Porsche 911 GT3 review

Pros: the engine, the chassis, the noise, the speed

Cons: it’s expensive

Porsche 911 GT3 Design

In and amongst a high-end sports car range like the Porsche 911, the GT3 model is the track-focused variant and so the regular version sports a huge rear spoiler on its tailgate, which serves a proper aerodynamic purpose – but it’s so dramatic and dominant that it clearly won’t be to all tastes. To that end, there’s a demurer version that does away with the decals and the wing, which is officially called the ‘GT3 with Touring Package’, although most now just refer to it as the ‘GT3 Touring’. This is a great-looking car, and all that has changed on the outside of the latest GT3s – with wing or without – are some subtle changes to the lighting units front and rear, plus small cut-outs in the forged alloy wheels.

Porsche 911 GT3 Interior

Any Porsche 911 has a superb interior and the GT3 is no exception to this rule, although it can be one of the most intense cabins in certain specifications – there are options including figure-hugging carbon-fibre bucket seats and a roll cage in the rear of the passenger compartment, for example. You don’t have to specify such things on the GT3, of course, and so the main alteration for 2025 is a new 12.6-inch ‘Curved Display’ digital instrument cluster, which Porsche says is easier to read when on the move or driving at night. This operates slickly, as does the main 10.9-inch infotainment interface, and the German company also wisely keeps lots of physical switchgear in the 911’s cabin, which means it is a straightforward, ergonomic delight to use all the various features on the car.

Porsche 911 GT3 Performance & Drive

Porsche has had to do a lot of work to make the 4.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol unit in the 911 GT3 meet the latest emissions legislation in force worldwide, with the principal work including additional catalytic converters in the exhaust and changes to the engine’s internals. Peak power remains the same as it was prior to the GT3’s facelift, with 510hp delivered at a high 8,400rpm, but torque has dropped marginally to 450Nm. Shorter transmission gearing, in either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed PDK automatic option, means the acceleration is still blistering, with the quickest GT3 capable of 0-100km/h in just 3.4 seconds.

The true joy of the 911 GT3, though, is not its speed (of which it has plenty) nor the noise of it (it sounds sensational, as it can rev to 9,000rpm), but the way it handles. It has always been a light car, and the current model continues that trend, coming in at considerably less than 1.5 tonnes in all specifications, while changes to the suspension, steering and braking systems all aim to make the car more fun to drive than it was before, as well as more precise. The good news is these have worked wonders, as the 911 GT3 delivers an exceptional driving experience, full of engagement and excitement, that few other cars can match.

Thankfully, its damping is so well-judged that it is perfectly usable and comfortable on public roads, where there’s a degree of tyre roar to report rumbling around in the back of the passenger compartment, but other than that it’s reasonably quiet, refined and accomplished, so the new 911 GT3 works just as well away from the race circuit as it does on it.

Porsche 911 GT3 Pricing

With more than 300g/km of CO2 emitted from every version of the Porsche 911 GT3, and considering its highly specialised and top-end nature, it is not a cheap car to buy – nor is it easy to get hold of, as GT3 customer demand far outstrips supply. In Ireland, it will cost at least €301,020, with a number of five-figure cost options available to buyers that can push that price even higher. As a small form of redemption, at least that significant outlay should be protected, as such is the stellar reputation of the 911 GT3 that used examples often cost more than new ones – it’s one of the few cars in the world which appreciates in value, rather than depreciates.

Carzone Verdict

Porsche has been making the 911 GT3 across four generations and a little more than 25 years, since the first one arrived in 1999. The new model could well be the last featuring an engine that doesn’t come with turbochargers or hybrid assistance, and so it is likely to be an ‘end of an era’ vehicle. That fact will only help bolster its legend, because – when it comes to GT3s – Porsche has gone and saved the best until last. This is a phenomenal car in anyone’s book.