Available as a Coupe or Cabriolet, the Porsche 911 Carrera T (992.2) gets a 6spd manual, and in no-fuss-no-frills spec, tips the scales at 1.4+-tonnes
Hot on the heels of the 992.2 GT3 drop, Porsche introduces us to a 911 that could possibly be the most exciting model yet this year.
Enthusiasts especially, have been in search of a lightweight purist rear-drive 911 with a proper 6spd manual that won't break the bank (vs the S$900k+ 992.2 GT3 Touring and ~S$1.4m S/T for instance, both before COE/options) and focuses on driving thrills over outright horsepower.
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It's the definitive choice of Carrera for the driving purist – the 911 Carrera T (and if you're wondering, T is for Touring).
The new Porsche 911 Carrera T can be ordered now, with prices starting at S$620,488 for the Coupe and S$706,788 for the Carrera T Cabriolet. Both prices are before options and COE. As contrast, the coming 992.2 C2 GTS T-Hybrid will push S$780k before COE and options.
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In the horsepower arms race, it's sometimes hard to make casual enthusiasts appreciate that there's more to motoring life than maximum output and 0-100km/h sprint times, which are the hard facts folks who don't know better tend to fixate on.
Driving enthusiasts have always placed an emphasis on lightweight, nimble agility over huge horsepower figures.
We're looking for a holistically balanced sporting machine that doesn't necessarily need to be the fastest, but it has to be the funnest to drive.
For those who can only dream of the unicorn 911s like the S/T, R and GT3 Touring, the Carrera T could well be their saving grace, which in the current 992.2 generation, is available as Coupe (white car pictured) or Cabriolet (blue car pictured).
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In more recent times, the 911 Carrera T model last existed during the 991 then 992.1 (S$604,588 before COE/options) generations, but despite its pared-back weight-savings measures, it was only available in PDK or the 7spd, not the coveted 6spd.
Positioned between the C2 (starts S$569,948 before COE and options) and the C2S, the problem with a model like the C2T is there's a tendency to overspec it in terms of equipment, or stick it with a PDK (then), which isn't an ideal configuration for a model intended to be the purist's pure driving Porsche of choice.
In its lightest configuration, the 911 Carrera T Coupe weighs just 1478kg, or up to 42kg less than the current C2.
This includes full bucket seats, lightweight windows, reduced insulation and a 6spd manual transmission (hooray!).
We understand that this isn't a GT 6spd but one that has been derived from the 7spd manual gearbox.
At the Carrera T's heart resides a twin-turbo 3.0-litre flat6 that produces 394hp and 450Nm, all of which is naturally sent to the rear-wheels.
Compared to its predecessor, the 992 Carrera T gets bigger brakes, rear-axle steer (in combination with a more direct steering ratio on the front axle) and a rousing sports exhaust system as standard equipment.
The visual distinctions are subtle on the perfect minimalist 911, but so-cool in eccentric detail.
There's a sticker with the shift pattern logo on each of the triangular rear windows that identify it as a manual and a purist example of the T range (versus PDK).
The model designations on the rear are in a contrasting colour, Vanadium Grey, while the inlays on the rear lid grille, the upper and lower trim of the exterior mirrors, and the machine-polished light alloy wheels are painted in matching Vanadium Grey Metallic.
The Carrera T also features the aerodynamic spoiler lip from the 911 Carrera GTS.
In the cabin, the Carrera T gets several bespoke elements, such as tartan fabric, as well as a gorgeous open-pore walnut laminated wood gear-knob that tops the shortened gear-lever (inspired by the classic Porsche race-cars).
In front of the gear lever is a badge with the ‘MT’ (Manual Transmission) logo,.
There's also a shift pattern logo is printed on the passenger side of the dashboard.
Just when I think I've become too jaded to be surprised, Porsche drops something stellar like the Carrera T that really drops our jaws, which really serves to demonstrate how in-touch the brand is with the petrolhead pulse.
And the bespoke Carrera T elements only shows that the brand really knows how to have fun with a car too!
