Homologation Legacy: The First GT3. 

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INTRODUCTION

Offered exclusively by CHROME TEMPLE is an exceptionally original Australian-delivered example of a 1999 Zanzibar Red 996.1 GT3. The very first road-going 911 to wear the GT3 name. The car that carried the Carrera RS philosophy into the water-cooled era and gave a new generation of 911 its motorsport soul.

At its heart lies the naturally aspirated Mezger flat-six, an engine whose architecture traces directly back to Porsche's Le Mans-winning GT1 programme. Every metallic rasp and mechanical chatter reminds you this was never conceived as a grand tourer—it was built because Porsche needed to homologate a racing car.

Unfiltered by nostalgia and untouched by the pursuit of outright speed, the original GT3 remains raw, precise and deeply analogue. More than two decades later, it stands as the origin story of what has become Porsche's most revered 911 designation.

A true bookend car built in low numbers, this example is finished in the rare launch colour of Zanzibar Red, understood to be one of fewer than five Australian-delivered cars specified in this significant hue. Offered here in one of the most collectible specifications of the model, it represents the original, undiluted GT3 formula, arguably at its purest.

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VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

This 1999 Porsche 911 GT3 is presented in one of the most desirable configurations for the most particular of Porsche collectors. Displaying a mere 34,872 km from new, finished in Zanzibar Red over Black Leather Sports Seats, it represents the original GT3 formula in a specification that is rare, highly sought-after and deeply significant.

Zanzibar Red carries particular importance on the 996.1 GT3. Used as the launch colour to communicate this exciting new 911 variant to the world and seen far less often than the more commonly ordered yellow, Guards Red and silver cars of the late 1990s, it gives this example an immediate point of difference and collectability.

The car is understood to be one of fewer than five Australian-delivered examples finished in Zanzibar Red and less than 3% of all 1,868 produced globally between 1999–2001 with a mere 308 produced in RHD.

Its touring-oriented specification, complete with optional Black Leather Sports Seats, lends it a more road-focused character than Clubsport alternatives. Cars specified this way were often purchased with spirited road driving in mind rather than dedicated circuit use, and as a result many have escaped the harder lives associated with track-focused counterparts, contributing to their exceptional cosmetic and mechanical preservation.

A major service was completed by marquee Porsche specialists PR Tech in June 2026, supported by an exceptional PPI available on request, consistent paint readings and superb leak-down and compression test results.

Fully documented with original stamped books with chassis stickers and extensive service history, this is a rare opportunity to acquire an early GT3 that combines immaculate cosmetic and mechanical condition, first-generation significance, unusual launch-colour rarity and the kind of supporting evidence serious collectors look for.

• Odometer: 34,872 km

• Engine: 3.6L Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six

• Power: 265 kW / 360 PS

• Torque: 370 Nm

• Transmission: 6-Speed Manual

• Drive: Rear-Wheel Drive

• Exterior Colour: Zanzibar Red

• Interior Colour: Black Leather

• Seats: Leather Sports Seats

• VIN: WP0ZZZ99ZYS690212

• Servicing: Extensive Service History

• Recent Maintenance: Major Service Completed June 2026

• Paint: Consistent Paint Readings

• Documentation: Original Books

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OPTIONS & EQUIPMENT

• Zanzibar Red Paintwork

• Leather Sports Seats

• Heavy-Duty Battery When 573 Ordered

• Green-Tinted Windscreen With Green Top-Tint

• Air Conditioning

• CD-Radio "Porsche CDR 220" USA

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‍SERVICING & MAINTENANCE‍

• 01/09/1999 – Delivered New Porsche Cars AUS – Collingwood Melbourne

• 25/05/2004 – 7,619 km – Brake Fluid Change

• 20/01/2006 – 12,831 km – Brake Fluid Change

• 07/03/2008 – 16,912 km – Brake Fluid Change

• 20/04/2010 – 19,837 km – Brake Fluid Change

• 14/07/2012 – 24,013 km

• 12/10/2014 – 32,705 km

• 02/06/2016 – 33,666 km – PR Tech‍

• 05/10/2018 – 34,122 km – Brake Fluid Change – PR Tech‍

• 05/05/2020 – 34,124 km – PR Tech‍

• 25/07/2022 – 34,655 km – Brake Fluid Change – PR Tech‍

• 10/06/2026 – 34,843 km – Major Service Completed / Brake Fluid Change – PR Tech‍

