992 GT3 Touring 6-Speed Tested Flat Out on the Autobahn
For a highspeed blast on a stretch of no speed limit Autobahn do you want a 992 GT3 Touring with a 6-speed or a PDK?
The 992 GT3 Touring is a brilliant car. No matter the configuration , it is one of the greatest sports cars in the world right now. The basic configuration is so good, that the options hardly change the experience. If it was painted purple and orange with yellow wheels people would still flock to it like free beer. However, there is one option that does make a difference. That option is the transmission. We all know the PDK is the faster car. You want the best lap times; you go with the PDK. But if you want the best GT3, do you get the manual? The only way to really find out is to test a 992 GT3 Touring 6-speed car. And where better to test it than on the unrestricted Autobahn?
Max Beelaerts from AutoTopNL recently got his hands on a 992 GT3 Touring 6-speed. He then did what any reasonable person would do. He took it to the Autobahn and drove it for all it is worth. Did he feel that in the land of no speed limits the 6-speed was the right choice? Lucky for us he captured the test on video and recently uploaded it to the AutoTopNL YouTube channel for us to enjoy.
A Tour of the Touring
Before the driving starts, we are treated to a walkaround of this beautiful 992 GT3 Touring. Obviously, the big difference on the exterior is the absence of the large rear wing. That leads to a bit of a mixed bag aesthetically. The engine cover of the touring is nicely designed. The deployable rear wing looks fine when closed. However, when it is extended it looks a bit disjointed. The regular 992 cars have the same issue. It is just not an elegant look when that rear wing opens. But aside from that it is a stunning car to look at. It is much stealthier than the big wing GT3, but still athletic looking. On the inside it is standard GT3 fare, which is to say there are no rear seats. The rest is basically standard 992 911.
Back Roads
Time to hit the road, and there is some ground to cover before reaching the wide-open Autobahn. On these surface streets with curves and overpasses the GT3 Touring shines. On the day this video was shot the roads were damp and cold. That is not what you want when pushing a GT3, so some caution was taken. However, the GT3 Touring 6-speed is still put through its paces. The motor is not a torque monster and does need to be revved to get the most out of it. However, who doesn’t want to rev a GT3 with a manual transmission? That is the whole point. That car sounds fantastic and is so much more involving than a PDK car. It may not have the ultimate speed, but it has the ultimate experience.
Main Event
We finally reach the Autobahn. As soon as Beelaerts merges he races to about 160 mph. Even on the damp road the car is magic. Shifting at redline and working the stick shift is what this is all about. A little further down the road he tops 190 mph. The lack of a rear wing does not seem to be of any detriment. For this type of drive no one is missing the performance of the PDK either. 190 mph is plenty fast and a speed that those of us in the United States are unlikely to ever reach. The manual transmission really makes a case for itself in the real world outside of a racetrack. If you must chase every tenth of a second, you want the PDK. But if you are just looking to enjoy the car on the road the 6-speed is the best choice.
Video
Warning! Watching the video below may make you extremely jealous. But you have to see for yourself how the GT3 Touring 6-speed acquits itself on the streets where no speed is too fast. If you were building your dream GT3, would you go Touring or standard? And would you choose PDK or manual? There is no wrong answer, but it is tough to argue against the involvement of selecting your own gears.
Join the Rennlist forums!
