Manthey Racing Debuts Two Legendary Porsche ModelsManthey RacingCall it 30 for 30, if you'd like. Manthey Racing—which has spent 30 years in motorsports pushing to make cars like the Porsche 911 GT3, and more recently even the Taycan Turbo GT, set production-car records at tracks such as the Nürburgring—have launched the two limited-production race cars shown here: the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup MR 30 and the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport MR 30.Just 15 examples of each will be built, conveniently adding up to 30 cars for Manthey's 30th birthday. Both cars will blow out their candles at their public debut at the DTM finale at the Hockenheimring in Germany, as Porsche announced earlier this week that it has increased its stake in Manthey to 67 percent to "further expand its presence in the performance segment for both racetrack and road, beyond its own GT models."A Bigger Flat-SixThe more substantial transformation starts with the 911 GT3 Cup MR 30. They started with a 992.1 chassis—because 992.2 Cups are still being built for race teams—and increased the displacement of the water-cooled flat-six to 4.2 liters, raising output to about 560 horsepower, making it very similar to the 911 GT3 R cars found in IMSA, WEC, and DTM. Ultimately, the company says this special edition's performance slots in between the 4.0-liter-powered 911 GT3 Cup and the 911 GT3 R. Manthey wouldn't disclose exactly how high this 4.2-liter flat-six will rev, but we're told it's an engine that could take more than 9200 rpm, like the race cars competing today.Manthey RacingThe displacement bump is a reminder that, although modern Manthey Racing kits focus on aero, brakes, suspension, and wheels, engine modifications used to be a bigger part of the company's tinkering efforts. Manthey famously offered GT3s with bigger pistons, including a 3.9-liter conversion for the 996 generation.The new MR 30 also receives an extensively revised aerodynamic and cooling package that Manthey says has already been proven in customer racing on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. An earlier development version with less power than the finished MR 30 turned a 7:58.605 lap of the NLS configuration during warmer summer months, so the completed car certainly has more in it.Additional carbon fiber has been added inside and out. They've even replaced the factory intake box with a lighter carbon fiber unit. The wing measures about 180 centimeters wide. Manthey also converts the 911 to a central-radiator layout, both to improve airflow and to make the cooling system less vulnerable during contact.Manthey RacingLarger brake-cooling inlets help manage temperatures, while a new splitter and underbody, and that larger rear wing, increase downforce. The widened arches accommodate a track increase of 20 mm at the front and 50 mm at the rear.It even gets fancy new wheels. Manthey manufactures the forged wheels itself in Germany, and the anniversary set removes about 8.4 pounds of unsprung mass from the car. Six-way-adjustable dampers, revised spring rates, and retuned suspension give this car a bit more adjustability than what's competing today.How much must 15 would-be race car drivers or collectors pay to play? For Europe, before taxes, tariffs, and trucking costs, the 911 GT3 Cup MR 30's price matches its displacement at the rough equivalent of 419,400 Euro. However, in the U.S., the cars will be offered by Porsche Motorsport North America for $580,000, including import duties and freight.A Farewell to the CaymanThe 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport MR 30 takes a slightly different approach. Instead of larger displacement or more power, Manthey focused primarily on weight, aero, and cooling, as the ultimate goodbye kiss to the beloved Cayman.Manthey RacingThe car culminates more than a decade of Cayman racing development, stretching back to the homologation kit Manthey produced for the original 981-generation Cayman GT4 Clubsport. And we could never forget the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Manthey we lapped at Virginia International Raceway for our annual Lightning Lap feature, which we simply didn't want to quit driving.Carbon-fiber fenders, lightweight headlights, and a vented hood, front bumper, splitter, rear bumper, decklid, giant wing, and diffuser all help trim about 12.5 pounds from the MR 30 compared with the standard GT4 RS Clubsport. Left mostly unchanged is its absolutely screaming 493-hp flat-six, which revs to 9000 rpm.Manthey RacingLike the 911 GT3 Cup MR 30, the Cayman uses a central radiator and upgraded brake cooling. Some of that hardware traces its development to Manthey's 911 GT2 RS Clubsport Evo program.Manthey describes the 718 Cayman MR 30 as the final stage in the development of its Cayman-based race cars, effectively giving the outgoing platform one last send-off as Cayman GT4 are eventually replaced by 911 GT4 R. Its price tag is $390,000.30 Cars, 30 YearsBoth cars wear special white-and-red anniversary liveries inspired partly by Manthey's No. 911 Nürburgring 24 Hours entry. The 911 even wears a white-painted chassis as a nod to historic Porsche race cars. Anniversary logos, numbered plaques, embroidered seats, and larger wing endplates are, pardon the pun, icing on the cake.Manthey's Director of Race Cars and Motorsports Products, Jan-Helmut Brakhage, told us the people most interested in race cars that are largely ghosts of racing's past could be collectors, but he hopes they are "someone who is genuinely curious about how a 4.2-liter feels in a Cup car. That engine in a Cup car is so special. I would love them to feel that. I would like them to race these cars."Manthey RacingManthey will accept orders through October 30, after which it will allocate the 15 examples of each model. Caymans will be the first to be built, with deliveries beginning in November 2026, while the first 911 GT3 Cup MR 30s are scheduled to arrive during the first quarter of 2027.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used Cars.Gift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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