• Exceptional PPI Available On Request – Completed June 2026 – PR Tech

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DOCUMENTATION

• Two Keys

• Books & Manuals

• Porsche Car Cover

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A WORD FROM THE OWNER:

"I wanted the very best example I could find, specifically a first-generation 996 GT3 with low kilometres, one owner and, importantly, one that had never been used on track. Cars like this were bought to be driven hard, so finding one that had been preserved rather than exercised in that way was becoming increasingly difficult.

The original owner actually owned two 996.1 GT3s from new—one dedicated to track use and this car exclusively for the road—which made it exactly the sort of example I had been searching for. I purchased it directly from him in 2014 and carried out a light restoration, primarily refinishing the paint, together with a thorough mechanical service and detailing. Since then, it has remained completely original, meticulously maintained and carefully preserved.

What has always made the 996.1 GT3 special to me is that it was the last road car developed and assembled within Porsche Motorsport before production moved to the main 911 line. Like all of my Porsches, the goal has always been to preserve and maintain the car exactly as it was when it left the factory."

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MODEL HISTORY

The 911 GT3 was born at a critical moment for Porsche. The 996 generation had moved the 911 into the water-cooled era, bringing with it new engineering, new proportions and a new direction for the company's most important sports car. For some purists, it was a difficult transition. For Porsche Motorsport, it was an opportunity.

Introduced in 1999, the 996.1 GT3 became the first 911 to wear the GT3 name and the spiritual successor to the Carrera RS lineage. Like the great RS models before it, the GT3 was not defined by luxury or excess, but by precision, reduction and purpose. Its naturally aspirated 3.6-litre Mezger flat-six drew from Porsche's endurance racing knowledge, while its manual gearbox, rear-wheel-drive layout, fixed rear wing, uprated chassis and motorsport-focused specification created a new template for the modern driver's 911.

Importantly, this was years before Porsche introduced the GT3 RS. As a result, the original GT3 occupied both roles: it was the road-going GT3 and the most focused, uncompromising naturally aspirated 911 in the range. In many respects, it sits closer in philosophy to the GT3 RS models that would follow than any subsequent standard GT3, because the formula had not yet diverged into separate GT3 and GT3 RS lineages. It carried the full weight of Porsche's homologation ambitions in a single model.

Its credibility was proven almost immediately. With Walter Röhrl behind the wheel, the original GT3 lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under eight minutes, a defining achievement for a road-approved production car at the time. More importantly, it gave the water-cooled 911 generation the one thing it needed most: undeniable motorsport legitimacy.

Every GT3 that followed, from 997 to 992, owes something to the 996.1. Later cars became faster, wider and more advanced, while the GT3 RS evolved into an even more focused derivative. Yet the original remains uniquely important because it established both bloodlines before they became distinct models. Manual. Naturally aspirated. Rear-wheel drive. Motorsport-derived. Usable on the road, credible on circuit and unmistakably connected to Porsche's competition department.

That is why the 996.1 GT3 matters. It is not merely an early modern Porsche. It is the beginning of the modern GT3 dynasty, and the closest a standard GT3 would ever come to embodying the singular, uncompromising philosophy that would later define the GT3 RS.

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FINAL SUMMARY

This 1999 Porsche 911 GT3 presents as a highly compelling example of the original GT3 generation, combining first-year 996.1 significance with rare Zanzibar Red paint.

With 34,872 km from new, two keys, books and manuals, extensive service history, a major service just completed in June 2026 and an excellent PPI, it offers the confidence and documentation expected of a serious collector-grade car.

As the first GT3, the 996.1 occupies a permanent place in Porsche history. As an Australian-delivered Zanzibar Red example, understood to be #1 of five in this colour, this car adds specification rarity to that historical importance.

The original GT3, in one of its rarest colours.

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DISCLAIMER

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this listing, the age of the vehicle means not all details can be fully verified. No warranty is given as to the completeness or accuracy of the information, and all prospective purchasers should rely on their own inspections and enquiries.