Porsche has expanded its iconic 911 lineup with the introduction of the 2024 911 Carrera T, a model designed for driving enthusiasts who crave a pure, unadulterated sports car experience. Building on the legacy of the ‘T’ designation, which stretches back to the homologation of the 911 T as a touring car in 1968, the new Carrera T emphasizes agility, lightweight construction, and an emotionally resonant soundscape. For the first time, Porsche is offering this driver-focused model not only as a coupé but also as a cabriolet, broadening its appeal to open-top motoring aficionados.
The essence of the 911 Carrera T lies in its dedication to the essentials of driving pleasure. Through meticulous weight-reduction measures and dynamic tuning, Porsche has crafted a Carrera variant that prioritizes engagement and exhilaration behind the wheel. In its lightest configuration, the 2024 911 Carrera T coupé, equipped with full bucket seats and a manual transmission, tips the scales at a mere 1,478 kilograms. This represents a weight saving of over 40 kg compared to the standard 911 Carrera, translating to enhanced responsiveness and agility. The availability of the cabriolet version for the first time adds another dimension to the Carrera T’s appeal, allowing drivers to enjoy the purist driving experience with the added thrill of open-air motoring.
The ‘T’ in Carrera T stands for ‘Touring,’ a designation deeply rooted in Porsche history. The original 911 T was produced until 1973, embodying the spirit of a focused, driver-centric sports car. Revived in 2017, the Carrera T occupies a unique position in the 911 range, nestled between the Carrera and the more potent Carrera S. It distinguishes itself through its emphasis on pure driving pleasure, agile handling, and an emotive sound, all channeled through a rear-wheel-drive configuration.
Performance and Powertrain: Turbocharged Boxer Power with Manual Control
At the heart of the 2024 911 Carrera T beats the same potent 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo boxer engine found in the 911 Carrera. This engine delivers a robust 290 kW (394 PS) and generates a maximum torque of 450 Nm, providing ample power and responsiveness across the rev range. A standard six-speed manual transmission is the defining feature of the Carrera T, channeling power to the rear wheels and offering drivers an engaging and tactile connection to the car. For smooth downshifts, the system incorporates an intermediate throttle function (auto-blip), which can be activated to automatically match engine and gearbox speeds, enhancing driving smoothness and stability.
Equipped with the standard Sport Chrono Package, the 911 Carrera T coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds, while the cabriolet version accomplishes the same feat in 4.7 seconds. The coupé reaches a top speed of 295 km/h, and the cabriolet achieves 293 km/h, demonstrating the impressive performance capabilities of this purist sports car. Reflecting its performance-oriented nature, the Carrera T features an upgraded braking system compared to its predecessor, boasting all-round brake discs with a diameter of 350 millimeters and six-piston fixed calipers at the front, ensuring confident stopping power. Complementing the driving experience, the standard sports exhaust system, in conjunction with reduced interior insulation and the auto-blip function, creates a particularly immersive and emotionally charged soundscape, further enhancing the connection between driver and machine.
Chassis and Tuning: Engineered for Agile Dynamics
The 2024 911 Carrera T comes standard with the Sport Chrono Package, which includes the Porsche Track Precision App, catering to drivers who appreciate performance data and track driving. Significantly, Porsche has equipped this model with rear-axle steering as standard for the first time, paired with a more direct steering ratio on the front axle. This combination dramatically improves handling dynamics, enabling quicker lateral acceleration and more immediate steering response, while simultaneously enhancing stability, particularly at higher speeds and during cornering. The rear-axle steering system’s tuning has been specifically developed and optimized for the unique characteristics of the 911 Carrera T, ensuring a cohesive and responsive driving experience.
The PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) adaptive sports suspension, lowered by 10 mm, is also standard on the Carrera T. It features model-specific, sporty tuning, further enhancing the car’s agility and handling prowess. The integration of standard rear-axle steering and an aerodynamic balance meticulously optimized for the 911 Carrera T has allowed engineers to fine-tune the anti-roll bars on both front and rear axles for neutral handling characteristics, ensuring balanced and predictable responses in various driving situations. The 911 Carrera T rides on 20/21-inch Carrera S light alloy wheels, with 245/35 ZR20 tires at the front and wider 305/30 ZR21 tires at the rear, providing ample grip and contributing to the car’s confident stance.
