What We Like
Powerful, responsive engine
Impeccable handling and communicative steering
Reduced noise insulation puts you closer to the action
Has all essential qualities of a 911
What We Dislike
There are faster, sharper, purer and more special variants in the vast 911 lineup
You must be thinking, "Wait, another 911?" Well, yes, here is yet another 911. To put it into some context, this current 991.2 generation features a total of 24 distinct variants, including this new one, the Carrera T. 24. That is not a typo.
The Porsche 911 Carrera T is the latest addition to the already extensive 991.2 generation model lineup
The hell?
Yes, Porsche have been known for really milking the 911 for everything that it has, pushing out different variants with subtle differences and charging people more money for it. Can you blame them? Haters will contend that the brand has basically been making the same car for 55 years, but the model's continued and vast popularity cannot be understated.
This here is the 911 Carrera T, the 911 T in short. T actually stands for 'Touring', and the name is derived from the model launched 50 years ago. That particular 911 T, with the engine detuned to produce just 110bhp, was a low-spec, low-cost version of the standard Carrera. This one, well, isn't. It costs more than your basic Carrera, and slots between the Carrera and the Carrera S within the 911.2 lineup.
To save weight, the door handles have been replaced by fabric loops
So what's the point?
To understand the point of the 911 T, you really have to go back to the 911 R, a highly coveted and limited edition (500 only) car released in 2016, which was in many people's eyes the 911 in its purest, most emotionally distilled form. Part of that appeal was its pairing of a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated engine to a six-speed manual gearbox. Demand for that car was through the roof, with resale prices of the 911 R doubling overnight.
With the 911 T, it feels like Porsche is doing its best to satiate some of that demand, offering a car that aims to deliver some of that 'purist' feel, without the crazy price tag to go along with it.
The PCM infotainment system can be optioned back into the car at no cost
So what's different?
If you want to be cynical, you could say that Porsche took a bunch of stuff out of the standard Carrera and is charging you more money for it. With the 911 T, you get thinner glass for the windscreen and windows, the door handles on the inside of the car have been replaced by strips of fabric, sound insulation materials have been reduced, and the car comes standard without the rear seats and infotainment system (though they can be added back as a no-cost option, as you can see in our test car).
Subtle detailing, such as the kick plate, differentiates this car from the standard Carrera modelWhat's the point of all of this? Weight saving, supposedly. With the rear seats removed, the 911 T is 20kg lighter than a Carrera with the same equipment. But truth be told, 20kg isn't a whole lot of weight, and we suspect most drivers won't be able to tell the difference.
However, the reduced noise insulation does mean that the driving experience feels more raw - road noise is more apparent, and you can also hear the sounds of loose tarmac impacting the car's undercarriage. This helps to accentuate the dynamic qualities of the car.
The hell?
Yes, Porsche have been known for really milking the 911 for everything that it has, pushing out different variants with subtle differences and charging people more money for it. Can you blame them? Haters will contend that the brand has basically been making the same car for 55 years, but the model's continued and vast popularity cannot be understated.
This here is the 911 Carrera T, the 911 T in short. T actually stands for 'Touring', and the name is derived from the model launched 50 years ago. That particular 911 T, with the engine detuned to produce just 110bhp, was a low-spec, low-cost version of the standard Carrera. This one, well, isn't. It costs more than your basic Carrera, and slots between the Carrera and the Carrera S within the 911.2 lineup.
So what's the point?
To understand the point of the 911 T, you really have to go back to the 911 R, a highly coveted and limited edition (500 only) car released in 2016, which was in many people's eyes the 911 in its purest, most emotionally distilled form. Part of that appeal was its pairing of a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated engine to a six-speed manual gearbox. Demand for that car was through the roof, with resale prices of the 911 R doubling overnight.
With the 911 T, it feels like Porsche is doing its best to satiate some of that demand, offering a car that aims to deliver some of that 'purist' feel, without the crazy price tag to go along with it.
