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Let’s not mince words: the Porsche 911 is a god-tier car. And — spoiler alert — the 2018 Porsche 911 Carrera T ($102,100) is among the greatest right now. That’s no surprise — the 911 was an instant, desirable performance hit in the 60s, and in its every form, for decade upon decade, it has remained a benchmark, a Wonder of the Sports Car World, a perennial winner of both racing awards and suburban lust. Few automakers have such a literal track record, but even fewer boast the kind of legacy Porsche can; few, if any, are capable of simultaneously maintaining progress and honoring the past. The 911 is remarkable in that regard, and the 911 T is its most current triumph.
That is as much hyperbole as I can ascribe to the 911 T. It is not “insane” and its performance is not “mind-bending.” I haven’t even been “fundamentally altered” by the experience of driving the car and nor am I doodling pictures of its familiar form on my notebooks during meetings. It is not “my new favorite car” either. But it is now my favorite 911. It is my favorite Porsche. And, I think, that’s because it is the best Porsche.
1968, a year the History Channel calls “one of the most tumultuous single years in history,” was fraught with absolute global hell: the Tet Offensive and the Vietnam War at large, the assassinations of both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, Nixon entering the White House to begin his corrupt and truncated couple terms. On the bright side, Apollo 8 orbited the Moon that year, prepping humankind for the next year’s lunar surface stroll. I suppose this is me cheating on the “no hyperbole” promise from before, but one other glint of splendor found its way into very fortunate garages that year: the original 911 T, the T standing for “Touring,” was then considered an entry-level version of the 911. It featured the base engine and simple visual differentiators, like chrome grilles and bumpers and side mirrors, plus a silver Porsche emblem. Today’s 911 T is a fair bit more special.
Yes, the 911 T is almost a base-level Carrera. It features the base engine, which produces 370 horsepower, compared to S models, which get 420. And while it is very pared down — more on that momentarily — it is arguably not as driver-focused and hot-rod-fun as Porsche’s 911 GTS, which pushes out 450 horsepower, put down through special wheels and a Porsche-tech-heavy suspension. The GTS is rear-drive only, like the 911 T, but is faster overall, and meant to be driven hard on a track or very challenging road. But, like the old saying “there are no small parts, just small actors,” all 911s are meant to manipulate pavement, some are simply more — or less — outfitted to do so than others.
The 911 T is still faster than a streak, but it’s also faster and lither than the actual base 911, despite sharing an engine. Thanks to myriad weight savings improvements and some of that suspension tech, the 911 T weighs in at just 3,142 pounds and is, according to Porsche, “the lightest model in the 911 Carrera range.” To reduce its weight, the rear windows and back windscreen are made of lightweight glass. Interestingly, it was pointed out to me that the rear windscreen has no heating elements embedded within, making it completely clear — a rarity these days. Further mass reduction comes in the form of loop-style door releases and removal of some sound deadening materials; choose full bucket seats up front, and your 911 T’s diet consists of a rear-seat delete as well.
