2023 Carrera T Builds on the Porsche 911’s Base Brilliance

There’s an automotive adage that says the best Porsche 911 is the one you can afford, and indeed, the standard Carrera coupe is really stinkin’ good. Making its debut Tuesday, the new Carrera T builds off that intrinsic 911 greatness, adding a number of performance goodies from higher-spec Porsches that make it the absolute ace of base.

The new Carrera T has the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6 engine as the standard 911, making 379 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. But while the base 911 Carrera can only be paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the T comes with the optional seven-speed manual found on the Carrera S.

With the manual, Porsche says the 911 Carrera T can accelerate to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, but if you opt for the no-cost PDK dual-clutch automatic, that time is reduced to 3.8 seconds. Regardless of transmission, the Carrera T tops out at 181 mph. Porsche’s torque-vectoring tech and active sport suspension are standard on the 911 T, which is cool because these aren’t available on the base Carrera and are extra-cost options on the more powerful Carrera S.

The Carrera T also comes with Porsche’s Sport Chrono package, which adds different drive modes and launch control if you get the PDK, as well as staggered 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. A sport exhaust system is also standard, and if you want, you can add rear-axle steering — something else you can’t get on the base Carrera.

Very good wheels and graphics. Great color, too.

Porsche

Inside, the 911 Carrera T has Porsche’s GT Sport steering wheel, four-way power seats, reduced sound deadening, thinner glass and a rear-seat delete.

Those latter three features account for a curb weight of just 3,254 pounds, or 100 pounds lighter than the entry-level PDK-equipped 911 Carrera. There are a whole host of other options you can add to the Carrera T — this is a Porsche, after all — including things like lightweight bucket seats, 18-way power sport seats and leather upholstery. A wide range of colors are available, and Porsche is allowing customers to put the 911 Carrera T through its Paint to Sample program so, you know, go wild.

When it goes on sale next spring, the 911 Carrera T will be priced from £118,050 (including a £1,450 destination charge), putting it between the base Carrera and the Carrera S in Porsche’s lineup.

That makes it a seriously desirable 911.

But if that’s a few grand out of reach, it’s not like the standard Carrera will ever do you wrong.