Manthey 992.2 GT3 Vs GT3 RS 992.1 – Which Porsche Really Wins at the Nürburgring?

The Nürburgring has a way of exposing which cars are all talk and which cars are truly built for the edge, and the latest example comes from the Porsche 911 GT3 992.2 equipped with the Manthey Performance Kit. On paper it is still just a GT3, but once it hits the Nordschleife it performs like a completely different animal, stepping into territory usually reserved for Porsche’s most extreme track machines.

The partnership between Porsche and Manthey keeps the 4.0 liter flat six untouched, so the core personality of the GT3 stays the same. The real transformation comes in the aero and chassis work. The front splitter stretches farther forward, the underbody channels air more efficiently, and the rear receives a larger adjustable wing paired with a more aggressive diffuser. Depending on the setup, downforce jumps from around 782 pounds to as much as 1,190 pounds, which is a massive leap over a standard GT3 and even over the previous Manthey package.

All that newfound grip shows up where it matters most. Under the hands of a professional driver, the GT3 992.2 Manthey lapped the full 20.8 kilometer Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:52.981 minutes, even with the track not fully dry. That makes it roughly 2.8 seconds quicker than the older 992.1 Manthey setup, and suddenly this “middle” 911 is chasing lap times that once belonged only to Porsche’s halo cars.

The suspension also plays a major role in the upgrade. Manthey’s four way adjustable coilovers allow compression and rebound tuning without tools, giving drivers the ability to fine tune their setup to specific circuits. Stiffer front springs help manage the extra downforce, while optional lightweight forged wheels reduce unsprung mass and sharpen the car’s direction changes over long, demanding laps.

Across from the Manthey GT3 stands the factory built Porsche 911 GT3 RS 992.1, still the ultimate expression of Porsche’s road legal track ability. Its 4.0 liter flat six produces around 525 horsepower and spins to 9,000 revolutions per minute, connected to the pavement through a seven speed dual clutch gearbox. With its enormous double element wing featuring active drag reduction, aggressive front aero, and motorsport grade details across the body, the GT3 RS can generate close to 860 kilograms of downforce at high speed.

When Porsche took the GT3 RS to the Nürburgring, it delivered exactly the kind of performance its appearance suggests. On the full 20.8 kilometer configuration, it clocked a 6:49.328 minute lap, and an adjusted 20.6 kilometer time of 6:44.848 minutes. It ran on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires and remained essentially in factory specification, aside from additional safety equipment.

What makes this comparison so fascinating is how close the Manthey tuned GT3 now runs to the official GT3 RS benchmark without needing any power increase. The Manthey car relies on downforce, suspension tuning, and mechanical grip to close the performance gap, while the GT3 RS still represents the ultimate factory built weapon with the most aggressive aero and track focused setup straight out of the showroom.

For anyone who loves Porsche performance, this is the kind of matchup that keeps the passion alive. The GT3 992.2 Manthey is the car you can drive to the track, chase GT3 RS lap times, and still enjoy on a great mountain road. The GT3 RS remains the poster car, the one that defines what a modern track focused 911 should be. Their approaches are different, but both aim for the same target: making a lap around the Nürburgring feel like the purest form of driving excitement.