So Porsche Just Slapped Ford In The Face

Porsche has set a new Nürburgring lap record for manual-transmission cars. The 2025 911 GT3 driven by factory driver Jörg Bergmeister piped out a 6:56.294 to dust the old record by some 10 seconds.

For another bit of context, the manual transmission-equipped 2025 911 GT3 beat the Mustang GTD's Nordschleife lap time by more than a second—yikes.

The previous manual transmission record, a 7:01.3, was held by the Dodge Viper ACR for the last eight years. However, the Viper's time was recorded on a slightly shorter version of the track, which didn't include the short pit straight. Perhaps more impressive, Bergmeister's hustle also bested the lap time of the PDK-equipped 911 GT3.

Porsche says on the same standardized 12.94-mile Nürburgring course, the new GT3 posted a time of 6:51.764—over 10 seconds faster than the Viper, despite the Porsche having roughly 140 fewer horsepowers. The 2025 911 GT3 makes 503 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque from its 9,000 rpm, 4.0-liter, flat-6 engine.

The new lap record is also 3.7 seconds quicker than the pre-facelift 992 GT3. Bergmeister credited the new GT3's improved chassis, which benefits from vehicle dynamic improvements learned from the 911 GT3 RS, contributing to greater poise over bumps and curbs. The car also has an eight percent shorter gear ratio, which lets the car's torque hit harder during the acceleration phase.

"The new 911 GT3 inspires even more confidence at the limit than the previous model. I was faster in almost every corner," says Bergmeister. "We learned a lot from the 911 GT3 RS, especially with the chassis. The car is much more stable on bumps and over the curbs. And thanks to the eight-per-cent-shorter gear ratio, there is noticeably more drive from the rear axle when accelerating with the same engine power. Even if it would have been a few seconds faster with the seven-speed PDK—with the six-speed manual gearbox, I definitely had more to do on the fast lap—and it was therefore even more fun."

You can watch the entire lap in the embedded video below:

The 2025 911 GT3 used for the record run was equipped with the optional Weissach Package, which includes weight-saving measures and carbon-fiber trim. It wore street-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires—255/35 R20 at the front and 315/30 R21 at the rear.

This record isn't going to leave Porsche's hands any time soon—literally no one else makes a car equipped with a manual transmission capable of matching the GT3's performance.

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