Porsche 911 GT3 Manual Smashes Nürburgring Record with 6:56.294 Lap
The Porsche 911 GT3 has become the fastest production car equipped with a manual gearbox to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister steered the 375 kw (510 PS) 911 GT3, fitted with the Weissach package, around the complete 20,832-kilometre circuit in 6 minutes 56.294 seconds, slicing more than 9.5 seconds off the previous benchmark set by a more powerful rival. Thanks to comprehensive upgrades to every performance‑critical component, this new GT3 also outpaced its own 992.1 predecessor with PDK by 3.633 seconds.
Andreas Preuninger, Director of the GT model line, notes that an increasing number of 911 GT3 buyers now opt for the engaging six-speed manual. Eager to answer their inevitable question about Nordschleife pace, Porsche recorded the official lap despite knowing the PDK variant remains quicker on paper. Without the lightning‑fast automatic shifts and with a traditional limited‑slip differential, the new GT3 still proved decisively quicker than before.
Bergmeister’s record run unfolded on a clear late afternoon, the ambient air at 12 °C and the tarmac at 27 °C. Road‑legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres—255/35 ZR20 front, 315/30 ZR21 rear—delivered optimum grip. An eight‑per‑cent shorter final‑drive ratio provided stronger acceleration out of corners, and chassis know‑how gleaned from the 911 GT3 RS improved stability over bumps and kerbs, boosting driver confidence at the limit.
Porsche compared its effort to a competitor that required 7:01.300 minutes on the shorter 20.6-kilometre configuration, equivalent to roughly 7:05.800 minutes on the whole lap, which is now comprehensively eclipsed. Bergmeister reports that he carried high speeds through almost every bend and found the manual gearbox added to the excitement, even if a PDK model might have achieved a few seconds quicker time. The result underscores the 911 GT3’s status as a driver-focused sports car that combines classic analogue involvement with record-breaking pace.
