Porsche has recently revealed the Carrera T or Touring edition – the 22nd variant of thePorsche 911 available on the UK market.

So, what sets the 911 T apart from the rest?

This Porsche, bar a few minor body alterations, could easily be mistaken for the new 991 R. It’s once we get under the hood (or in this case, the boot), that we really see what makes this car so unique. This is because the idea for the 911 Carrera T, was to have a variant that focused primarily on enhancing the driving experience rather than altering its aesthetic.

This package, thought up all the way back in 1968, could be seen as a ‘purist’ version of the Porsche 911. It originally retailed at 10% less than the standard version, but this was most likely due to its slightly reduced horsepower of 110hp rather than 130hp. This was rectified in all later versions of the 911 T so that they matched their non-Touring counterpart in engine specifications but included the latest performance focused features of their time. This variant however fell out of production in 1973, until its revival with the 2017 Porsche 911 T.

With this in mind, the newest iteration of Porsche 911 T houses the standard, but by no means average, 3.0 litre, 370 horsepower, twin-turbocharged flat-six-cylinder engine. This model has shaved off 20kg of weight, making it slightly lighter than the standard Porsche Carrera weighing 1425kg. Continuing their focus towards performance, this model comes with lightweight Sport-Tex seats and is equipped with the lowered PASM sports suspension. These features really enhance the porches’ already fantastic engineering, to create a machine that can go from 0-60mph in just 4.3 seconds.

However, it is when we look at the customisable features exclusive to this model that the Porsche 911 T truly shines as a performance machine. By choosing the PDK paddle shift gearbox the 0-60mph time is cut down to 4.0 seconds. To allow for far better traction and handling of this raw speed the 911 T can also have four-wheel steering installed, something that isn’t available at all on the standard 911 Carrera

So, what does this all mean for the older siblings of the 2018 edition? Firstly, as our graph show previous auctions results for this variant show that demand for these performance focused machines is in no short supply. Values for classic Porsches from across the board have been skyrocketed and the classic 911 Ts is no exception with the result from classic auctions showing a sharp rise in recent years. The buzz that is surrounding the new Carrera is likely to create even more interest in the originals as more people become aware of the Touring edition’s unique qualities.

With this in mind it’s pretty exciting that now there’s a chance to get your hands on one of these lightweight Porkers. The flawless white 1971 911 T shown above is coming up at the 2017 NEC Classic Motor Show Sale and looks set to steal the show. You can read more about this beautiful example HERE and take a look at the model’s values on the graph below.

 

Dominic Munson