Overview: Porsche 911 Carrera T in brief
The Carrera T arrived back in 2017, during the previous-generation Porsche 911's life, as an entry-level way into a more driver-focused derivative of the German company's iconic sports car. It then continued into the current family of the 911, but in both these previous iterations we felt it didn't ever quite have the clearest identity.
However, subtle changes with 911s surrounding the T in the present-day line-up mean this new, updated Mk8 Carrera T has a much more compelling reason for existing - it's the only manual-gearbox version of the Porsche you can buy new, apart from the hard-to-get-hold-of GT3.
We've already tried the '992.2' Carrera T as a soft-top, but here we're having an extended go in its more natural and understandable format as a Coupe.
Pros & Cons of the Porsche 911 Carrera T
Pros: magnificent handling, gearbox interactivity, most affordable driver-centric 911
Cons: could be closer in price to the Carrera than the Carrera S
What's different from the Porsche 911 Carrera or Carrera S?
The basic, inherent shape of a Porsche 911 is familiar from more than six decades in service, and at the lower end of the current version's chain of models are the Carrera family: the regular Carrera, the more powerful Carrera S and, sitting between them, this Carrera T.
Broadly, all three are much of a muchness when it comes to styling, with minimal different visuals to separate them (badging on the rear of the car notwithstanding), and they all have been upgraded to 992.2 specification, which means smoother front- and rear-end styling, primarily centred on revisions to the lighting systems of the Porsche.
Therefore, the specific distinguishing features of the T relate to its USP, the manual gearbox, and also the use of Vanadium Grey. This colour is used on the door-mirror caps, the vanes on the rear-mounted engine cover, for the retro-tastic decals that run along the bottom of the 911's doors, and for the 20-inch front, 21-inch rear alloy wheels, which are - confusingly enough - of the Carrera S design.
However, the references to the gearbox are a little more 'Marmite'. The most obvious is the H-pattern/Porsche graphic deployed on the side-rear windows of the Carrera T, which (if you spend €412 on an option) are then beamed onto the ground near the 911 at night by the courtesy puddle lights in the mirrors.
Performance of the Porsche 911 Carrera T
• Uses the same 394hp engine as basic Carrera
• Lower weight, more focused attitude
• One of just two 911s you can have as a manual
The T uses the entry-level specification of Porsche's twin-turbo, 3.0-litre flat-six petrol engine, rated at 394hp and 450Nm. That's a match for the regular Carrera, and some way off the 480hp/530Nm of the Carrera S.
However, the oft-mentioned six-speed manual gearbox is its secret weapon, because one of the developments of the wider facelift and update of the entire 911 range is that the T is one of just two models you can have with the three-pedal set-up; the other is the mighty GT3, and that's essentially an 'invite-only' vehicle these days.
All this means, in a hugely over-simplified way, that what you're really looking at with the T is a 'GT3-lite'. It might not have the prestige or power of that car, and indeed as a result of its dedication to the manual transmission it is in fact the slowest-accelerating 992.2 Coupe of all with a 4.5-second 0-100km/h sprint, but concentrating on bare speed and nothing else is entirely missing the point with the Carrera T.
What has happened here is that the dropping of the manual from every other realistically attainable 911, plus the switch for the T itself from the previous, slightly clunky seven-speed transmission to a much sweeter and tighter-of-throw six-speed unit, has suddenly given this derivative a defined clarity of purpose that makes it stand out as arguably the pick of the entire 992.2 range. And yes, we know that's some claim, given how supremely talented every single 911 is these days.
It's a thorough delight to drive. A sports exhaust is standard, so the T sounds great from idle to redline, with that traditional gravelly bark of a Porsche flat-six much in evidence. Its sonics are also augmented by the lack of rear seats, reduced sound-deadening to keep the car's overall weight down and the use of thinner rear glass in the back of the cabin.
This vocality makes the Carrera T feel faster than it is, which is still indecently quick by road car standards - the fabulous gearing and mid-range torque mean you don't need to be constantly and ferociously stirring that stick-shift to make the 911 accelerate meaningfully from anything upwards of 50km/h.
But you will want to throw that manual about because it's a joy to use. And so is the rear-wheel-drive chassis of this sub-1.5-tonne 911. It's this that makes the Carrera T such a dynamic highlight in the Porsche family, as it has weighty and informative four-wheel steering to go with epic brakes, top-notch body control and the interactive thrill of shifting gears yourself, instead of leaving the PDK to do all the cog-swapping work for you.
There's a rev-matching function for downshifts, too, but the throttle and brake pedal are so perfectly positioned and so immaculately calibrated that heel-and-toe is a complete doddle in the Carrera T if you're in the mood for it.
