Manthey Racing was founded in 1996 by Olaf Manthey and located near the Nürburgring, where it initially prepared Porsche race cars for VLN endurance competition on the Nordschleife. Within 10 years, the team had earned multiple Nürburgring 24 Hour victories and become one of Porsche’s closest motorsport partners. In 1999, Manthey introduced its first road-legal MR car, applying Nürburgring-developed engineering to a limited run of bespoke 911s. Unlike the more common engine-focused “K” kits, MR-series conversions were comprehensive, TÜV-approved rebuilds drawn largely from Porsche’s GT models. For select clients, the 996 GT3 RS served as the basis for Manthey’s most ambitious road-legal builds. Conceived as the ultimate evolution of its 996 program, the MR 516 aimed to deliver endurance-racer precision in a road-legal package, and the example offered here is among the most advanced 996s the firm produced. Finished in white over a black cloth interior, this 2003 Porsche 911 GT3 RS underwent an extensive Manthey Racing rebuild from 2014 to 2015 – a process documented as echoing the philosophy of the 996 GT3 MR that earned the team its first Nürburgring 24 Hour victory in 2006. Central to the work was Manthey’s 4.4-liter engine conversion with bespoke internal components, recorded on the dynamometer at about 510 PS (516 hp) at 7,300 rpm and 517 Nm (381 lbs./ft.) of torque at 5,500 rpm. The six-speed manual gearbox received revised gearing and bearings, while a KW competition chassis with adjustable strut bearings delivered the poise and accuracy associated with Manthey’s endurance racers.
The bodywork was reimagined with a wide-body carbon kit including carbon fenders, bumpers, doors with plastic windows, engine hood, underbody elements, diffuser, cooling ducts, and a carbon roof cover. A Manthey carbon rear wing, roll cage, Recaro Pole Position seats, six-point harnesses, and a tuned sport exhaust system reinforce its motorsport pedigree. Lightweight BBS wheels in 9×18 and 11×18 sizes are paired with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, supported by a Cup-inspired Brembo brake system with reinforced lines and high-performance pads.
Originally commissioned for a successful endurance racing driver and offered with a detailed history book documenting its creation, this GT3 RS MR 516 is one of only a handful of full MR-series 996 builds and the sole example with the 4.4-liter engine. It stands as a highly developed road car, engineered to a standard rarely seen outside factory motorsport programs. Combining purposeful lightness, competition-derived hardware, and Manthey’s hallmark chassis development, this example delivers a driving experience far beyond a standard GT3 RS, yet retains TÜV-certified road registration and usability.
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