Porsche 911 T: The Perfect Sports Car?
The lightest 911 model might just be the best one in the Porsche lineup.
It’s no secret that we love the Porsche 911. We gave one a glowing review a couple years back, and since then, we’ve sung the praises of several other variants. We’re especially fond of the “distilled” 911s. Of those, our favorite is the 911 R. That car has Porsche’s most powerful naturally-aspirated engine, cloth seat centers, lightened body panels, rear-wheel drive layout and a manual transmission. And it’s a proper driver’s car from Porsche, at a time when the automaker seems to be moving away from those.
The 911 R isn’t a track weapon like the GT3 RS. And it isn’t a hypersonic sports car full of gizmos like the 918 or 911 Turbo S either. It’s simple and mechanical. We love it.
But it was a highly limited model, it was only built in 2016, and it was one of the most expensive 911s you could buy. Just a year later, more than a few are on the used market for three and four times their MSRP.
Luckily, Porsche came back again to right the enthusiast ship, offering the GT3 Touring package. It’s basically a 911 R at a lower price point, with no restriction on production numbers. But that car is still on the higher end of the 911 price scale. And to be frank, 500 horsepower is a lot for a normal road car.
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So now we have the 911 T, and if you’re like us, it might make you happy enough to shed a tear as you pour over the specs.
It’s a modern 911 that caters to the hopes and wishes of Porsche purists everywhere. It’s based on the cheapest and least powerful 911, but it cuts weight and offers a multitude of performance options that were once exclusive to higher-tier models.
Can anyone design a better everyday sports car than this? Just look at the recipe for the 911 T. Start with the Carrera 2, and remove the rear seats and radio system to save weight. Add PASM active suspension, a sports exhaust and the Sport Chrono package as standard. Mix well with 20-inch wheels, a shortened shifter, and a unique interior. Finally, garnish with thinner rear glass and reduced sound insulation.
When all is said and done, you’re left with a proper, rear-wheel drive 911 with 370 horsepower and a curb weight barely higher than a Prius. For less than the price of a standard Carrera S.
Porsche claims it’s guided by the vision of its founder, Ferdinand Porsche, who said, “in the beginning, I looked around and could not find the car I’d been dreaming of: a small, lightweight sports car that uses energy efficiently. So I decided to build it myself.”
This is the closest Porsche has come to producing that kind of sports car in decades. We couldn’t be happier.
