev limiter when returning to, say, 4,500rpm or so; all the more reason to turn it off and sort the shifts out on your own. Less excusable were the new foldable carbon bucket seats, which developed an irritating squeak when cornering on more than one test car. All of which had covered 2,000km or less. They cost £5,000 and really should be sorted before customers take delivery. 

Nevertheless, it’s hard to come away from the 992.2 GT3 regarding it as anything less than a world-beating all-round sports car. Because it does everything that’s required of a modern Porsche, while also boasting the kind of traditional, mechanical exhilaration that so few new cars now possess. The bandwidth is such that it could serve as both everyday 911 and something for special occasions with equal aplomb. For those not on their dealers’ preferred list, it might be a hard one to justify given how many 992.1 GT3s are out there – 42 on PH right now, from £145k, and there are 49 combined 996, 997 and 991 non-RS GT3s available – as well as how much will be asked for these. But for the chosen few – even at a higher RRP than ever – the GT3 ought to feel like money very well spent. New Porsches simply don’t get any better.

Engine: 3,996cc, flat-six
Transmission: 7-speed PDK/6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 510@8,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 332@6,250rpm
0-62mph: 3.4 seconds (3.9 manual)
Top speed: 193mph (194mph Touring)
Weight: 1,439kg (DIN, 1,420kg with Weissach/Lightweight)
MPG: 20.5-20.6
CO2: 310-312g/km (WLTP)
Price: £157,300