Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2) manual sets Nürburgring Nordschleife record

Porsche has added another Nürburgring Nordschleife record to its tally, this time with the manual Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2).

Jörg Bergmeister, the brand’s test driver, was at the wheel – a man who must know the German circuit as well as the back of his hand. The stopwatch stopped at 6min56.294s.

That makes the Porsche 911 GT3 the first production car with a manual gearbox to dip below seven minutes around the legendary German track’s 20.832 km layout. It beat the previous record, held by the Dodge Viper ACR, by almost 10 theoretical seconds.

We say theoretical because the Viper’s 7min01.3s lap was set under the old timing method, which measured only 20.6 km of the circuit and excluded the 232 m T13 section. Had that section been included, Porsche calculates that the Viper’s time would have been approximately 7min05.8s.

It is also worth noting that the manual 911 GT3 (992.2) lapped faster than the automatic dual-clutch gearbox (PDK) 911 GT3 (992.1), which recorded 6min59.927s in 2022. Both cars used Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R semi-slick tyres.

Porsche has already released a video of the full record lap:

Porsche 911 GT3 Nürburgring Nordschleife developments

The latest Porsche 911 GT3 update brings aerodynamic improvements derived from the more extreme GT3 RS. These include a new adjustable front spoiler and a rear diffuser with a revised design.

The front double-wishbone suspension has also received new tuning, making the front axle more precise and communicative. All of this has been achieved without compromising the emotional connection that a manual 911 continues to give its driver.

The record-setting car was also fitted with the Weissach Pack, which adds a carbon-fibre roll cage and a shorter gear-lever throw.

A manual gearbox still makes sense, even on track

This record was not simply a marketing exercise. It also demonstrates that the manual gearbox remains effective on a race circuit – and that it is still sought after by many purists.

Naturally, it cannot match the speed of the PDK – it remains to be seen what time the 992.2 GT3 with PDK will set – but the result shows that more analogue sensations still have a place on track. It also proves that chasing a tenth of a second is not everything.

At the same time, Porsche further strengthens the 911 GT3’s position as the most direct link between motorsport and the road.