Development of the new Porsche 911 GT3
Touring continues as the sports car was spied testing in the small town of
Nürburg and on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife race track. Compared to the
previous sighting, the front bonnet lower air intake has been further refined
and is better integrated into the overall design. The front bumper is a bit
different too, gaining a couple of air intakes on the sides, but the side
skirts and rear bumper appear to be identical.
The rear diffuser has changed a bit,
sporting bigger fins and accommodating double exhaust pipes in the middle that
do not seem to obstruct the air flow. The prototype rides on big V-spoke wheels
and features yellow brake calipers hugging the large-diameter discs.
As it features the Touring spec, this 911
GT3 prototype does not boast the big fixed rear wing of the standard GT3,
packing a retractable spoiler instead. The similarities to its predecessor will
not stop there as the six-speed manual transmission will return for the new
generation.
It’s still unknown if the Touring package
will only be offered exclusively with a stick shift. With the ‘regular’
track-focused GT3 getting the manual as an option alongside the standard
dual-clutch automatic gearbox, chances are those who favor changing gears
themselves will still be able to do so.
An updated version of the 4.0-liter
inline-six naturally aspirated engine is expected to bring more than 500
horsepower. Some believe that it will have around 520 HP, while others think
that 550 HP will be the magic number. Either way, with Porsche thought to
unveil the 911 GT3 this fall and the 911 GT3 Touring a few months later, we
won’t have to wait that long to find out everything about it.
