Words - Ossian Jones
Photography - Tom Kahler & Superfast Photography
The Porsche 911, arguably one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history. First introduced in September 1964, iterations of the model have been sold, raced, and driven worldwide, from Safari models exploring the wilderness of Africa to filling the podium at the 24 hours of Le Mans. The GT3 has been an integral part of the 911 lineup for some time now, and this 503hp monster redlines at 8,400 rpm and launches to 62mph in an officially claimed 3.7 seconds - but that feels much quicker from where I'm sat. The 6-speed manual transmission allows the driver to be the puppetmaster of the screaming flat 6 boxer engine mounted behind the rear axle.
A Tuesday afternoon turned evening in autumn, now just after eight. The sun was setting and the roads were clear, perfect for a quick loop around the hills in the Peak District before the last of the days light died. The naturally aspirated 4.0 litre motor creates a feeling of utter excitement. Acceleration that leaves your stomach behind and an exhaust tune paired with it that could win song of the year at the Grammys - this generation of the GT3 is special. A suggestion from the passenger seat, we turn off the road we have been following for some time, now in the shadow of the large edges that we were just riding along. We're now powering down a narrow country lane, taking a right at a fork in the road sweeping around into a promenade with arched trees leading the way. The dark blue ambient light in the footwell is more visible now, illuminating the classic three-pedal setup. Returning to the roads we're more familiar with, the last of the sun dips below the horizon, lighting the sky up a beautiful pink, and I notice the moon rising in the wing mirror, it's only thin, but still bright enough for this time of night. The rear wheels spin as we skip over the uneven lanes that thread through the rolling hills.
The 992 generation of 911 was introduced in 2018, the successor to the mightily successful 991 platform, which was also used to race and win in category at the 24 hours of Le Mans. The 992 turbo variant was introduced in 2020, and a year later the GT3 was announced. The swan neck rear wing on the GT3 creates an aggressive racing look, which has clear inspiration from the 991 RSR Le Mans cars. In all 991 GT3 variants, the touring specification was few and far between and is now such a rarity that prices have skyrocketed in some cases, whereas in this case, the 992 touring is a preferred option for owners as they are seen just as frequently, if not more so than the model with the wing. The touring version provides the owner with a more subtle, less shouty look while maintaining the power and experience for the driver. There is also plenty of legroom for the passenger and even space for a small bag by their feet. The carbon sports seats are comfortable, padded, and moulded to hold you tight as you hop and skip down the road.
The only drawback to these seats though - is due to their nature of being in a fixed, unadjustable position, access to the space behind them is limited, very limited. There is enough space for several large bags behind the seats, but unless they are ok being squashed past them, this is not an option. This lack of practicality can be dodged - sort of… that is if you can travel light enough to fit everything in the front boot space, and at the feet of the passenger. A perfect recipe for long road trips and many hours behind the wheel. This is supported by the infotainment which works just fine for streaming music from your phone or accessing satellite navigation. This is all complimented by the little elements of this specifications interior; interior accents painted in Gentian Blue to match the exterior, embroidery on the headrests to remind you what you are driving - as if you could ever forget, and yellow contrasting accents on the gearstick, that’s what makes this example’s interior so wonderful.
In an age where sports cars are more computer than ever, the manual gearbox of the GT3 brings back the relationship between the driver and their machine and gives an element of control to reign in the 510 PS at their disposal. The Gentian Blue of this spec blends in with the night sky, the first of the stars reflecting in the deep blue bonnet, dotted between the reflections of our surroundings, gone before you can process them
As the stars now flooded the sky, we turned homeward, enough fun for one evening, that would be topped off with some moonlit navigation of the fast and winding countryside roads that made up the picturesque national park. The laser LEDs map out the road ahead, complimented by the 4 light silhouettes in the oval headlamps, a nod to past Porsches. On the dash, the centrally mounted chronometer’s hands swept their way around, signaling it was now 9.20 pm, time really does fly when you're in a GT3 touring. The lights of Sheffield were now in front of us, each representing someone else’s Tuesday evening, still, probably not as fun as mine. The last roaring downshift sends a shiver down my spine as the 30 mph speed limit sign appears into view, and I take a deep breath, taking in everything that I had just experienced - wow!
The acceleration might not be as fast as some modern Ferraris, and no, you do not get their screaming V12s either, but for half the price of a new 812 Superfast, you certainly don’t get half the experience, and if something does go wrong, the invoice will probably be a little less eye-watering.
Overall, this GT3 Touring is a masterpiece, and gives you an experience that takes control of you, and leaves an everlasting imprint, a very good one at that.
