The 992.2 GT3 Manthey Kit Has Finally Gone on Sale in Japan

In April 2026, the Manthey Kit for the new 992.2-generation 911 GT3 officially became available to buy in Japan. Prices start at ¥9,408,300. Both purchase and installation are limited to select Manthey-certified Porsche Centers in Japan. Porsche Japan has designated the participating dealerships, so it’s not a kit you can buy just anywhere.

The results speak for themselves. A 992.2 GT3 equipped with the Manthey Kit completed the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:52.981. A standard 992.2 GT3 takes 6:59.927—a difference of about seven seconds. That’s no ordinary tuning gain over the 20.8-kilometer circuit. And, crucially, the engine remains completely untouched. The time comes from revisions to the aerodynamics, suspension and brakes alone.

It’s important to note that ¥9,408,300 is only the starting price for the kit itself. Add Manthey lightweight forged wheels and the bill climbs by several million yen. Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) racing pads, Manthey-approved Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires and installation are also extra. Based on the pricing structure in the U.S., a fully equipped package could approach ¥12 million. The ¥9.4 million figure is just the entry point.

So, What Exactly Is Manthey?

Let’s start with the obvious question: who—or what—is Manthey?

Manthey Racing is a German tuning company and racing team founded in 1996 by former racing driver Olaf Manthey. He had competed successfully in the Porsche Carrera Cup, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) and the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring. After retiring from driving, he brought his experience and expertise together to establish the company in Meuspath, a town near the Nürburgring. In other words, Manthey was born in the shadow of the Nürburgring and grew up there.

One moment that propelled the Manthey name to worldwide recognition came when its “MR” version of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS posted a 6:40.3 lap at the Nürburgring. At the time, that was among the fastest-ever laps for a modified road car—and it reset expectations for what a production-based car could do.

In 2013, Porsche acquired a 51% stake in Manthey, bringing the company into the Porsche Group. Manthey became Porsche’s official motorsport partner in 2021, and its tuning packages began to be sold through Porsche Tequipment, the brand’s genuine-accessories channel, as Manthey Kits. Put simply, Manthey evolved from an independent tuning company into a tuner partly integrated into Porsche itself. That distinction matters.

What Does the Manthey Kit Change?

Let’s take a closer look at what’s included in the Manthey Kit.

First, aerodynamics. On the 992.2 GT3 kit, the front lip is extended by 12 mm and the front underbody is smoothed. At the rear, there’s a large carbon-fiber swan-neck wing, a Gurney flap, enlarged endplates and a CFRP rear diffuser with fins. Carbon-fiber aero discs are also fitted to the rear wheels. Together, these changes generate up to 540 kg of downforce at 285 km/h. “Sucked to the ground” may sound like a figure of speech, but these numbers make it a fair description.

The suspension is replaced with aluminum coilovers offering four-way damping adjustment without tools. The spring rates are carefully reworked: up 20% at the front and down 7% at the rear. That may look like an uneven compromise, but it’s a setup that pays off at the Nürburgring. Stainless-steel braided brake lines sharpen pedal feel, while the powertrain remains stock. This isn’t a horsepower upgrade; it’s a package that relentlessly refines cornering, braking and composure.

The result is a 6:52.981 lap at the Nürburgring for the Manthey-equipped 992.2 GT3. For context, the GT3 RS has lapped the same circuit in 6:49.328. A GT3 with standard-width bodywork and no roll cage comes within fractions of a second of the RS. It still looks very much like a GT3, but its performance moves closer to the RS—and that may be the kit’s greatest appeal.

Porsches Are Built to Take on the Track in Stock Form

Now we come to what I really wanted to write about.

Many sports cars aren’t designed on the assumption that they can head straight from the factory to the racetrack and complete session after session. Run a few laps and the coolant temperature climbs, the oil heats up and the brakes start to struggle. So when drivers of many sports cars want to take track driving seriously, they add an oil cooler, upgrade the radiator, swap the brake pads for aftermarket parts and sometimes even replace the rotors. Only then can they put in consistent laps. That’s the reality for plenty of cars.

Porsches are different. The GT models, naturally, but also the Carrera 4 GTS and 991.2 GT3 Touring I’ve owned, as well as my current 718 Spyder RS and Taycan Turbo GT, can all be driven to the circuit in stock form and put straight to work. I’ve taken standard Porsches out on track many times at Suzuka, Okayama International Circuit and Fuji Speedway. No matter how hard I drive them, coolant and oil temperatures stay stable, and brake feel remains consistent from the first application to the last. Then I can pick up my family and drive straight home. That’s what a Porsche can do.

I believe this is central to the philosophy of the engineers who create Porsche’s GT models. They have consistently built cars that can be driven normally on public roads and then go fast on a racetrack without missing a beat. Dedicated cooling, dedicated lubrication, dedicated brakes. The underlying principle is clear: track capability shouldn’t have to be added with aftermarket parts; it should be built in from the start.

I recently drove a 718 Spyder RS, and even after repeated full-pace laps of Fuji’s main circuit, I never had a moment of concern about temperatures. And that was in completely stock form. Anyone who has driven sports cars from other manufacturers will understand just how unusual that is.

That’s Why the Manthey Kit Makes Sense

So why would a Porsche that’s already complete in stock form need a Manthey Kit?

For many sports cars, aftermarket tuning is about making up for what’s missing: cooling, chassis rigidity or braking performance. You add parts to fill the gaps. With a Porsche, those gaps aren’t there to begin with. So tuning a Porsche has to mean something different: taking an already finished package and pushing it even further. That’s exactly what the Manthey Kit does. It doesn’t take the car from zero to one hundred; it takes it from 100 to 105 or 110. That, to me, is what sets Porsche tuning apart.

Manthey was born in a town beside the Nürburgring and has made its name there, so it knows how to reach that next level. And Porsche itself officially endorses the work, offering the kit through its Tequipment range. That’s why ¥9,408,300 isn’t simply the price of a collection of parts. It’s the price of access to near-GT3 RS performance without widebody conversion or a roll cage, while retaining Porsche’s factory warranty. Look at it that way, and the price starts to make sense.

Of course, add lightweight forged wheels, PCCB racing pads, Michelin Cup 2 R tires and installation, and the total can reach around ¥12 million. It’s far from cheap. But what you’re buying is a stock Porsche—already a complete package—refined even further, while retaining the everyday usability, warranty and resale value of a road car. It takes the car one step deeper into track territory without giving up those qualities. That’s a position aftermarket tuning simply can’t replicate.

Who Is the Manthey Kit For?

So, what kind of owner is this kit for?

The answer is fairly clear: a 992.2 GT3 owner who heads to the track several times a year and is serious about shaving every last fraction of a second. Someone who doesn’t need the uncompromising focus of a GT3 RS, but is starting to want more from their GT3. Someone who doesn’t want a widebody conversion, and doesn’t want to sacrifice resale value or the factory warranty. For an owner whose priorities line up that way, the Manthey Kit may well be the one genuinely practical answer.

On the other hand, if your main focus is an occasional blast along a favorite mountain road and you rarely visit the track, you’re unlikely to get much value from the kit. The stock GT3 is already so capable. Take an honest look at how you’ll use your car, then decide whether to knock on Manthey’s door. A Porsche is already a wonderful car; the Manthey Kit is an exceptionally indulgent option for taking that excellence even further.