What happens when you give the 911 some stick? Given the pedigree of Porsche’s lightning-fast PDK transmissions, the adoption of a manual gearbox may seem like a step backwards. But in the new Porsche 911 T Coupé, the action of manually stirring the ratios is a masterstroke.
Image: Peet Mocke
The new Porsche 911 Carrera T Coupé is a nod to the T variant of the original 911 that succeeded the 365 between 1968 and 1973. This model was lighter, tauter and more focused; stripping away superfluous luxury features in favour of performance-oriented components to create a more involving, visceral – and ultimately, race-winning – take on Porsche’s iconic sportscar. While this version bristles with some of Porsche’s latest driving tech (the firm’s new twin-turbo flat-six, and the standard-fitment of Porsche’s torque vectoring and rear-axle steering systems among the number) its proviso is to serve up an immersive, (relatively) frill-free driving experience. Reduced sound-deadening and lightweight glass, among other features, pare this model’s kerb weight down to a sylph-like 1 504 kg. But the most prominent feature covering both weight-saving and driver-involvement bases is the application of a six-speed manual gearbox.
Manual transmissions were once the mainstay of motoring, but the last 20 years have seen a major change in the makeup of our cars. Back in 2005, automatics accounted for around 10% of the cars on sale, most often represented in the premium segment. Now, with everything from light hatchbacks to double-cab bakkies offered with automatic transmissions, that figure has climbed to around 65%. Sportscars are no exception, with less than 10% of the models out there now featuring self-shifters. Obviously, this is great in terms of convenience and everyday usability.
In terms of performance cars, it’s similarly beneficial, with dual-clutch systems able to shift far faster than even the most skilled racing driver at the helm of a manual, and their integration with hybrid powertrains is now a decisive factor, too. But those of us still yearning for some more involvement with our cars, it’s a sad state of affairs. Thankfully, the Porsche 911 Carrera T manages to serve up a best-of-both-worlds mixture of modern technology with old-school immersion in the experience of driving what’s probably one of the most finely balanced performance cars out there.
Image: Peet Mocke
It’s not so much a case of what’s new on the Porsche 911 Carrera T than what’s different. The twin-turbo 3.0-litre boxer engine is carried over from the standard Carrera, and it still develops 290 kW and 450 N.m, and is plumbed into a sports exhaust as standard. The difference is that power is now channelled to the rear axle via a six-speed manual gearbox; the shifter of which is crowned with a rather fetching walnut gear knob. It’s a pared-down version of the seven-speed unit in the previous 911 T (basically dispensing with the ‘overdrive’ last ratio) supported by the standard fitment of Porsche’s Sport Chrono pack, which includes a drive select dial on the now standard-fitment GT Sport steering wheel. This system’s Sport Plus setting ushers in a pleasing auto-blip function that matches the engine and transmission speeds.
The T also features torque vectoring (using a mechanical diff lock to apply measured power to the outside wheel when cornering to tighten your line) and rear-axle steering that counter steers at low speeds to improve manoeuvrability and tracks the front wheels at speeds above 80 km/h for greater directional stability. The latter feature also necessitated a re-gearing of the Carrera’s power steering setup to accommodate a quicker ratio, to make the car feel more direct.
Underneath, the standard-fitment Porsche Active Suspension Management system allows you to toggle damper firmness and incorporates a 10 mm drop in ride height over the standard 911 Carrera, while the anti-roll bars have also been tweaked with a view towards improved directional stability.
Cosmetically, our test unit featured the Gentian Blue styling pack that includes decals, accents on the 20-inch front/21-inch rear Carrera alloy wheels, and striping on the plaid seat panels finished in that eye-catching colour. Window decals with the six-speed shift gate and a metal panel inscribed with ‘MT’ ahead of the shifter are among the model-specific touches.
Image: Peet Mocke
The Porsche 911 Carrera T Coupé costs R2 921 000, which includes a three-year/100 000 km maintenance plan, or R3 021 000 with the five-year/100 000 km option ticked.
That’s a bit tricky, as there are so few comparable alternatives about. The only ones that spring to mind is the R1 581 334 BMW M2 Coupé and the R1 524 800 Toyota GR Supra 3.0T, both of which are RWD, feature six-cylinder turbopetrols, and are offered with a six-speed manual ‘boxes.
Image: Peet Mocke
Put simply, sublime. While the PDK-equipped models have an ability to weave their pilots effortlessly into the driving narrative like few other cars, the extra layer of involvement brought forth by the 911 T’s manual ‘box and more focused packaging make it something altogether more special. There’s a wonderful interplay between the modernity of the T’s abovementioned technological driver aids (torque vectoring, rear-axle steering, active suspension) and the old-school shifter.
The transmission’s action isn’t what you’d describe as ‘snippy’ – the clutch has some real weight to it and the lever’s throw, although short, is similarly heavy and mechanical but wonderfully precise. It’s a setup that takes a little getting used to in town driving, and I won’t deny that I managed to stall the T several times at busy junctions – something that thankfully requires just a dip of the clutch to fire the engine back up.
Once acclimated and on the move, the powertrain comes into its own. The turbo-boxer’s 290 kW and 450 N.m outputs may look modest in the face of the tarmac-warping figures churned out by the AMGs, Ms and RSs, but the way in which every one of those measurable units is harnessed and turned into wonderfully direct motive force is remarkable. Nothing is lost to fishtailing, tyre smoke or torque steer; the 3.0-litre flat-six simply pastes its goods to the road and progress is both linear and rapid.
Pushing the T into tight twists, the combination of torque vectoring and rear-axle steering allies with precise steering and huge reserves of mechanical grip, allowing it to seemingly pivot about its centre-point. Everything is so fluid and instantaneous that it feels as though you can place the car exactly where you want it just by thinking about it. Granted, that’s often the case with 911s, but in the T there’s a vein of additional involvement running through that synapse-like responsiveness. You can grab ratios by the scruff of the neck – slotting the gears with some physical effort and revelling in the fluidity afforded by the auto-blip function – or simply leave it in third; an act that allows you to exploit the engine’s reserves from a canter to civil-liberty-endangering speeds, such is this unit’s flexibility. All the while, you can hear the muffled workings of the linkages and the hard-edged mechanical howl of the boxer through the sports exhaust. And it’s here you want to remain, in a space that ebbs and flows in between the effortless and the involved.
Having been so deeply impressed by the balance of talents and sheer ability exhibited by the Porsche 911 Carrera PDK we tested in our January 2025 issue; I wasn’t prepared to mentally wheel it out of my fantasy garage. But with the arrival of the T, that’s exactly what’s happened. It may not have quite the comfy GT chops of its “standard” sibling, but the T’s extra layer of driver involvement and just the right measure of theatre make it a deeply appealing car, and possibly one of the finest 911s I’ve driven to date.
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