Exterior and Interior Design: Distinctive and Purist Details
The 2024 Carrera T distinguishes itself from other 911 models through a range of unique exterior and interior features. A subtle yet distinctive sticker on each of the triangular rear windows, displaying the shift pattern logo, identifies it as a manually-shifted, purist model within the 911 range. The model designation on the rear of the car is finished in a contrasting Vanadium Grey, adding to its unique visual identity. Vanadium Grey Metallic accents are also applied to the inlays of the rear lid grille, the upper and lower trim of the exterior mirrors, and the machine-polished light alloy wheels, creating a cohesive and understated sporty aesthetic. Another signature element of the Carrera T’s exterior is the aerodynamically optimized spoiler lip, adopted from the more performance-focused 911 Carrera GTS, further emphasizing its dynamic intentions.
Porsche offers a curated selection of color schemes for the Carrera T. The Legends scheme includes Shade Green Metallic, Crayon, and Slate Grey Neo, while the Dreams scheme offers Guards Red, Lugano Blue, Gentian Blue Metallic, and Cartagena Yellow Metallic. The Shades scheme presents more muted options like Jet Black Metallic, GT Silver Metallic, and Ice Grey Metallic. The Contrasts scheme provides solid Black and White colors. For further personalization, the Paint to Sample and Paint to Sample Plus programs offer an even wider array of exterior colors. The 911 T Cabriolet’s top is optionally available in Black, Red, Blue, and Brown, allowing for further customization.
Inside, the 2024 Carrera T features a sporty and black-themed interior, reflecting the purist character of the ‘T’ model. Contrasting stitching is available as an option to personalize the cabin. The dashboard prominently features the stopwatch from the standard Sport Chrono Package. Exclusive details highlight the Carrera T’s manual sports car identity. These include a shortened gear lever topped with an open-pore walnut laminated wood gear knob, providing a unique tactile and visual experience. A badge with the ‘MT’ (Manual Transmission) logo is positioned in front of the gear lever, and the shift pattern logo is subtly printed on the passenger side of the dashboard. Standard equipment also includes a leather-upholstered and heated GT sports steering wheel with a mode switch, with a Race-Tex steering wheel available as an alternative. Decorative inlays in Vanadium Grey adorn the dashboard and center console, while the door panel inlays are finished in black brushed aluminum.
The Carrera T comes standard with black, four-way electrically adjustable sports seats featuring Sport-Tex seat centers, aligning with the sporty interior theme. The tartan fabric pattern on the seat centers is exclusively reserved for the 911 Carrera T, adding another distinctive touch. The 911 logo is elegantly stitched into the headrests. Customers can also opt for Adaptive Sports Seats Plus (18-way adjustable) or lightweight full bucket seats as optional upgrades, catering to individual preferences for comfort and support.
Carrera T Design Packages: Further Exclusivity
To further enhance the exclusivity of the 2024 911 Carrera T, Porsche offers optional Carrera T design packages for both the exterior and interior. These packages utilize the classic Porsche color Gentian Blue to create striking visual contrasts. On the exterior, the Gentian Blue accents are applied to the inlays in the rear lid, the Carrera T decals on the front and rear lids and doors, the MT stickers, and the light alloy wheels with a gloss-lathed front face. The upper shells of the exterior mirrors are finished in Black within these packages. Inside, contrast stitching in Gentian Blue replaces the standard black stitching, extending to the seats, which also feature Gentian Blue contrast stripes. The same Gentian Blue hue adorns the seat belts, the trim of the center console and door panels, as well as the contrast inlays and the stitched 911 logos on the headrests, creating a cohesive and personalized aesthetic.
The new 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera T is available for order now, inviting driving purists to experience a uniquely focused and engaging sports car, now with the option of open-top thrills in the cabriolet version.
