2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T Returns to Delight Drivers Who Can't Afford a GT3 RS

The 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T is intended to be an affordable, performance-minded model focused on driver engagement. The 911 T only comes as a rear-drive coupe with a back-seat delete, standard manual gearbox, and features not offered on the base Carrera. The 2023 Carrera T starts at $118,050, and opting for the PDK dual-clutch automatic or having the rear seat re-installed doesn’t cost extra.

Just because someone’s rich enough to afford a Porsche 911 doesn’t automatically mean they have enough money in the bank to buy a nearly quarter-million-dollar track special like the GT3 RS. Of course, the folks who’d want such a wild, winged thing in the first place are likely the same driving enthusiasts who will get in line for the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T, which returns for the 992 generation as the most cost-effective way (relatively speaking) to get a performance-focused 911.

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The Price Is Righ(T)

Starting at $118,050, the new 911 T’s price is right between the base ’23 Carrera ($107,550) and Carrera S ($124,450). Both of those prices are for the coupe because that’s the only body style the T is offered with; there’s no all-wheel-drive option, either. The Carrera T is rear-drive only, and its back seats are removed along with some sound insulation to reduce mass. Don’t worry, though, if you do want the 911’s mostly pointless rear jump seats, Porsche will re-install them free of charge.

The Carrera T’s other weight-saving traits include thinner glass, a smaller battery, and a standard seven-speed manual transmission, all of which Porsche says contribute to the T being 100 pounds lighter than the regular Carrera that’s only offered with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic (PDK). As with the rear-seat delete, the PDK can be had at no extra cost.

Better Parts Than the Base Car

Either gearbox pairs with the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six that’s mounted in the rear of the regular Carrera. Both make 379 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. Porsche estimates the 911 T will go from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds (manual) or 3.8 seconds (automatic) on their way to a claimed top speed of 181 mph. We think both acceleration times are conservative, especially since we’ve seen a 2020 911 Carrera with the PDK hit 60 in just 3.2 ticks.

Compared with the regular Carrera, the T has performance hardware that’s not even offered on the base coupe. For instance, every 911 T has a mechanical limited-slip differential with Porsche’s torque-vectoring system. It also comes standard with the brand’s active suspension (a.k.a. PASM) with specially tuned dampers. Another feature that’s not available on the Carrera but is optional on the T is rear-axle steering. A set of grey 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels are also inherited from the Carrera S, with the fronts wearing 245-section-width tires and the backs wearing wide 305s.

Peer Inside the Purist’s 911

The 911 T’s interior isn’t anything to write home about. In base form, its cabin is trimmed with a mix of dark grey, matte black, and glossy black accents (yawn). Its standard front seats only offer four basic adjustments. Thankfully, these buckets can be upgraded to add 18-way adjustments. If those are too luxurious for a car that’s committed to lightness, Porsche offers a set of carbon-fiber seats that can’t be had if you want back seats because of what we just talked about.

For those who do want a fancier interior for their Carrera T, there are options to do so. They include a package that adds stitched upholstery, 911 logos on the headrests, and seat belts in Slate Gray or spicy Lizard Green; either of those colors can be applied to stripes on the seat inserts, too. There’s also an option to get grey or green logos and stitching on the floor mats as well as a leather wrap on the dash, doors, and center console. Porsche hasn’t said how much any of these extras cost, however.

One other notable thing about the 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T is that it’s the first one that can be customized with the company’s cool Paint to Sample program, which includes another 110 paint options. The coupe is slated to start hitting dealer showrooms in the U.S. in the spring of next year.

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