ANYONE FOR T?

Porsche has gone and done it again. With the new 911 T, Porsche is proving that it knows exactly how to press enthusiasts’ buttons. In a roundabout way, Porsche is also proving just how appealing the basic 911 Carrera remains.

In many ways, the 911 T looks like a meagre effort. The press release that accompanies the new model is titled, “The new 911 Carrera T reduces weight for increased performance.” That might be true in the strictest possible objective sense. The T is lighter. And Porsche is claiming improved acceleration.

But it's only 20kg lighter and we're talking about a piffling one tenth of a second quicker to 62mph. What's more, if the T does indeed use the gear from the standard Carrera S, then anyone who has driven the latter can confirm the only very slightly shorter gearing hardly makes for a frantic Tarmac-rally-style driving experience.

And yet despite all that, the T remains an implausibly alluring package. A lot of that is down to the core appeal of the basic 911 Carrera. It's a great looking car with a fantastic engine and a fabulous chassis. So the idea of honing that package, if only just a little, for the sole purpose of increased driving enjoyment is compelling.

What's more, in an age where throwing numbers at the problemof creating performance cars has resulted in massively more capable but not necessarily more enjoyable machines, a car that only barely improves on paper makes for something of an anti hero. Just the simple use of fabric seat inserts where luxury leather is normally de rigueur adds some tingle to the T's proposition.

Of course, the fact that the new T looks absolutely fabulous in the launch photos doesn't hurt. But in the end, the appeal of a car like the new 911 Carrera T defies logic and rational exposition. It's a car you will buy with your heart, not your head.

911 & PORSCHE WORLD