Topic: 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T

[OliverD]

There's been some rumours that this was coming but no one seemed to know exactly what this model would entail. This is a base Carrera with a standard rear differential lock, shorter transmission ratios, PASM sport suspension (not usually available on base Carreras), sport design mirrors, GT sport steering wheel, no rear seats, no PCM, lighter glass, less sound insulation, standard sport exhaust, 20" wheels, and some unique interior and exterior details. Base price is $116,500, vs $104,000 for a base Carrera. The rear seats and PCM can be added back at no cost, and you can also order sport bucket seats (previously unavailable on Carrera models).

As with the GTS models, if you want the options the T has anyways, it's not a bad deal. A base Carrera with 20" wheels, sport exhaust, GT steering wheel, and sport design mirrors is $111,160 which of course doesn't include PASM or the rear diff lock. So for the enthusiast this seems to be a really nice package.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/products/porsche-911-carrera-t-puristic-performance-driving-pleasure-touring-14410.html

[Gurgie]

They sure now how to play the game with releasing these models... they're great at keeping people interested in their product line, that's for sure!! While I would never turn one of these down, I find them a bit too big overall, I still prefer the 997 over these.

[OliverD]

They sure now how to play the game with releasing these models... they're great at keeping people interested in their product line, that's for sure!! While I would never turn one of these down, I find them a bit too big overall, I still prefer the 997 over these.

The 997 sure seems tiny in comparison to the 991.

[OliverD]

Saw this released over the weekend. This is the exact spec 911 I would buy.

Yeah, I really want one of these. I love the interior details too (though the contrasting silver/red/yellow details are optional).

I'm not a huge fan of yellow 911s but black badging and side stripes and dark wheels it actually looks awesome.

[JohnnyMac]

Hmmmm.  This is definitely an interesting offering from Porsche.  I probably wouldn't choose this over a regular Carrera, simply because I'd still like to have the comforts that they stripped out of the T.  But I'm probably not the target market for this vehicle.  They're looking for the type of person who would prefer a VW GTI Clubsport S over a VW Golf R.

[OliverD]

Hmmmm.  This is definitely an interesting offering from Porsche.  I probably wouldn't choose this over a regular Carrera, simply because I'd still like to have the comforts that they stripped out of the T.  But I'm probably not the target market for this vehicle.  They're looking for the type of person who would prefer a VW GTI Clubsport S over a VW Golf R.

All the comforts are still optional though.

[JohnnyMac]

Hmmmm.  This is definitely an interesting offering from Porsche.  I probably wouldn't choose this over a regular Carrera, simply because I'd still like to have the comforts that they stripped out of the T.  But I'm probably not the target market for this vehicle.  They're looking for the type of person who would prefer a VW GTI Clubsport S over a VW Golf R.

All the comforts are still optional though.

Not the thicker glass or door handles.

[OliverD]

Actually the thicker glass is a no cost option. You're right about the door handles but to me that would hardly be a deal breaker.

[OliverD]

To me this is kinda, sorta a successor to the 1993 RS America. It's not quite as extreme but the idea is similar. That's pretty cool IMO. The RS America was quite simple and was basically a stripped 911 with sport suspension and the whale tail spoiler. It only had four options: LSD, a stereo, air conditioning, and a sunroof. Interestingly, it actually cost $10k less than a normal Carrera. These days they are crazy expensive (like most air-cooled 911s have become).

[JohnnyMac]

Actually the thicker glass is a no cost option. You're right about the door handles but to me that would hardly be a deal breaker.

This coming from a guy who'd never buy a vehicle without a sunroof  .  Didn't know that glass was a no cost option, maybe this would work for me.

[johngenx]

I suppose it depends on where and how you'd be driving the car.  I want it as light as possible, so this might be the ideal 911 other than much more expensive track oriented editions.

The 911 sure has grown, holy crap.

[lebowski]

Very cool that they're offering this. I would probably go for it over a base 911, if only for the resale value as a quasi-collectible - sort of a more accessible 911 R, for the merely affluent.

I'm with Gurgie in preferring the proportions/size of the 997, but I think this 991.2 update has really sharpened up the looks of the 991, especially the front fascia. Also while the yellow is very nice, IMHO if it's a 991.2, it's gotta be Miami Blue 

[PlanB]

Has any one auto-manufacturer milked more out of a single platform (model) than Porsche has over the years with the 911 - surely I think not? 

That said, they keep building them and people keep buying them so I fully understand why Porsche keeps coming up with different models based on the same exact car.   

[OliverD]

Actually the thicker glass is a no cost option. You're right about the door handles but to me that would hardly be a deal breaker.

This coming from a guy who'd never buy a vehicle without a sunroof  .  Didn't know that glass was a no cost option, maybe this would work for me.

Ha! I'd actually spec this without a sunroof, I think. But I'd also have another car with a sunroof if I owned one of these.

Even if you do spec the thicker glass you're still left with less sound insulation but I'm not sure that's a bad thing.

[micha]

They are marketing it as a lightweight car, but it's heavier than the 991.1. That being said, I really like it and think it's the best current 911 short of a GT3. BUT there are some great recent used Porsches available for similar money, like the Cayman GT4 and 991.1 GTS which are both naturally aspirated. Which one would you guys rather buy? Real first world problems I would love to have.

[johngenx]

A friend of mine wanted a 1972 911RS.  Anyone seen the prices of those recently?  They are actually becoming $1 Million cars.  Unreal.  So, he built a  super-clone.  Now, if prices for all things 911 and air-cooled hadn't gone bonkers, it would have been a pretty low cost way into a very cool car.  So, he had to buy a pretty down-on-it's-luck car and start from the ground up.

What he has now is a car that weighs less than my Miata (sub 1000kg) and makes almost as much power as a new 911.  It's a tiny tin-can of a car with no ABS, no air-bags, no side impact anything, no stability control, no infotainment system, and no power anything including steering.  It's also one of the finest testaments to the enjoyment of driving that I think rolls on any road today.

Porsche can't sell that car today - it can't even come close to meeting current emissions or safety regs, but are they making real spiritual successors to that car?  GT3?  I really like this "T" model, it's probably the most desirable "normal" 911 on the market, but I wonder about those lightweight specials of years gone by.  Can they sell them?  Will people buy such cars?  The 911R was a special car that people paid enormous sums for, but was it because of it's limited production or because it's really a great 911?

[OliverD]

Based on the response to the availability of the manual in the new GT3 and the new GT3 Touring Package I think Porsche could have easily sold a bunch more 911Rs. It almost seems like Porsche was just testing the waters for demand for that kind of car.