Since it’s dedicated to the Old Continent’s Alpine region and also to Porsche’s own history of competing in European hill climb events, it’s pretty clear that North America is off-limits. But it turns out even Europeans will have trouble finding it.
It’s not just that the new special edition will be made in just 110 examples but all of them are offered solely in four countries with intrinsic ties to the Alpine Mountain range: Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. Porsche says that its history has always been linked to the mountains, “from the wooden buildings of the former sawmill in Gmünd, where the first Porsche sports cars took shape in the shadow of the Austrian Alps, to the sinuous passes that became the natural proving ground” for its sports cars.
The steep gradients and winding bends also remind us of the rather sharp downfall in sales for the premium German manufacturer of sports cars, EVs, and SUVs, and Porsche hopes that its new special edition sold in just 100 examples will lift the spirit of dealers in the markets of Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland. Porsche, of course, being Porsche, is a specialist in such limited series.
This new geo-fenced model is the result of the collaboration between Porsche and Exclusive Manufaktur, with the Porsche 911 GT3 Bergsport taking the form of an enhanced 992.2 Porsche 911 GT3 with Touring Package created by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur with interior and exterior design elements that draw their inspiration from the Alpine landscapes. Naturally, the company held the world premiere of the new special edition of the GT3 Bergsport at the Arosa ClassicCar hill climb in Switzerland – on September 3, Porsche Brand Ambassador Jörg Bergmeister will drive the special edition up the climb, going up 422 meters in elevation after 76 corners and 7.3 kilometers on the road course.
The Porsche 911 GT3 Bergsport comes with a new exterior paint shade dubbed Valleygreenmetallic, developed especially for this special edition via the Paint to Sample Plus program. The cars are also equipped with the Lightweight Package featuring more durable forged aluminum wheels instead of magnesium forged wheels, “providing greater resilience against the often-demanding conditions encountered on Alpine passes.”
There’s also a standard front axle lift system for steep ramps and uneven surfaces, while the car has a 90-liter fuel tank to extend the range on longer mountain drives. The forged aluminum wheels have a satin-finish White Gold and Ceramica treatment, while the brake calipers are dressed in orange to mimic the ‘alpenglow,’ “the natural phenomenon that occurs when the first or last light of the day illuminates Alpine summits.”
Additional details include tinted HD-Matrix LED headlights and a checkered flag motif on the front luggage compartment lid, inspired by the 908 Bergspyder, a badge on the B-pillar as well as on the engine compartment cover – one reading GT3 Bergsport and the other “featuring four Alpine summits, representing the four Alpine countries, with a serpentine road set against a mountain backdrop.”
Inside the cabin, the theme continues with Valleygreen as a bespoke leather colour on the folding carbon-fiber bucket seats, part of the Lightweight Package. The car also has rear jump seats, plus decorative orange stitching and embroidered ‘GT3’ lettering around the cabin. The Light Design Package is also present, while a Bose Surround Sound System takes care of the sound stage.
Last but not least, there’s also a specially designed GT3 Bergsport badge on the rear lid grille and an accompanying Porsche Lifestyle collection. Just like any other 911 GT3 Touring, this special edition features the 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six packing 503 hp and 331 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque.