Porsche unveils radical new Manthey Kit for 911 GT3 RS

Porsche is offering a Manthey Kit for the 911 GT3 RS (992), enabling higher levels of performance out on track. Unveiled on Friday at the Icons of Porsche festival in Dubai, it provides increased downforce, optimised suspension and sharper brakes. 

A standout component of the Manthey Kit is its aggressive looking body kit featuring an enlarged front spoiler lip supported by carbon fibre reinforcing elements. Together with redesigned wheel arch Gurney flaps and two dive planes on each side of the front bumper, Porsche said the upgrade adds a significant amount of extra downforce to the front axle. 

Another key change sees the rear window swapped for a 25% lighter carbon fibre panel on which a carbon fibre shark fin is mounted. Derived from Porsche's 963 WEC race car, the modification increases cornering stability. In conjunction with six additional roof fins, it also diverts the warm output air from the front radiator outwards, thus ensuring that cooler intake air is drawn in at the rear, even when operating under extreme conditions.

Rear downforce is beefed up with the addition of a new split carbon fibre DRS wing element with larger, redesigned end plates, and a wider rear diffuser with longer carbon fibre fins. Finished off with a set of carbon fibre “aerodisc” rear wheel covers, Porsche said the Manthey Kit helps produce more than 1,000kg of downforce at 285km/h. This enables higher speeds on fast and medium speed corners and maximises vehicle stability.

Aerodynamic alchemy aside, further Manthey-specific upgrades can be found in the semi-active coilover suspension adjusted for the higher downforce figures. The spring rates were increased by 30% on the front axle and by 15% on the rear. Four wheel and three body acceleration sensors, along with a newly developed control unit, ensure fully automatic damper tuning that is extremely fast and even more precise than before.

The new shock absorbers operate with two separate valves for the compression and rebound stages and are independently controlled. This ensures precise adjustment for changing surface conditions, which maximises stability on the racetrack. Depending on the driving mode (Normal/Sport/Track), different sets of parameters are available for different basic damper characteristics. In Track mode, the set-up can be manually adjusted to suit personal preference via rotary controls on the steering wheel.

For improved stopping power on high-speed circuits, the Manthey Kit equips the 911 GT3 RS with steel-sheathed brake lines said to provide more direct pedal feel and a faster response time. Optional racing brake pads are available for cars fitted with the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake package. The pads have been specially developed for track day use and reduce fading while also increasing responsiveness and control precision.

Customers wanting to add more visual touches can customise their 911 GT3 RS with particularly sporty accessories. These include illuminated door sill guards in carbon fibre with Manthey lettering in red and white, and LED door projectors with white Manthey lettering and decals in different colours on the carbon “aerodiscs”. In addition, Manthey lettering can be applied to the car doors in either Neodyme, white or black. A towing eye is available for when driving on the racetrack, and can be used on the front or rear.

“Over two years we worked together with Porsche engineers on the new Manthey Kit for the 911 GT3 RS and tested it over several thousand kilometres on European racetracks and on the Nürburgring Nordschleife,” said MD of Manthey Racing Nicolas Raeder.

“Our data promises a significant improvement in lap times compared to the standard 911 GT3 RS. So far, weather conditions have prevented us from achieving an official lap time on the Nordschleife. We want to make up for this at the next possible opportunity.”

The Manthey Kit for the 911 GT3 RS is available to order at a cost of £99,999 (R2.6m). It will be available from March 2025 with installation at a Porsche Centre. When fitted, the manufacturer’s warranty for the 911 GT3 RS remains unaffected.