A few years back for the old 911, Porsche rolled out a bit of an enthusiast special. Sure, the GT3 was brilliant and the Turbo was astonishingly quick, but if you were buying a 911 with your own money, the 911 Carrera T was the one to have if you didn’t need rear seats. For 2023, the 911 T returns and it seems to be even better than the last one.
To make a 911 Carrera T, Porsche follows a fairly simple formula. The boffins in Stuttgart take one base-model 911, add performance bits, remove weight, and sell it for less than a Carrera S. Indeed, the new one starts at $118,050 including a $1,450 freight charge and offers quite a lot of kit for the dollar. Let’s start with the big news, a standard seven-speed manual gearbox. You can’t get a standard 992 Carrera with the manual, so a cheaper row-your-own model than the Carrera S is greatly appreciated. You can also get a PDK should you wish, but the analog appeal of a manual is just too great to pass up.
As for big performance goodies, the 911 Carrera T gets PASM sports suspension with a 10 mm ride height reduction over the standard car, along with a PTV limited-slip differential and the much-desired Sport Chrono package. Most keen Porsche enthusiasts would tick these option boxes on the Carrera S anyway, so to offer them for less money is pandering in the best possible way. Four-wheel-steering is on the options list for the 911 Carrera T, something else unavailable on the base Carrera.
However, the 911 Carrera T isn’t just about electronically-controlled gadgetry, it’s also about cutting weight. With that in mind, Porsche has defenestrated the rear seats and replaced the now-smashed glass with lighter stuff. The battery’s also lighter, helping in the pursuit of shaving 77 pounds (35 kilograms) from the weight of a base Carrera. That thinner glass along with reduced insulation will let more noise into the cabin, but thanks to the standard sports exhaust, it should be good noise.
On the inside, the go-fast goodies continue with standard sports seats and the lovely GT Sports steering wheel. That wheel features a lovely small diameter and refreshingly thin rim and is absolutely worth getting in every 911. For the hardcore trackday junkies, Porsche will even let you option the fixed-back bucket seats from the GT3, handy for holding you tightly through Moss Corner or Bitch. If you don’t spec the buckets, something good comes back on the options list. Yes, Porsche will let you option the new 911 Carrera T with rear seats, perfect for people who have friends, children, or both.
Of course, with the added performance bits comes some cosmetic flash. Agate Grey trims and emblems complement dark finish wheels and a set of door stripes, while the interior is about as black as Gomez Addams’ wardrobe. Happily, that’s about as far as the Warped Tour color treatment goes, for the 911 Carrera T can be hand in numerous wonderful colors. Guards Red and Racing Yellow are free, while Gentian Blue, Ruby Star Neo, Carmine Red, Shark Blue, and Python Green are available at extra charge. Sure, you could spec a grayscale color, but where’s the fun in that?
If you have deep pockets, the press pictures of a Gulf Blue model are a hint that the 911 Carrera T now qualifies for Porsche’s Paint to Sample program, where buyers can pay Porsche lots of money to get their car in one of 110 special colors. Who’s going to be brave and order one in brown?
It’s good to see the best-value 911 make a comeback. While not everyone can afford a 911, much less a GT3, the 911 Carrera T should be perfect for those who’ve been eating ramen for the past two years to financially stretch their way into a brand new ass-engined sports car. Given prior experience, this new car should drive brilliantly and most certainly be the pick of the non-GT 911 bunch.
All photos courtesy of Porsche
$118,000? Buy several of them before the price goes up.
Well if you want this in a nice color (ie, not white), be prepared to spend a few grand more.
Damn, that’s a sweet looking car. While $120k isn’t cheap in my world, I can accept the fact that it’s the cheapest way to get a new Por-shuh. If I had the discretionary funds, I’d love to have one of these in that beautiful Gentian Blue.
Man I must be poorer than I thought. $120k does not equal cheap to me.
Where are all the 1k 911s? Seriously, I want to know so I can go buy one.
I’ve seen reports in a number of places that the last Carrera T didn’t sell all that well, as despite throwing in all the enthusiast friendly goodies at the end of the day most ‘enthusiasts’ preferred the extra power of the Carrera S. wonder if this one will do better because it seems like an appealing package.
This reinforces that the 911 has become more of a luxury car than a sports car. Sure there are enthusiasts buying new ones, but they have to be pretty wealthy enthusiasts and more like to pony up for more power like you said.
Plus at Cayman GT4 is right at this price which will canabalize sales.
Happy this is back.
This car will be a much more exciting proposition when the 718 line goes electrical only.
“With that in mind, Porsche has defenestrated the rear seats and replaced the now-smashed glass with lighter stuff.”
Bonus points for the use of “defenestrated” in an automobile review!
Tied for my favorite word in the English language along with another German import which means to strike. 🙂
I read the whole article looking for a mention of what engine comes in this car… I guess I’ll have go to the Porsche website and look it up, but at $118,000, I probably won’t bother.
Just take my money! I love the green!
$118k USD? Hmmm, that’s $160k CDN and another $16k for our new luxury tax…..*sigh* pass.
Oh, Canada. Land of expensive cars and very expensive leases.
And in my case there would be the added expense of a divorce.
I’ve never driven a seven speed. Is it weird?
Not at all! It’s basically like a 6 speed, however when you’re on the highway you can shift up and over into 7th for extra low gearing for cruising. I’ve driven a Corvette with it and it didn’t feel any different. You can just ignore it and ride around in 6th, but I don’t know if the 911 has a shift light.
Get this fool a dictionary!
A T with the rear seat delete doesn’t make much sense at that price when the GT4 or even 718 GTS 4.0 will be more engaging to drive for less. I’d spring for the 992 GTS or stick with an NA 718.
I feel like the lack of rear seats would make for excellent extra storage.
It doesn’t say in this article, but actually rear seats and auto/manual transmissions are no-cost choices on the Carrera T. So you could have rear seats and the PDK if you wanted for the same cost. I’d opt for the rear seats and not the PDK myself if I had 120k to order one of these.
So, “The Cheap Way To Get A Great 911” actually costs $118,050 and comes in two colors, red and yellow, unless you want to pay extra. Sounds like they learned a lesson from Tesla’s ordering system. Not that Tesla offers red or yellow for free.
This is EXACTLY what I want in a 911. PTS in Viola Purple, manual gearbox, RWD… I love it. I need it.
Y’all need to stop referring to things that cost 50% more than the entire gross annual income for an average American as “cheap.” Seriously. It’s insulting and it makes you seem deeply, deeply out of touch.
Cheap is relative. A “cheap” house would be more expensive.
I doubt Porsche offers 30 year terms
These aren’t for you, pleb. But doesn’t it make you happy to know that the people these *are* for consider them cheap? $110k is a life changing amount for 50% of Americans, but to the blessed class this is a triviality.
Eat the rich
50% I think you may be underselling that number.
Various sources have the average American annual gross income between $65-75k. So 50% more is pretty close.
Wash them down with a bottle of goldschläger to be extra Boujee.
To be fair (faaaaa-er) I don’t think anyone working here is out of touch with very average Americans. Maybe the designer guys.