A stripped-down 911 for driving enthusiasts

published 19 January 2018

What's this? Not another Porsche 911 variant? Afraid so, says Jack Rix in Top Gear. But pay attention because you'll be interested in this one. It is the Carrera T the T referencing the Monte-Carlo-rally-winning 911T from 1968 and it is a more driver-focused, stripped-back version of the standard model. Driving pleasure isn't necessarily linked to lap times, says Rix; it's more about how you interact and connect with the car, and the T is designed with that in mind. So it may not be quite as fast as some of the other 911s you could choose from, but it is "plenty fast enough", with the "perfect amount of power" for public roads. Driving the T is a "joyous" experience: the exhaust burps and cracks away behind you, the steering is precise and the brakes nicely progressive. "It's not a better 911, but it's all the 911 you'll need."

The car's mantra is "less is more", says Graham Scott in the i newspaper, and the "balance of the beast is uncanny, allowing for absolutely blistering performance in really quite tough conditions". There is the odd jarring note: the seven-speed manual gearbox is not great, and the fuel consumption and emission figures have gone in the wrong direction, which will cost you at the fuel pumps and in tax. But if you can live with that and are a driving enthusiast, this could be the 911 for you.

Engine: 2,981cc, flat-six-turbo, rear-wheel drive. Price: £85,576. Power: 365bhp at 6,500rpm. Top speed: 182mph. 0-62mph in 4.5 secs.