Porsche unveils new 911 Carrera T: Lighter, and manual-only

Porsche has extended its model range of the new 911, adding the new, lightweight and dynamic 911 Carrera T, available for the first time as a cabriolet. The other highlight? It's being offered exclusively as a manual. 

A focus on agility and lightweight construction, and a six-speed manual transmission shifting drive power to the rear axle, help it feel like a true Carrera. Sporting lightweight windows and reduced insulation, the lightest configuration of the new car - with full bucket seats - weighs just 1,478kg, more than 40kg lighter than the current 911 Carrera.

When shifting down, an intermediate throttle function (auto-blip) helps with compensating speed differences between the engine and gearbox

The new car is powered by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo boxer engine, the same one in the 911 Carrera, producing 290kW (389bhp) and up to 450Nm of torque.

With the standard Sport Chrono Package, the Carrera T goes from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 295km/h. Those who want drop-top motoring won't be losing out too much in thrills department either, since the Carrera T Cabriolet can get from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds, before reaching a marginally lower top speed of 293km/h.

The standard PASM adaptive sports suspension has been lowered and tuned to make the Carrera T even better and more agile to drive

In addition, for the first time, Porsche has fitted the model with rear-axle steering - tuned specially for the 911 Carrera T - as standard, together with a more direct steering ratio on the front axle for improved handling.

The Carrera T's rear exterior model designations, as well as its light alloy wheels, are painted in Vanadium Grey Metallic. It also sports the same aerodynamically optimised spoiler lip as the 911 Carrera GTS.

The car offers three colour schemes with differing options to choose from, and further body colours are available via the Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus programmes

In its interior, the tartan fabric pattern is exclusively reserved for the 911 Carrera T. Standard equipment includes a leather-upholstered and heated GT sports steering wheel, with the dashboard and centre console inlays in Vanadium Grey and the door panel inlays in black brushed aluminium.

Black, four-way electrically adjustable sports seats with Sport-Tex seat centres come as standard, and customers can also opt for the Adaptive Sports Seats Plus (18-way adjustable) or light full bucket seats.

Manual-only: One of the highlights of the latest Carrera T is the fact that it is being offered exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission

And Porsche is ensuring that drivers will truly enjoy the experience of driving stick too; they'll get to relish the feel of open-pore walnut laminated wood every time they switch gears (said to offer a "special visual and tactile experience"). Other parts of the interior pay special homage to the car's manual transmission, including the 'MT' (Manual Transmission) logo in front of the gear lever, and the shift pattern logo on the passenger side of the dashboard.

Following the Carrera T's global unveiling, Porsche Singapore has already made the car available for order. Prices for the hard-top start at $620,488, without COE and before options.