Porsche 911 (991.2) GT3 Touring: Classic Drive

The 991.2-series Porsche 911 GT3 Touring is one of the most loved naturally aspirated 911 variants produced during the past decade. We revisited this machine during a road trip that happened directly after a collector had taken delivery of his 1st Porsche.

A Porsche 911 GT3 is a car that will grab almost all 911 enthusiasts’ attention. Whether because of sheer performance, standout kerb appeal or a combination of both, there is much to admire about a 911 GT3.

However, some enthusiasts have always preferred the clean lines of the original shape – a 911 without a fixed rear wing. You can painstakingly explain the aerodynamic importance of the wing on a 911 GT3, but they will simply keep saying that, in their opinion, a wingless 911 has a prettier and more elegant shape.

And that is understandable. If you wanted a GT3 experience in an “unadorned” 911, you could never have it, not until Porsche released the 991.2-series GT3 with Touring Package (that is the variant’s full name).

See also: Porsche 911 GT3 (2022) Launch Review

The owner’s path to the 911 GT3 Touring

How did the owner come to acquire a 911 GT3 Touring? It began with a simple phone call one morning.

His late father was a keen motoring enthusiast and an avid car collector, and evidently, so is he. As a dyed-in-the-wool petrolhead, he has been enjoying the various cars in his collection, including a pre-war Bentley and a low-mileage E46 BMW M3 CSL, all of which are meticulously maintained.

See also: Modern Classic: BMW E46 M3 Buyer’s Guide

Suffice it to say, he has been especially discerning about which vehicles he has added to (or trimmed from) his collection. What about a Porsche 911? Curiously, this car is the first 911 to join his collection.

The reason that Zuffenhausen’s iconic sportscar had been omitted was not indifference, though; as a collector, he had his sights on 2 variants only: a 993-series Carrera S or a 991.2-series 911 GT3 Touring.

He explains that he is all too aware that the rest of the Porsche 911 line-up is impressive, but in terms of design and performance, those are the 2 variants he adores. Offering the 911 GT3 Touring was a shrewd move by Porsche, because the firm knew the car would appeal to a very specific buyer, like this collector.

It is easy to see the similarities – both the (993) Carrera S and (991.2) GT3 Touring are wingless, manual, have wider hips and offer added performance. The owner’s 1st attempt to acquire a 911 GT3 Touring was to order one, but sadly, a very limited number of units came to South Africa, and none were available.

His 2nd attempt began with that phone call (to the author): “Have you seen the 2019 Viola Metallic GT3 Touring advertised online this morning?” he asked. Only an hour later, I was standing next to the car with a Porsche salesman showing me around the car – it had only 8 000 km on the clock and was pristine.

Having sent pictures and videos, followed by chats, debates and discussions on the phone, I decided to leave it there. However, 48 hours later, I got confirmation that he had decided to purchase the car.

I was as excited when the owner told me that he and his wife would be flying to Cape Town to collect the vehicle and drive it home via a 5-day road trip (a 1 600 km journey). The stage was set: I would join them for the 1st couple of hours of the road trip, during which I’d drive the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring a little.

Red Ribbon Day

In traffic, the car receives a little less attention than a GT3 would, but the dark-purple paint finish sure turns some heads! It is a beautiful, deep plum-like colour that alters a little as the sun shines on it. The car looks purposeful with the bodywork squatting down over those widened fenders, front and rear.

The car’s specification had also piqued the collector’s interest. It is fitted with Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), a front-axle lift system and sports bucket seats. The latter thankfully can fold forward a little, allowing some (well, contorted) access to the rear storage space (no seats back there).

The purple colour has also been selectively applied in the cabin. The air vents’ surrounds and top inserts in the seats are painted in the same colour, while the instrument dials feature a white background. As for the exterior, the 20-inch wheels – painted in Satin Aluminium – neatly contrast with the dark exterior hue.

We head up Sir Lowry’s Pass – the 1st mountain pass as we leave Cape Town and the surrounding area. Road works mean there’s no chance to stretch the 911 GT3 Touring’s legs. Once we arrive at the top, we stop at the lookout point. For now, the owner is guarded in his comments: “So far, so good. Can’t wait to explore the rest of the rev range. I’ve had it up to 6 000 rpm and there is still another 3 000 rpm left!”

Even at idle and low revs, the naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat-6 emits an unfiltered soundtrack and gear changes are heralded by an unmistakable sound from the powertrain as the clutch engages/disengages.

The next stop is Peregrine Farm Stall, near Grabouw. We’re peckish, so the 911 GT3 Touring is parked up and we head inside to have a bite. I discuss some road options with the owner, who is keen to hear about some mountain passes they can explore on their way home, while also stopping to see family members.

