Taking the 911 GT3 Touring to the Next Level

The introduction of the 911 GT3 Touring for the 991.2 model refresh was in response to the overwhelming desirability of the 911 R.

A GT3 without the wing, a specially tuned suspension and–most importantly–a manual transmission, the limited-edition 911 R immediately became a sought-after collectible that remains true to this day.

The GT3 Touring took that formula and made it more accessible for the 991.2.

Yet it, too, still commands a premium on the secondary market.

So what’s so special about a GT3 with no wing?

For starters, there are many drivers who prefer the sleeker deck lines of a Carrera versus the winged GT3.

And with a naturally-aspirated 4.0L flat six producing 500 horsepower, it delivers the high-revving excitement and old school feel that is lacking in the Carrera’s 3.0L twin turbo six.

Oh, and it’s manual-only, with sportier six-speed gearing when compared to the Carrera’s seven.

The suspension has also been tuned to fit its Touring moniker, offering a compromise between track-ready performance and comfortable cruising.

So how do you improve on such a great recipe?

Akrapovic Exhaust & Numeric Racing Short Throw Shifter

The one-two combo of a free-flowing, lightweight exhaust and a precision-engineered short-throw shifter will take the GT3 Touring to the next level.

In this instance, we’re adding anAkrapovic Slip-On Line titanium center muffler bypass exhaust (with tips) and a Numeric Racing billet short throw shifter.

A Shift in Driving Dynamics

The difference between Numeric and the factory’s shifter is obvious with just a glance. And the performance difference is just as noticeable.

Installation requires a delicate touch to remove all of the surrounding pieces of the center console.

The factory shifter cables. Numeric also offers their own upgraded cables.

It’s a shame that once installed, the Numeric’s solid billet construction will be hidden from view.

Since the Numeric shifter accepts the factory knob and boot, only eagle-eyed enthusiasts will be able to tell something has changed.

But once you engage that first gear, the change is crystal clear.

With rifle-bolt precision and feedback, the Numeric short throw shifter has been a wildly popular upgrade for our manual-equipped clients, whether they drive a GT3 or GT4, Carrera, Cayman or Boxster.

Sounding Off all the Way to 9,000 RPM

The factory GT3 exhaust system is actually rather large. It utilizes two side mufflers that tuck up behind the rear wheel wells in addition to its center section.

In its normal setting, exhaust gases travel through these side muffler before heading through the center.

When the Porsche Sport Exhaust (PSE) is active, the vacuum-actuated valves block off the side mufflers for increased flow and sound.

(In this example, the client had previously installed aftermarket tips.)

Before it’s even installed, the Akrapovic’s gains begin.

With it’s titanium construction and straight-through design, the Akrapovic exhaust and tips will drop a combined 17 lbs from the back of this GT3 Touring–from 23 lbs down to just 6 lbs!

The Slip-On Line exhaust replaces the center muffler while retaining the side mufflers. This retains the factory PSE functionality for two levels of sound. However, no matter which mode you choose, sound levels increase as the straight-through design does little to attenuate the 4.0L’s high-revving scream.

Akrapovic also makes a side muffler delete for those who prefer to completely eliminate PSE as well as all of that extra weight.

The optional Akrapovic titanium tips adds the visual cue to let everyone know why this GT3 Touring sounds different.

Tuned Touring

The final touch for this Touring is a DME tune to optimize power and performance.

While not required for these upgrades, it goes further to compliment its improved shifts and sounds.