(2018 – 2019) Porsche 911 Carrera T (991.2) – Ultimate Guide
Porsche currently has 24 variants of the 911 in its line-up. At this point, it surely becomes a daunting task for the Stuttgart-based company to add more 911s with enough differentiating factor, to an already multifaceted and star-studded team. But they do it anyway; and with the release of the new 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T they continue managing this to great effect, finding yet another way to garner new appeal for the old establishment.
To the untrained eye, the Carrera T may appear to be a bare-bones and sparingly equipped 911 at first glance. With a brief history lesson – and by taking a closer, more discerning look – it becomes clear that this really is not the case. The 911 has always been a car built to be greater than the sum of its parts, and the Carrera T is no different.
The purpose of the T (which stands for Touring) is to create a driver-focused 911, equipped with only the necessities required to appeal to those of a purist’s ilk. To achieve this goal, the Carrera T does not possess any truly unique features – such as its own engine, chassis or transmission – but is rather a thoughtful amalgamation of features taken from various 911s in the current line-up.
The Carrera T employs the same power plant used in the current base Carrera – a twin-turbocharged 3.0L flat-six with 370 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. A 7-speed manual transmission comes standard with the T, along with a shorter final-drive ratio and the limited-slip differential which are not included in the base Carrera’s offerings. Porsche Sport Exhaust (PSE) is also standard. While these numbers appear mild on their own, the Carrera T is still able to achieve a top speed of 293 km/h and 0-60 mph in a very respectable 4.3 seconds, or 4.0 seconds with the optional PDK transmission.
PASM sport suspension comes standard in the T, which lowers the chassis by 0.4 inches relative to the base Carrera and allows for two modes of dampening. Dynamic engine mounts are also standard fare. Rear-axle steering (not offered on the base model) and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) are available options for those who view the conventional arsenal as being spartan.
Overall, the standard-equipped T is the lightest 911 in the line-up weighing in at just 3,153 lbs – a stone lighter than some of its rear-wheel drive counterparts and more than 100 lbs lighter than some of the all-wheel drive variants. The Carrera T is equipped with 20-inch Carrera S wheels, SportDesign mirrors and some distinctive exterior features such as a redesigned front lip and engine hatch louvers. In Porsche’s effort to shave the pounds, thinner rear and side windows (shared with the GT2RS) are installed, while some sound deadening pieces are removed. Four-way adjustable Sport Seats Plus with trim-specific cloth inserts and a GT Sport Steering Wheel come standard in the T.
Buyers who desire the works in weight reduction can also opt for carbon-fiber bucket seats (which also delete the rear seats) at an additional cost.
Automotive journalists – such as Car and Driver and Autocar UK – got to take the Carrera T for its first public test at Col de Turini in France. Commonly referred to as simply ‘Turini’, the location is a winding gauntlet of a mountain pass, with sharp turns, intense elevation changes, and rough road surfaces, demanding the most out of both car and driver.
Despite being fitted with Pirelli Sotto Zero winter tires to suit the weather conditions during the test, the car still negotiated the countryside tarmac with real fluency and compliance. The T was also noted as being smooth, balanced and an absolute blast to drive, even in tenuous terrain. The T is not the fastest or most luxurious of the available 911 variants; nor is it the cheapest, costing around $11,000 more than the base Carrera. So, what does it really offer that would make someone want it over a plethora of other available choices?
Suffice to say, the Porsche 911 Carrera T is the perfect car – for somebody who knows exactly what they want and wants nothing more than that. If all the right boxes are checked off, the Carrera T should be the best value for money for those who fall into this purist niche. The Carrera T is also a manifestation of how passionate Porsche is about understanding and catering to its customer base, whether big or small.
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Press Release
With the Porsche 911 Carrera T, Porsche is reviving the puristic concept behind the 911 T of 1968: less weight, shorter transmission ratios from the manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive with mechanical rear differential lock for an enhanced performance and intense driving pleasure. The new model’s unique appearance is based on the 911 Carrera and its engine delivers 272 kW (370 hp). The 911 Carrera T – at Porsche, “T” stands for Touring – also boasts several other equipment features that are not available for the 911 Carrera, including the PASM sports chassis as standard, lowered by 20 mm, the weight-optimised Sport Chrono Package, a shortened shift lever with red shift pattern and Sport-Tex seat centres. The rear-axle steering, which is not available for the 911 Carrera, is available as an option for the 911 Carrera T.
Every aspect of the equipment in the 911 Carrera T is designed to optimise sportiness and deliver lightweight construction: The rear window and rear side windows are made from lightweight glass and the door trims feature opening loops. The sound absorption has been largely reduced. The rear seats have been omitted along with the Porsche Communication Management (PCM), though both are still available on request at no additional cost. The result of the lightweight construction measures: At an unladen weight of 1,425 kilograms, the two-seater is 20 kilograms lighter than a 911 Carrera with comparable equipment.
The Porsche 911 Carrera T will be available from January 2018 and can be pre-ordered now. In Germany, the price will be EUR 107,553 including VAT and country-specific features.
A sporty design and unique appearance
The design of the Porsche 911 Carrera T highlights the emotionality and sportiness of the coupé with rear-axle transmission. The body parts and wheels function as clear differentiating elements. At the front, the 911 Carrera T features an aerodynamically optimised front spoiler lip, and the Sport Design exterior mirrors are painted in Agate Grey Metallic. From the side, the new model is easily recognisable thanks to its 20-inch Carrera S wheels in Titan Grey. The “911 Carrera T” logos represent another distinctive feature at the side. The rear view is characterised by the slats in the rear lid grille, the Porsche logo, the “911 Carrera T” model designation in Agate Grey and the sports exhaust system provided as standard, with centrally positioned tailpipes painted in black. The exterior colour options are Black, Lava Orange, Guards Red, Racing Yellow, White and Miami Blue, as well as the metallic colours Carrara White, Jet Black and GT Silver.
A puristic interior concept and new interior package
The appearance of the passenger compartment also has a sporty and puristic emphasis. The driver enjoys black, four-way, electric sports seats with a seat centre in Sport-Tex fabric, while the headrests feature a “911” logo stitched in black. This new Carrera T model also comes with the option to choose full bucket seats for the first time. Steering actions are completed via the GT sports steering wheel with leather rim, and the mode switch provided on the steering wheel as standard allows the driver to select different driving programmes. The shortened shift lever with shift pattern in red remains exclusive to the 911 Carrera T. The decorative trims on the dashboard and doors are black, as are the door opening loops. A new addition is the T interior package, which creates an even sportier look with the contrasting colours of Racing Yellow, Guards Red or GT Silver. These colours can be used to add visual accents on various interior components, such as the seat belts, the “911” logo on the headrests, the door opening loops or the centres of the Sport-Tex seats.
Improved weight-to-power ratio plus enhanced performance
The six-cylinder flat engine with a displacement of three litres and twin turbocharging generates an output of 272 kW (370 hp) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm, delivering between 1,750 rpm and 5,000 rpm. The weight-to-power ratio has been improved to 3.85 kg/hp, ensuring enhanced performance and more agile driving dynamics. Thanks to a shorter rear axle ratio and mechanical differential lock, the Porsche 911 Carrera T can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds – 0.1 seconds faster than the 911 Carrera Coupé. The model reaches the 200-km/h limit in just 15.1 seconds. Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is also available as an option on the Carrera T, enabling the vehicle to reach 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds, and 200 km/h in 14.5 seconds. Both transmission variants enable a top speed of over 290 km/h.