It works as an everyday car as well, as we did more than 1,300km in it across the course of a week under evaluation. It is necessarily firmer than a base Carrera and the noisier cabin does mean you get elevated tyre roar on poorer surfaces, too.
There are also odd occasions, when the suspension is already fully loaded up, that the Carrera T bounces and skitters when it meets a really large lump in the road, but in general it's more than comfortable and refined enough to be used on a daily basis.
We even saw an overall fuel consumption figure of 9.0 litres/100km (31.5mpg) from the Carrera T, a remarkable effort from a near-400hp turbocharged sports car like this which is equipped with no hybrid gear whatsoever.
Interior, Practicality, Tech & Comfort of the Porsche 911 Carrera T
• Rear seats a no-cost option
• Various T-specific touches lift ambience
• Usual high-quality Porsche cabin
That earlier 'don't forget it's a manual' theme we were talking about on the Carrera T's exterior continues within, where the side-window/puddle-light graphic is once more repeated but in a more discreet fashion on the passenger-side dash, while at the base of the stubby little gear lever - the central attraction of the whole machine - is a small plaque which simply reads 'MT'.
Oh, and just for good measure, the gear knob is finished in open-pore walnut, a direct reference to wooden items used in such legendary past Porsches as the 917 racer and the V10-powered Carrera GT supercar of the early-to-mid-2000s.
All of this teams to the usual 992.2 interior build quality, ergonomic correctness, neat integration of tech and surprisingly useful rear cabin space. With no real boot to speak of, for these updated 911 Coupes the vestigial back seats are a no-cost option, and without them you simply get a vacant, carpeted area of 373 litres which serves as a cargo bay.
Our Carrera T was a pure two-seater in this vein, which adds to the driver/lightweight appeal, and other distinguishing features include fillets of exterior-body-colour trim to lift the cabin above the norm, plus an exquisite set of carbon-backed, fixed bucket seats.
Don't get too excited; these aren't standard-fit in the T, as they cost a whopping €7,735 on top of the basic list price, but while they're magnificent to be sat in once you are actually in them, getting into and out of the car becomes a faff due to their high and inflexible side bolsters, so we wouldn't recommend them as a result.
Irish Pricing & Rivals of the Porsche 911 Carrera T
• One of the most affordable 911s of them all
• Nearer to S than basic Carrera in cost
• Few obvious rivals still offer manual gearboxes
At €224,120 before options, the Carrera T is - regrettably - a bit closer in price to the faster, more powerful Carrera S (€232,950) than it is to its Carrera (€206,750) source material, but as it has the very clear reason for being then that's understandable.
Two other mitigating factors: one, it has various equipment fitted to it that you cannot add to a Carrera no matter how much money you have, such as a Porsche Active Suspension Management Sport chassis with a 10mm ride-height drop, and also rear-axle steering for greater agility in the corners; and two, we'd say the T is a more involving and enjoyable drive than the S, so the fact it is any cheaper at all is a bonus. Furthermore, you could also cheekily look at it as being €77,789 less than a GT3...
Verdict - Should You Buy the Porsche 911 Carrera T?
Yes, you absolutely should, if you are able to afford purchasing and then running a brand-new Porsche 911 in the first place. Previously, we've liked the two preceding versions of the Carrera T very much, but we've not been blown away by them. However, a shift in the context in which this latest model sits accordingly makes it shine a whole lot brighter.
Brilliant to drive, superb to look at and sit in, and as quick as anyone could reasonably need from a road-biased machine, the 992.2 Carrera T Coupe is one of the finest sports cars you could possibly imagine.
FAQs About the Porsche 911 Carrera T
What does the T stand for in Porsche 911 Carrera T?
'Touring'. Originally appended to a lower-output, stripped-back, four-cylinder 911 of the late 1960s, designed to homologate the car for competition work, Porsche also used the Touring epithet for one variant of its iconic 2.7 Carrera RS 'ducktail' of 1973. But then the badge disappeared, until it returned with the previous (seventh) generation of the 911 in the form of the Carrera T. Counting generation changes and facelifts, this T is technically the third 911 iteration of the modern era, then.
Can I have the Porsche 911 Carrera T with a PDK?
You used to be able to, but now Porsche has specifically made the T a manual-only 911. This gives it a specific purpose in the line-up and is why we view it even more favourably than we ever have before.
Is the Porsche 911 Carrera T available in any other body styles?
Yes, with this updated 992.2 version, Porsche decided to offer the T as a Cabriolet for the first time. However, as good as that open-topped car is, the T's driver-focused remit and manual transmission mean it feels far happier in its skin as the Coupe driven here.
Want to know more about the Porsche 911 Carrera T?
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