Less Can Be More
With the new 911 Carrera T, Porsche is reviving the purist concept behind the 911 T of 1968
With the 911 Carrera T, Porsche is reviving the purist concept behind the 911 T of 1968: Less weight, shorter transmission ratios from the manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive with mechanical rear differential lock for enhanced performance and driving thrill
It’s difficult to shop for a Porsche. Why? Because there are just so many variants it gets confusing. Just for the 911 alone there are currently 23 available, and now it’s 24 with the introduction of the 911 Carrera T.
Still, it’s a bold move from Porsche who want, it seems, for all their customers to be happy. The new Porsche 911 Carrera T’s unique appearance is based on the 911 Carrera. The 911 Carrera T – at Porsche, ‘T’ stands for Touring – also boasts several other equipment features that are not available for the 911 Carrera, including the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) sports chassis as standard. Porsche has also lowered, by 20mm, the weight-optimised Sport Chrono Package, a shortened shift lever with red shift pattern and SportTex seat centres. In addition, the rear-axle steering system, which was not available for the 911 Carrera, is provided as an option for the 911 Carrera T. Every aspect of the equipment in the 911 Carrera T is designed to optimize sportiness and reduce weight: The rear window and rear side windows are made from lightweight glass, and the door trims feature opening loops, not door handles. (In fact, when our reviewer needed open the door he panicked, but after careful analysis managed to figure out how to open the doors to get out.) The sound absorption has been reduced to a minimum. The rear seats have been omitted, as has Porsche Communication Management system (PCM). Our test car did have ‘seats’ but no normal sized human could sit in them. Even Bilbo Baggins would find it tough sitting down. What is the result of these weight reduction measures? The car has unladen kerb weight of 1,425 kilograms, the two-seater is 20 kilograms lighter than a 911 Carrera with similar equipment. The design of the 911 Carrera T highlights the emotionality and sportiness of the rear-wheel-drive coupé. The body parts and wheels function as clear differentiating elements. At the front, the 911 Carrera T features an aerodynamically optimized front spoiler lip, and the Sport Design exterior mirrors are painted in Agate Grey Metallic. From the side, the new model is easily recognizable – thanks to its 20-inch Carrera S wheels in Titanium Gray. The ‘911 Carrera T’ logos represent another distinctive feature at the side. The rear view is characterized by the slats in the rear lid grill, the Porsche logo, the ‘911 Carrera T’ model designation in Agate Gray, and the sports exhaust system provided as standard, with centrally positioned tailpipes painted in black. The exterior color options are Black, Lava Orange, Guards Red, Racing Yellow, White and Miami Blue, as well as the metallic colours Carrara White, Jet Black and GT Silver. Our car was a brilliant racing yellow. We looked like a wasp shooting down the highway.
Back to Basics
The appearance of the passenger cabin also has a sporty and puristic emphasis. The driver enjoys black, four-way, electric sports seats with a seat center in Sport-Tex fabric, while the headrests feature a ‘911’ logo stitched in black. This new Carrera T model also comes with the option to choose full bucket seats for the first time. Our car was fitted in leather and was super comfortable. Getting into the car posed a problem, however. After a lot of twisting and turning our driver managed to get his body in the slung sports car. Once seated the driver reported that it was extremely comfortable, with excellent lumbar support. Steering actions are completed via the GT sports steering wheel with leather trim, and the mode switch provided on the steering wheel as standard allows the driver to select different driving programs. The shortened shift lever with shift pattern in red remains exclusive to the 911 Carrera T. The decorative trims on the dashboard and doors are black. A new addition is the T interior package, which creates an even sportier look with the contrasting colors of Racing Yellow, Guards Red or GT Silver. These colours can be used to add visual accents on various interior components, such as the seat belts, the ‘911’ logo on the headrests, the door opening loops or the centres of the Sport-Tex seats.
Ratio and Performance
The six-cylinder flat engine with a displacement of three liters and twin turbocharging generates an output of 272 kW (370 hp) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm, delivering between 1,750 rpm and 5,000 rpm. The weight-to-power ratio has been improved to 3.85 kg/hp, ensuring enhanced performance and more agile driving dynamics. Thanks to the shorter rear-axle gear ratio and mechanical differential lock, the 911 Carrera T can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h in and astonishing 4.5 seconds – 0.1 seconds faster than the 911 Carrera Coupé. The model reaches the 200-km/h mark in just 15.1 seconds. Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is also available as an option on the Carrera T, enabling the vehicle to reach 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds, and 200 km/h in 14.5 seconds. Both transmission variants enable a top speed of over 290 km/h. The 911 T just might be the best 911 for city driving. It’s low but not too low. Its damping control works marvelously; the softer of its two settings provided the compliance necessary to produce real grip in corners filled with chassis-twisting dips and bounces. Its steering is something magical for a car with a rear weight bias of well over 60 percent. Still, even though it has electronic steering, enough information is transmitted through the steering wheel to let you know when the front tires are stressing, but because there’s so much control available, regaining grip was always possible. The sevenspeed dual-clutch transmission, with manual control by steering wheel gearshift paddles and gear selector, is a joy to use. And the T’s standard sport exhaust let’s everyone know you’ve arrived.
The Verdict
In Singapore, Porsche is asking S$ 500,888 for this luxury retro inspired sports car. The price includes a 5-year free maintenance and warranty package, VES fee/rebate, GST and excludes COE. And although it might be a simple collection of parts, it’s a brilliantly assembled, well built and a dream to drive. While Porsche’s range of options and models can be a bit baffling, if you’ve got the money and love to drive—this car won’t disappoint. It really does turn out that less is more in the new 911 Carrera T.