Porsche adds Carrera T to expansive 911 line-up
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Porsche adds Carrera T to expansive 911 line-up

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By GoAuto - 21 November 2017

What’s your perfect Porsche 911? Do you immediately gravitate towards the hardcore-track focussed GT2 RS? Or maybe you prefer the savage punch of a Turbo S? Perhaps the softer ride and cruising comfort of a Carrera?

With almost over a dozen different variants to choose from, the Porsche 911 is a bit like a set of golf clubs – there is one suited to every occasion.

To add a bit more complexity to the mix, the German brand has tweaked and fettled the mechanicals of its base Carrera grade, adding a T to the name and boosting performance.

Porsche’s new Carrera T will slot in right between the base Carrera and Carrera S, priced at $238,400 before on-road costs.

Priced at $238,400 before on-road costs and set to land in Australian showrooms in the second quarter of next year, the Carrera T sits comfortably between the entry-level $220,900 Carrera and $256,000 Carrera S in price range.

However, the extra spend over the base Carrera doesn’t net buyers any extra power or torque from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat six – outputs remain steady in the T at 272kW at 6500rpm and 450Nm between 1750-5000rpm.

Instead, for the more money, Porsche actually give you less, with the deletion of sound deadening materials, door handles, thinner glass on the rear and side windows, and no Porsche Communication Management (PCM).

Power in the Carrera T comes courtesy of a twin-turbo 3.0-litre flat six engine to the tune of 272kW of power and 450Nm of torque, enough for a zero to 100km/h sprint time in as little as 4.2 seconds.

The Carrera T does gain at least some goodies though in the form of a few mechanical upgrades to differentiate itself from the rest of the standard Carrera variant.

A mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD) is included as standard to better get power down to the rear wheels, while a close-ratio manual gearbox is also fitted to improve shifting engagement.

All in, 20kgs have been shed from the Carrera resulting in a quicker zero to 100km/h sprint time of 4.5 seconds for the three-pedal version and 4.2s with the PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission installed.

The Carrera T sticker running along the Porsche’s flanks give an all-too obvious clue as to which variant of 911 is passing by.

For comparison, this puts the Carrera T in league with other sportscars including the Aston Martin Vantage V12, BMW M4 and Lamborghini Gallardo.

From the outside, Porsche’s latest model is easily distinguishable by its Carrera T livery, but if that wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the grey side mirrors, 20-inch wheels and subtle front lip splitter should also clue in keen-eyed car spotters.

Occupants inside the Carrera T can also tell they are in something special thanks to the 911 logo stitched into the headrests and front sports seats that are finished with a Sport-Tex fabric with four-way electric adjustment.

Sitting inside a Carrera T is very much a similar experience to a Carrera, but Porsche fans should be able to spot the fabric straps replacing the door handles, as well as the 911-stitched logos in the headrests.

Exterior colour options also run the gamut, including Black, Guards Red, Racing Yellow, White, Miami Blue and Lava Orange, while Carrera White, Jet Black and GT Silver are applied with a metallic finish.

While not the first niche-filling 911 to hit the market, Porsche also recently revealed a more subdued-looking GT3 thanks to the addition of a Touring Package.

The removal of the fixed rear wing and black exterior accents make the GT3 with Touring Package look tame in comparison to its more in-you-face sibling, but the inclusion of a leather interior also ups the class factor.

No boy racer rear wing and black accents means the 911 GT3 with Touring Package is the more stealthy option for those looking for go quick while remaining under the radar.

The subtler GT3 retains the mid-mounted 4.0-litre atmo flat six producing an addicting 368kW of power and 460Nm of torque, with all performance sent through a six-speed manual gearbox and down to the road via the rear axle.

Pricing kicks off for the GT3 with Touring Package from $326,800 – matching the cost of a GT3.

Also launched this year from Porsche has been the updated 911 GTS, a step below the track-bred GT3 that is expected to appeal for customers looking for the pinnacle of on-street performance without any of the racetrack-focussed drawbacks.

The ultimate on-road Porsche 911, the GTS makes power from a turbocharged 3.0-litre flat six for 331kW of power and 550Nm of torque.

The $282,700 GTS’ force-fed 3.0-litre unit – a change from a 3.8-litre atmo engine – produces 331kW/550Nm for a 0-100km/h sprint time as quick as 3.6s.

Whatever your intention and budget then, it seems like Porsche has a 911 to suit every occasion.

However, while some might be paralysed with choice, we like to think of the 911 line-up in another way – there is no such thing as a wrong 911 choice, it’s all good.
 

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