The 992.2 update for the Porsche 911 is an interesting case. On the one hand, we got the first-ever production hybrid 911 with the GTS earlier this year, but on the other, for the first time, we didn’t get a power bump on the track-focused GT3 model. The 992.2 lineup is slowly being updated as new 911 variants are coming out, and with the GT3 and GT3 Touring models being introduced on 18 October, we know the 992.2 GT3 RS should be around the corner. The most track-focused, normally-aspirated 911 will undoubtedly feature slightly more power out of its signature 4.0-liter flax-six. But what if you don’t want to wait? If you already have a 992.1 GT3 RS (or if you are considering one), Porsche Super Cup racing veteran and tuner, Manthey Racing based at the Nürburging has a solution for you. The company’s kit will take your 992.1 GT3 RS and infuse it with much-needed chassis and aerodynamic enhancements, which could make the 992.2 GT3 RS look like an unnecessary upgrade.

Manthey’s upgrades may seem minor on the surface, but make a ton of difference

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS has always been the winged track weapon in the 911 lineup and the 992 is no exception. Mathey’s kit for the GT3 RS took two years to develop and while you don’t get any powertrain enhancements, the kit instead focuses purely on aerodynamic and handling upgrades. The Manthey kit consists of 17 elements that improve the GT3 RS’s handling, high-speed stability, downforce, and stopping power while shedding weight in all the right places and adding some visual enhancements. Here’s what the Manthey kit for the 992.1 GT3 RS includes:

• Semi-active coil-over suspension with aluminum body and adaptable valve control for adjustable rebound and compression

• High-performance brake pads, fitting for road and track use

• Brake lines with stainless-steel woven braid for superior brake response

• Carbon-fiber front splitter add-on and wheel-arch air guide

• Carbon-fiber front-bumper canards/ air flaps

• Revised carbon-fiber front apron

• Underbody cover/ flat bottom (front section)

• Carbon-fiber rear diffuser

• Two-piece, carbon-fiber DRS wing blade

• Carbon-fiber, rear-wing end plates with Manthey logo

• Carbon-fiber shark fin with window insert

• Carbon-fiber roof fins

• Carbon-fiber aero discs for the rear wheels for improved rear-end downforce

• Titanium-steel, front and rear tow loop (available in black, yellow, and red)

• Carbon-fiber door sill trim with Manthey logos

• LED Manthey door projectors

• Manthey decal set (in black, gold, and white gold finish)

With the aerodynamic upgrades, downforce has increased by about 20% over the standard GT3 RS. 2,204 pounds compared to 1,895 pounds at 177 mph. This combined with increased spring rates (30% at the front axle and 15% at the rear axle) helps improve the handling. The additional hardware should reduce dive, pitch, and roll during cornering, providing a more stable platform at high speeds.

The price of perfection

Manthey’s comprehensive kit for the Porsche 992.1 GT3 RS comes at a price. In Europe, the German race team/ Porsche tuner will sell you all the above-mentioned performance goodies for € 78,000, which in 2024 money equates to just over $82,000. According to Porsche’s configurator, the 2024 Porsche 911 GT3 RS will set you back $244,995 before you start adding options. Add a few options and the Manthey kit and you are looking at a car that costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $350,000. Oh, and don’t forget dealer markups, which can be brutal.

In case you are wondering, Manthey offers kits similar to the regular Porsche 992 GT3 and GT3 Touring models, albeit not nearly as aggressive as Manthey’s track-optimized, 992.1 GT3 RS kit.

Manthey’s goal for the 992.1 GT3 RS

Manthey has poured its decades of experience from racing Porsches, into developing each component with near-psychotic attention to detail. By introducing this kit, Manthey aims to maximize the performance of the 911 GT3 RS platform while improving vehicle control at the limit. Manthey’s experts have spent countless hours on the race track in an effort to perfect each aspect of the track-focused Porsche 911. You probably want to know some numbers, and they are coming soon. Nürburgring lap times are still pending due to poor weather, but Manthey claims a fast time. For some context, the quickest Porsche at the ’Ring so far, the 991.2 GT2 RS MR has a lap time of 6:43.30. The Manthey GT3 RS kit will be available to purchase from March 2025.

With Euro 7 regulations tightening their grip on the next-generation Porsche 911 GT3, the 992 might very well be the last GT3/ GT3 RS to be normally aspirated or non-hybrid. Regardless, the 992 GT3 was the first to break the seven-minute barrier around Nurburgring, so it will be interesting to see what Menthey does on "the ’Ring" with its creation and how it would compare to the standard 992.2 GT3 RS.

GALLERY