However, before we wave the couple off on arguably one of the most exciting motoring trips they will ever do, I have to show them one of the best and prettiest stretches of road that the Western Cape has.

Specifications:

• Model: 2019 (991.2) 911 GT3 Touring
• Engine: 4.0-litre flat-6, petrol
• Power: 368 kW at 8 250 rpm
• Torque: 460 Nm at 6 000 rpm
• Transmission: 6-speed manual
• Weight: 1 413 kg
• 0-100 kph: 3.9 sec (claimed)
• Top Speed: 316 kph (claimed)

Twisty paths

Located close to the Peregrine Farmstall, the Elgin Valley offers some wonderful twisty roads, some of which are more frequently used by performance-car enthusiasts than others. The R321 leads from the N2 north towards towns such as Villiersdorp and Rawsonville. It is a relatively quiet road, replete with a few long straights, but also a number of cambered corners, as well as a (thrilling) 180-degree hairpin.

You also pass the small Nuweberg Dam, which looks like a scene from Alaska or Canada with cold-coloured mountains in the background and the dark blue water front and centre to complete the image.

I sense the owner is eager to unleash the full 368 kW of the 911 GT3 Touring’s flat-6 engine. After all, it has been around 3 and a half hours since he walked into the Porsche dealership, and until now, he hasn’t been able to explore the full capability of the free-breathing 4.0-litre engine. The rear quarters of the 911 squats and, from the photography car, we can hear the motor being revved out – ah, what a symphony!

The owner is warming to, and truly enjoying his car. Nevertheless, he pulls over and hands me the key.

What is the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring like to drive?

The original launch of the 991.2-series 911 GT3 is still fresh in my mind. I remember it fondly, as I drove the manual versions at the launch at every available opportunity. There were talks that it might be the last 911 GT3 to offer a manual gearbox, so I just had to make use of the chance to savour the experience.

As I slide into the driver’s seat, the steering wheel grabs my attention: it has zero multifunction buttons, just 3 double spokes. Want to access functions or turn up the audio? You’ll have to look to your left.

The clutch pedal initially feels slightly heavy – and it is – but, at the same time, you don’t expect it any other way in a Porsche 911 GT3. Besides, within a few shifts, you become quite accustomed to it. Apart from the dizzying 9 000 rpm redline, the directness and short shift action of the gearlever are a pleasure.

I pull away, and even at a sedate 70 to 90 kph, I’m immediately impressed by the purple Porsche’s pliant suspension setup, yet simultaneously I feel how the 911 GT3 Touring’s wheels are reacting at each axle.

The steering feel is just superb too. The steering system is electrically-assisted, but Porsche’s engineers have dug deep into their development resources to present a respectable level of steering feedback. You especially feel undulations and camber changes on the road through the rim of the steering wheel.

The result is that you cannot help but drive the 911 GT3 Touring enthusiastically, which is, after all, as it’s meant to be driven. Even if you rev the motor to 7 000 rpm, you feel as if you’re already accessing the full performance of the car. It revs with utter ease, and you can execute gear shifts quickly and confidently.

However, seeing as there is another 2 000 rpm to exploit, you keep the throttle pinned; the engine spins with even greater vigour, so much so that you momentarily think it can probably rev well past 9 000 rpm.

I engage a lower gear as I approach a corner (I had Sport mode activated), and the auto-blip function perfectly matches the revs. The gear lever slips into its slot without any inertial effect on the engine.

This action is a fascinating onslaught on the senses, and I cannot help but do it another couple of times. Make no mistake, there is sufficient torque available if you prefer to change gears lower in the rev range.

After all, the sheer cubic capacity of the 4.0-litre motor facilitates generous torque delivery. Needless to say, the brake feel is also good, although on this occasion, I didn’t need to demand full stopping power.

Summary

As I park the car and hand its key back to the owner, I know he made the correct decision to fly to Cape Town and drive his 1st Porsche home. The 911 GT3 Touring represents one of the pinnacle Porsche 911 experiences from the past decade. The fact that it doesn’t have “the wing” makes it, to an extent, the quintessential pumped-up Carrera – the shape that many have fallen in love with since the early Sixties.

For the remainder of that day, the morning’s spirited drive in the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring remained etched in my memory. No other sportscar offers all those ingredients in such a package. What a car.

 As the owner stated, “I’m not chasing lap times, I bought this car for the experience.” Well done, sir.

Find a new or classic Porsche 911 listed for sale on Cars.co.za

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