Ford’s Mustang GTD—already boasting a sub-seven-minute Nürburgring lap—proved its pace on the Top Gear test track by beating the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. It clocked a 1:13.7 lap, more than a second quicker than the standard GT3 RS, thanks to an 815-hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8, serious braking power, and exceptional grip and stability at the limit.
Now, the Porsche is back for revenge—this time armed with the Manthey Performance Kit. The upgrade focuses purely on aerodynamics and chassis tuning, boosting downforce and track efficiency without touching the engine. The GT3 RS still uses its 518-hp 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six screaming to 9,000 rpm, but aero gains push downforce from 860 kg to around 1,000 kg at 175 mph before the system eases off to protect the tires. The package isn’t cheap, costing well over $100,000, but it’s built for one purpose: speed.
And the result speaks for itself. The Manthey-equipped GT3 RS set a blistering 1:13.03—four-tenths quicker than the Mustang GTD despite giving up roughly 300 hp, and about 1.5 seconds faster than the stock GT3 RS. It registered 1.92 g under braking into Hammerhead and 2.05 g laterally at Follow Through—slightly below the GTD’s peaks, but ultimately faster through corners thanks to its higher minimum speeds (103 mph vs. 98 mph).