So what's different?
If you want to be cynical, you could say that Porsche took a bunch of stuff out of the standard Carrera and is charging you more money for it. With the 911 T, you get thinner glass for the windscreen and windows, the door handles on the inside of the car have been replaced by strips of fabric, sound insulation materials have been reduced, and the car comes standard without the rear seats and infotainment system (though they can be added back as a no-cost option, as you can see in our test car).
However, the reduced noise insulation does mean that the driving experience feels more raw - road noise is more apparent, and you can also hear the sounds of loose tarmac impacting the car's undercarriage. This helps to accentuate the dynamic qualities of the car.
What the 911 T does get that the Carrera doesn't is equipment to improve the car's dynamic behaviour. The PASM sports chassis comes as standard, which lowers the car by 20mm, you have a weight-optimised Sport Chrono Package, a rear limited-slip differential, and the rear-axle steering system can be optioned on this car (and not on the standard Carrera). But most significantly for driving enthusiasts, you can have the 911 T with a seven-speed manual transmission.
The seats feature a unique Sport-Tex fabric seat centre
So is it a special car?
Of course it is. Everything about the 911 people know and love is entirely present in this car. The 3.0-litre turbocharged engine is powerful and responsive, and has been tuned to feel remarkably like a naturally aspirated powerplant (thought there's no ignoring the very obvious woosh of the turbochargers spooling).
The 911 T rides on 20-inch Carrera S wheelsSteering is sharp and direct, and definitely one of the best in the market. Traction is ample, thanks to the engine sitting over the rear axle helping the fat tyres grip even better to the tarmac. This car delivers everything you want in a 911 - responsive, agile and lots of fun. It's a pity we don't have the manual to drive, but the lightning quick dual-clutch PDK transmission is still one of the very best in the industry.
One thing is for sure - driving this car is a pure and joyous experience, no two ways about it.
There must be a but...
Well, there is. But while the 911 T is a fantastic car, it's not a particularly special 911 in any way. It's a damn good car because it is a 911, but we're not sure it's a damn good 911 (remember, there are 23 other variants to choose from).
The PDK gearbox is still one of the very best in the businessPart of this is down to the fact that the differences between this and the standard Carrera are difficult to parse. The 911 T is marginally quicker (0.1 seconds quicker from 0-100km/h), but we doubt anyone could physically feel the difference. Yes, you get the PASM adaptive dampers on this car, but the 'Sport' setting is too stiff for everyday driving. And to be honest, the standard suspension set up on the 911 is already so impressive.
If you really want a pure, honest-to-god driving machine, it's the GT3 that you really want. So why bother with the 911 T? The main reason we think people will buy this car is for the availability of the manual gearbox.
The 911 T delivers a pure and joyous driving experience every time you get behind the wheelBut beyond that, there's still one very simple reason why anyone would (and should) buy this car, and that's because it's a 911. It's really as simple as that. This car has subtle differences from the standard Carrera model that may appeal to buyers who want to differentiate themselves a little, but ultimately you are still buying it because it's a 911. It's just a fantastic driver's car, through and through.
So is it a special car?
Of course it is. Everything about the 911 people know and love is entirely present in this car. The 3.0-litre turbocharged engine is powerful and responsive, and has been tuned to feel remarkably like a naturally aspirated powerplant (thought there's no ignoring the very obvious woosh of the turbochargers spooling).
One thing is for sure - driving this car is a pure and joyous experience, no two ways about it.
There must be a but...
Well, there is. But while the 911 T is a fantastic car, it's not a particularly special 911 in any way. It's a damn good car because it is a 911, but we're not sure it's a damn good 911 (remember, there are 23 other variants to choose from).
If you really want a pure, honest-to-god driving machine, it's the GT3 that you really want. So why bother with the 911 T? The main reason we think people will buy this car is for the availability of the manual gearbox.
