Who says the perfect Porsche doesn't exist?
By Matt Bird / Tuesday, 5 September 2023 / Loading comments
After six decades of Porsche 911 production, there are a few hard and fast rules established. Heaven knows how many more years tradition can survive, but for the moment there are a few non negotiables. The flat six engine is always at the back, if it’s called a Turbo it must have a turbocharger, and if it’s a GT department car then it only has two seats – always.
Well, almost always, it turns out. Because those rules are changing: here’s a four-seat GT3. No doubt some will cry sacrilege, the juxtaposition of usability and circuit focus too much to bear, but it’s easy to understand why it might have happened. This is a Touring, for starters; no less hardcore than a standard GT3 to drive, though going without the rear cage of a Clubsport car to start with. The space for seats is most definitely there. And as a more modest car to look at, the Touring treatment might appeal to – let’s be polite here – the more mature owner, less keen on drawing attention to themselves. And potentially with small folk to carry behind. They didn’t want to compromise on having a GT3 or taking the kids out (presumably) and so we have what must currently be the only four-seat 992 GT3 in the world.
Didn’t come cheap, mind, as might be expected for a process that flouts an immutable 911 rule. According to the advert, the cost of having the seats supplied and fitted was just under £16,000 from specialists RPM Technik. Or, going off the actual GT3 RRP of £146,400, more than 10 per cent of the original purchase price. They did it properly at least, with that wonderful houndstooth upholstery matching that for the front carbon buckets. And, well, it works – right? The space is there, the fitment is spot on, the Exclusive Manufaktur yellow contrast stitching carries through perfectly… The four-seat GT3 Touring looks as good as might be hoped for. PHer parents might be a little concerned about the apparent lack of ISOFIX points for maximum practicality points, but they might just be hidden. If not, just wait until they’re out of car seats. And squeeze them in.
Or don’t, and just revel in the fact that this is a genuine one-off 911, and not just because it’s painted Nacho Cheese Yellow or was built on Ferdinand Porsche’s birthday. Having rear seats in most 911s is one of its great selling points, even if it is just for more accessible luggage storage, and the same will be the case for a GT3. It’s hard to imagine this has had much impact on the sublime driving experience, either, and if that really was a priority you’d be getting with the cage anyway.
There’s plenty more to recommend this particular Touring beyond just novelty value. It has the manual gearbox, which is actually seldom seen now the PDK option has been introduced for the Touring and people keep choosing the wrong one. It’s being sold after fewer than 4,000 miles and just a year’s driving, too, which seems incredible given what’s been invested. On the other hand, that means it basically presents as brand new, with a warranty until 2025, the Porsche ‘new car detailing’ package and a tonne of options such as ceramic brakes, the upgraded Matrix beam headlights and some carbon goodies, including the roof. The wheels could be redone in silver or gold and what a GT3 you’d be left with.
There’s a premium to pay for the exclusivity, of course, albeit a modest one in the world of Porsche GT cars. It’s possible to pay £185k for a 992 Touring, with most cars on PH currently for sale around the £220,000 mark. So the jump from that to £250,000 isn’t mad given the specification. People have paid an awful lot more for one-off Porsches, right? Just don’t forget to remind the kids of that, too…
- RPM Technik 718 Cayman GT4 MR | PH Review
- 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring (992) | PH Video
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