The 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Unleashed – Manual Shifting Driving Nirvana

Porsche have officially unleashed its most puristic form of an untamed street beast – the 2021 (992) Porsche 911 GT3 Touring.

The name ‘Touring package’ goes back to an equipment variant of the 1973 911 Carrera RS. Back then, the focus was already on purist 911 design and elements of a classic interior. Porsche revived the idea again in 2017, and for the first time again offered a Touring package for the previous generation of the 911 GT3, the Type 991. 

Essentially, the GT3 Touring is a celebration of simplicity and driving nirvana in equal amounts; Porsche pares down the racing bits of track-ready 911 GT3, whilst keeping all of its unadulterated power and chassis engineering firmly intact. Add to that, a slick-shifting seven-speed manual transmission and the GT3 Touring guarantees a driving experience like no other within the Porsche stable. Now for the first time – the 2021 911 GT3 Touring will also include an option of a seven-speed Porsche PDK dual-clutch transmission at no extra cost.

The exterior’s most conspicuous difference is the omission of the fixed rear wing of the 911 GT3, in place is a powered extending rear spoiler that according to Porsche provides the necessary downforce at high speeds while keeping the exterior lines clean. However, the striking and functional rear diffuser which originates from the successful 911 RSR GT racing car is present and accounted for.

Along the flanks, silver-coloured trim strips made of high-gloss anodised aluminium on the side windows are another distinguishing feature that underlines the newcomer’s understated appearance.

Upfront, the keen-eyed will spot that the lower regions of the 2021 911 GT3 Touring’s front bumper are finished in the car’s exterior colour, versus the similar regions painted in contrasting black on the GT3. Other stylistic details include satin-gloss black finish of the exhaust tailpipes, dark-tinted front light modules and subtle ‘GT3 touring’ logo located on the engine lid grille.

On the inside – the Touring package also offers the atmosphere of a classic sports car but with all the modern-day creature comforts and functionality of high-performance Porsche. The steering wheel rim, gear/selector lever, centre console cover, armrests in the door panels and the door handles are covered in black leather.

The partial leather interior features black stitching, a black roofliner and seat centre panels are covered with black fabric replete with embossed Porsche Crests on the headrest section.

Porsche also offers almost all the optional equipment for the 911 GT3 in combination with the Touring package. This includes all exterior and wheel colours, LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System and Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus, the front-axle lift system and finally the Porsche PCCB carbon-ceramic brakes.

Classy and understated though it may be, underneath, the 2021 911 GT3 Touring remains a bonafide driving machine. Power comes from the proven 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine based on the drive unit of the 911 GT3 R endurance racer. Peak power is rated at 510PS which corresponds to a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds (GT3) with the PDK transmission.

Despite a wider body, larger wheels and additional technical features, the weight of the new GT3 is on a par with its predecessor.

With the manual gearbox, it weighs 1,418 kg, and 1,435kgs with the PDK transmission. Weight has been kept down courtesy of a front bonnet made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), lightweight glass windows, lightweight rear seat compartment, weight-optimised brake discs and forged light-alloy wheels.

As the Touring package is now offered as a no-cost option of the 911 GT3, it costs exactly the same, prices start from GBP127,820 in the UK. The previous generation (991) 911 GT3RS was offered in Malaysia at a retail price tag starting from RM2.2 million.