Porsche 911 GT3 2017 | new car sales price

Porsche has unveiled an upgraded version of its 911 GT3 at the Geneva motor show this week, but Australian customers will be stung an extra $33,900 when it arrives locally during the fourth quarter this year, priced from $327,100 before on-road costs.

Buyers will be compensated for the price rise with a larger, more powerful 4.0-litre, naturally aspirated flat-six cylinder petrol engine from the GT3 Cup racer, as well as active rear-axle steering, revised aerodynamics and updated electronic driver aids.

Significantly, a six-speed manual gearbox returns as a no-cost alternative to the otherwise-standard seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission – which was previously the only option.

The 200cc increase from the previous model's 3.8-litre powerplant helps provide an additional 18kW of power for a total output of 368kW.

As a result, the sprint from zero to 100km/h drops by 0.1 seconds to 3.4s for PDK-fitted 911 GT3s.

Dual-clutch transmissions continue to out-shift humans as manual versions can only complete the triple figure dash in 3.9s, but they do steam ahead with a higher top speed of 320km/h when compared to the 318km/h effort from the PDKs.

According to the German manufacturer, the 4.0-litre unit has been more or less lifted from the GT3 Cup cars that compete in Porsche's various racing series around the world – including the 2017 Porsche Carrera Cup championship in Australia.

Track-hungry environmentalists will not be pleased to find out that fuel economy has risen from 12.4 litres per 100km to 12.9L/100km on the combined cycle test, thanks to the larger displacement.

Race-style chassis changes include the ride height dropping by 25mm compared with standard 911s, while active rear-axle steering improves traction during high-speed cornering by moving the rear wheels in the same direction as those up front.

Meanwhile, at lower speeds, the rears will instead turn in the opposite direction to increase manoeuvrability and shrink the turning circle.

High-speed dynamics also benefit from the addition a rear differential lock and dynamic engine mounts.

Kerb weight drops to a scant 1430kg for PDK versions thanks to the stripped-out chassis and cabin, resulting in an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 3.88 kilograms per kilowatt.

Air flow at the front and rear ends of the two-door coupe has been optimised, which Porsche says is due to aerodynamic alterations to the redesigned front fascia and rear diffuser.

A racing-inspired rear wing made from carbon-fibre is once again employed and is the central focus of the GT3's aerodynamics.

Whilst driver comfort is the last of this 911's concerns, it does provide the small-diameter steering wheel from the 918 Spyder and bigger-bolstered sports seats.

If buyers want to dial their race-bred experience up to 11, they can opt for carbon-fibre-reinforced full bucket seats for an additional cost.

Alternatively, those willing to incur a weight penalty for some extra luxury can instead opt for 18-way adjustable electric seats.

Drivers can keep tabs on their driving information via the 'Porsche Track Precision' application for smartphones, which works by wirelessly connecting with the GT3.

Other standard equipment includes Wi-Fi hotspot, LTE phone module with SIM card reader and the Porsche Connect app.

Do naturally aspirated engines still set your heart racing, or have turbocharged powerplants now taken your fancy? Tell us what you think in the comments below.