Porsche is setting its sights on the Nürburgring with the 911 GT3, aiming to secure a record. While this might not seem groundbreaking at first glance this attempt has a unique twist. As one of the few remaining sports car manufacturers still offering a manual transmission, Porsche is determined to prove its commitment by setting a Nürburgring lap record with a stick-shift car. The vehicle of choice? The new 911 GT3 of course.
In a conversation with Hagerty’s Henry Catchpole, Andreas Preuninger, Boss of Porsche GT, acknowledged that cars equipped with the brand’s dual-clutch PDK transmission typically outperform their manual counterparts on the track. “The differences between the PDK versions of the [991.2 and 992] are quite noticeable,” he said. “Especially on the Nürburgring, I think PDK is maybe two or three seconds quicker than the manual, so it’s not something that we should really boast about.”
However, the recently updated 992.2-generation GT3 might narrow that gap. Preuninger hinted that Porsche is preparing to pursue a lap record specifically for manual-transmission cars, leveraging the stripped-down, aerodynamically enhanced Weissach Package to achieve this goal.
Porsche remains committed to keeping the manual transmission alive, not just as a nostalgic nod to driving purists but as a viable performance option. Preuninger’s comments suggest that the company believes it can make its manual sports cars nearly as fast as their PDK-equipped counterparts, thanks to advancements in aerodynamics and handling engineering, particularly in the GT3.