Manthey Racing 911 GT3 Cup

If you want a GT3 Cup with more attitude, does Manthey have the car for you!

Anyone who cares about racing at the Nordschleife knows about Manthey. It specialises in optimising Porsches for the 'ring, from Cayman GT4 racers to record breaking GT3 RS road cars. Its latest creation is this, the 911 GT3 Cup MR; yes, it's not the most significant addition to the world of motorsport, but would you just look at it?

Following on from a class victory at this year's N24 with the old GT3 Cup, this Manthey modified 911 is based on the new car that is currently seeing service in the one-make Porsche Cup championships. It has more power than the regular Cup - 485hp - with an extensively modified aero pack, wider tracks and 12-way adjustable ABS for "long-distance-capable drivability and increased braking performance". Say, for 24 hours at the most gruelling race track in the world...

That all seems secondary, however, to the outrageous look of this GT3 Cup MR. Manthey has fitted a new front bumper, bonnet, wings, skirts, engine cover and rear wing in carbon. There's not going to be any missing it when you're trying to keep up in your GT86, is there? Helpfully there are arrows pointing to the important bits, including that spoiler that looks like a bit of scaffolding, arches as wide as Cayman gear ratios and that aggressively vented bonnet.

The GT3 Cup MR is on show at the Essen Motor Show until this weekend; with plans to enter endurance racing next year, expect it to be on sale very soon. For lots of money. Still, if you want a 911 race car that's perfectly suited to the Nurburgring...