T is for Therapy.
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T is for Therapy.
The Carrera T is Porsche’s latest genius play and they know it. Its price listed here is more than the cost of the more powerful Carrera and just ever so slightly cheaper than the even more powerful Carrera S. Both the Carrera and the Carrera S do 0 – 100km/h faster than the Carrera T and continue to greater top speeds. So what in the name of Stuttgart is going on? Let me explain.
The 911 Carrera T is the most holistic metaphor for the saying ‘less is more.’ The ‘T’ weighs less with Porsche removing some insulation, some electric motors for the seats, the rear seats themselves and even reducing the thickness of the window glass. Weight loss? 35 – 50 kilograms depending on some other weight-saving options that you may or may not choose. They’ve also removed the option of a PDK dual clutch transmission and instead, positioned the Carrera T as the only normal Porsche. I.e. sold solely as a manual. The other manual Porsches have to be optioned or you can find them in the upper echelons of Porsche’s heritage or GT models. Good luck with that.
In taking all of this away, Porsche has created what can only be described as the most immersive and most involving 911 that good value can buy. The Carrera T strips away the noise and the distractions, and allows you to dial in on the very things that make driving such a joy.
Our evaluation for this car took us to the mountainous magnificence of Clarens. Armed with six gears, three pedals and the open road, the Carrera T showed off a willingness to tour. Its cruising ability is typical 911. Despite being lowered by 10mm and its dampers being tuned to deal with more load, it cruises quite comfortably even dealing with poorer road surfaces the same way a hatch would. Highway speeds saw the fuel consumption dip well below the 10l/100km mark. This is the stuff that makes 911’s so popular. At this point, we’ve kept it civilised and casual, mainly caressing fifth and sixth on the short-throw, wooden-finished gear lever.
After a swift coffee and fuel break in Clarens, the Golden Gate National Park beckons. The roads here offer stunning high altitude views of the surrounding mountains inlaid with ribbons of twisty tarmac. They’re the perfect backdrop for our photography and video, but more so, they allow us a sense of why the Carrera T is so good. Its manual-only positioning makes it unique in the range, coupled to the flat-six, 290kW power unit that sends power rearwards. Therein lies the start of the T experience. Porsche has also fitted rear axle steering which was something of a paradox given the play to lose weight but, combined, it makes for a nimble and agile corner master. Further sports car prowess is at the behest of six-pot, 350mm brake discs at the front with a 20/21-inch lightweight alloy wheel arrangement. The Carrera T comes alive in corners. In fact, you, the driver come alive too. The process of driving becomes entirely immersive. The car strips away all of the monotony of driving and in the taking away, Porsche has given so much back. Enthralling gear shifts, a very astute chassis and near telepathic steering make this car so commanding. Don’t waste your time wondering about the 0 – 100km/h time or the seemingly lacklustre power output. The Carrera T is at the extreme polar opposite end of lack lustre. Three pedal enthusiasts will love the auto-blip on the downshifts, but if you’re really into creating those yourself, you can turn that function off and create your own cacophony of heel-and-toe barks. Its sublime, mesmerising and every bit the driver’s car you ever thought possible. Given the removal of sound deadening materials, you’re treated to the orchestral tones of the exhaust through the bulkhead. Carrera T has the sports exhaust system as a standard feature that adds to the aural shrill all the way up to 7,500rpm. It almost sounds like a GT3 and you don’t have to will it to shift gear or not – you decide and you live with that decision.
The Carrera T is a celebration of the manual. The car communicates that at every opportunity especially as your step into the cabin. The manual sticker work on the rear window glass says it. The manual gate courtesy door lights say it. The beautiful walnut gear shifter says it. The little manual icon on the passenger side dashboard trim says it. And of course, as you downshift, Porsche’s auto-blip says it loud and clear.
Beyond this, it’s typical 992.2 Carrera in here. Solidly built, easily navigable interface and yes, a digital driver’s display with a variety of screen configurations. Celebrating the ‘stick shift’, Porsche has also made the T more exclusive by adding a number of standard options as well as an optional colour set that stands out really well in this car. This particular vehicle is finished with a Gentian Blue theme that adds a sticker set, Vanadium Grey/Gentian Blue Wheels, rear luggage compartment finishes and interior inlays all finished in the same colour. It contrasts so well with the white body colour and the whole combination as a list of optional extras adds some R238 000 to the price tag. It’s an exclusive Porsche offering after all.
Standard equipment is the Sport Chrono Pack and the tartan seats, generally similar fare is only offered on much higher models in the range.
Considering a 911 should be one of the easiest choices. Its heritage and its well known competence should sway buyers quite quickly. But this model is a touch under R3-Million and with optional extras, that number can increase too. It puts the 911 Carrera T into sort of its own territory. It’s more expensive than any real AMG or BMW equivalent and in truth, there is no real offering from either of those OEM’s that offer a car we can really call a competitor. Are you going to consider this over the most preposterous hot hatch? No. An M4? Maybe but they are so far from each other in price and type. So really, the Carrera T is a consideration over another Carrera then? Maybe a pre-owned GTS perhaps? It’s actually not that easy in some sense but either way, the car will certainly hold its value, well-backed by Porsche’s ownership programme.
You have to like driving though. The manual is….a manual. It’s perhaps not the daily sports car you will choose to drive to and from work every day sitting in ninety minutes of peak traffic. The clutch isn’t heavy or difficult in any way, but there’s definitely some who prefer the easier option of a PDK Carrera – BUT – when you do decide to go for a happy drive, the T is undoubtedly better.
The Carrera T is an escape from the madness, the endless deadlines, the city noise, the always-on, over connected life? It’s the car you drive when you need a reset. It will dull all of the noise of the world, and instead replace that noise with another sound altogether. It’s therapy for me. It’s a chance to rediscover the true joy of driving, the very reason some of us fell in love with driving sports cars in the first place. Is it expensive though? That is down to sports cars in general. Porsche’s prices have certainly been inflated thanks to rising levies and taxes on sports cars. A 911 GTS touches the R4-Million mark and I would imagine that the new Turbo and Turbo S, when launched in the next few months, will be well above the R5M mark. But in that, lies the Carrera T’s genius. It will be popular and it will be quite exclusive, giving you the feel and joy of a GT-car within a more palatable price range.
A Brief History of the ‘T’
A brief history of the T nameplate: The ‘T’ badge first appeared on a Porsche in 1968 when the very first 911 Carrera T debuted. The appeal was similar to what it is today. Cheaper, lighter and less powerful. Some of these still roam our streets today. Visit our website topgear.co.za for a retro piece we did on one of the most stunning examples of a restored Carrera T in South Africa. Fast forward fifty-two years and Porsche re-introduced the Carrera T on the previous gen 991 with a 7-speed manual box or an optional PDK version. The recipe was similar once again with the 2018 Carrera T being lighter, less powerful and cheaper. Four years later, the ‘T’ badge was added to Porsche Macan range, offering a lowered Macan with special bits from the slightly more expensive side of the options list. It was the first time that Porsche had added the ‘T’ badge to something other than a 911. There may well be more ‘Touring’ models from Porsche into the future, growing this sub-brand in the same way it has done with the ever popular GTS line.
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