“Fast(er) laps on the racetrack for trackday enthusiasts worldwide”
That’s the company’s brief but crystal clear ethos for what their latest Manthey Kit will offer as part of the 992-gen Porsche 911 GT3 RS platform, on which it is featuring for the first time. Even then, that might still be a contender for understatement of the year.
I mean, the latest 911 GT3 RS is already by all accounts, an insane track car, and Manthey would have to pull out all the stops in order to make it distinguishably better than the factory version (although all Manthey products are now technically OEM). That, they certainly managed to do. The results of these efforts are there for all to see, and we can only get giddy with anticipation while we wait for all sorts of records to be broken when Manthey/Porsche publish an official lap time at the ‘Ring.
Up until now, we’ve only seen the test mule in action and will likely have to wait until the next driving season of an official attempt to be made. It should be quite a bit quicker than the 6:49.328 posted by the stock car back in 2022 with Jörg Bergmeister behind the wheel.
Unapologetically Aerodynamic
The most notable differences—at least to the naked eye—come unarguably in the form of extravagant aerodynamic upgrades, courtesy of the the team at Manthey. We’re told that these changes, in concert, allow the car to produce up to 1,000 kg of downforce at 177 mph (an improvement from the standard 860 kg). Absolutely wild for a road car.
Naturally, our attention immediately focuses on the rear of the car, where there’s a hell of a lot going on. For starters, the rear window has been replaced by a carbon panel, which is said to be 25 percent lighter than the glass component it replaces. Integrated onto that carbon panel is a giant “shark fin” which is inspired by the 963 hypercar. It aids with downforce, and quite frankly, just looks totally badass. While the science is pretty easy to get on board with, there’s no official word on how this might affect street legality—your local highway patrol would probably have a riot over this.
The rear wing assembly is significantly beefier than the OEM-equipped version and is bookended by two massive plates. Yes, the new wing still works with the native DRS system, which Manthey has augmented with a 2-piece carbon fibre blade. There are also 6 additional roof fins—to accompany the 2 already on the base car—which further enhance aerodynamic efficiency and help divert hot air away from the intakes. A larger and more elaborate carbon rear diffuser also replaces the original piece, with Manthey claiming that it has been designed in such a way that it increase downforce without any impact to drag. The quintessentially-Manthey rear wheel “aerodiscs” complete the transformation at the back-end of the GT3 RS.
Finally, at the front, the Manthey Kit adds front dive planes—two on each side—and a front spoiler lip which is reinforced by metal support rods. Additionally, a newly designed wheel arch gurney flap is integrated on each end of the front spoiler lip. They’ve also added a new underbody cover for the front axle, to help guide and optimize airflow beneath the car.
No More Power, Never a Problem
Like previous iterations of road-going Manthey cars, the latest Manthey Kit does not add any additional power to the 992-gen GT3 RS’ 525 PS engine . As has always been the case thus far, the Manthey philosophy is to maximize the chassis and handling qualities of the car in order to improve its precision as a track tool. The aforementioned aerodynamic improvements obviously play a part here, but Manthey has also complemented this with a new suspension setup which replaces all four dampers with a semi-active coilover kit and stiffens the spring rates by 30 percent and 15 percent at the front and rear, respectively. The new system works seamlessly with the car’s existing PASM system and retains all the native driving modes—Normal, Sport and Track.
When it comes to brakes, the changes aren’t as convoluted as elsewhere on the car, but are no less transformative when it comes to improving the overall driving experience. For this, Manthey provides a brake pad set for both steel and PCCB users, which is designed to better resist fade, while a set of braided stainless steel brake lines help improve pedal feedback. “The car dives, pitches and rolls even less, offering a much more stable aerodynamic platform. The high contact pressure therefore remains very constant under all driving conditions”, said Porsche Brand Ambassador, Jörg Bergmeister, in his statement about the Manthey 992-gen GT3 RS.
Pricing & More
For those who want even more personalization options, customers can also spec their car with Manthey LED door projectors, illuminated door sill trims, front/rear toe lugs and a decal set. While not universally available on all the dealer websites just yet, Porsche Centers in the UK have the latest Manthey Kit already posted on their storefronts—they conveniently start at a price of £99,999, which is about $125,000 USD. You can also inquire through Manthey directly, by emailing [email protected]
We’re told that deliveries are expected to begin early next year, which is good timing for those who have their driving seasons beginning in the spring/summer of 2025. As part of the Porsche Tequipment catalogue, Manthey parts do not void any of Porsche’s factory warranties, on the condition that they are installed by a qualified Porsche Center technician. The Manthey Kit will certainly demand new levels of financial commitment from its suitors, but in so many ways, looks to repay it in kind and then some…what a remarkable thing it is.
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