The Porsche 911 S/T in one sentence: mix a GT3 Touring with manual gearbox with the power of the GT3 RS and shed some weight. More than four tons (328k in Belgium) for a stew of parts that they already had lying around.
You would almost think that Porsche made the 60e anniversary of the worst idea ever ('let's put the engine all the way in the back!') to extract some extra money from its valued clientele. Rest assured: it doesn't work like that. Although the Germans may have undermined the 'must have!' factor of a GT3 somewhat. Or from an RS. Or any other sports car.
Thanks to a cocktail of weight-saving measures – most of which took place out of sight – the S/T weighs 1,355 kilos, an impressive 40 kilos less than the lightest GT3 Touring. So that is the version with a manual gearbox, and with the optional ceramic brakes that are standard here.
The weight-saving measures of the 911 S/T
To make the driving feeling a bit more 'organic', the rear wheel steering has been given a one-way trash bin. Not only does this remove 6.5 kilos from the rear axle, it also allows the installation of a lighter lithium-ion battery. Also saves 3.5 kilos.
The carbon fiber RS doors need special front spoilers with the large hole in the wheel arch, but the top ventilation was not necessary: again 2 kilos less. The diet continued with carbon fiber reinforcements under the car, plus lighter carpets.
The clutch disc of the S/T weighs 10.2 kilos; half that of the GT3 Touring. The addition of a lighter flywheel means a more eager throttle response, which goes nicely with that racy clutch and the short throws of the gearbox.
How the S/T differs from the GT3 Touring
From the first time you touch the accelerator, the 911 S/T creates a gap between it and the Porsche GT3 Touring. The revs build up quickly and fiercely. That will be the effect of the lighter flywheel and the dropped clutch. All in all, this collection of parts weighs less than half the stuff found in the manual Touring.
The sound also has a different character than what you are used to from a 911 GT. It's gritty. It clatters and growls like RSs did before they were fitted with an automatic transmission as standard. The classic raw 'washing machine full of gravel' noise is back with the 911.
Drive away and those associations are soon washed away by a much more melodic six-cylinder boxer soundtrack, while you are distracted by other sensations. The clutch pedal stroke is shorter and the point of application is much more aggressive. The shifting itself is sublime: positive, precise and satisfyingly mechanical.
However, the slots are not so narrow that you are afraid that switching will cost serious money. The last gear has a new transmission that is 8 percent shorter than that in a manual GT3, making the entire drivetrain feel more energetic, and therefore the driver himself. You won't easily call a GT3 lethargic, but we have always longed for transmission ratios that were a little more Sprinter and a little less Intercity. The S/T grants that request.
Even on an empty road, the 911 S/T is great
It is also striking that the steering is a lot less sensitive to cants in the road than that of the GT3. When the 992 switched to a double wishbone set-up with significantly more suspension travel, the increased performance on the track was somewhat at the expense of handling on public roads. And so Porsche's chassis specialists spent two years getting the set-up of the S/T just right.
It retains its adaptive dampers, but on the rough southern Italian roads where we meet the S/T, the difference with the stiff, bucking GT3 is almost unreal. The S/T maintains that tight control over the bodywork, but neatly filters out all kickbacks. While the great engine and the great gearbox make the big headlines, the revised chassis is the hidden trump card.
The interior has been subtly improved
The clues that you are in a limited edition are perhaps a bit more subtle than you would expect from such a grand birthday party. There's a slightly garish badge on the passenger side of the dashboard that tells you which of the 1,963 built you're driving, you lucky son of a female dog.
The numbers in the digital screens (and the physical tachometer in the middle) are backlit green, as a tribute to classic Porsches. As standard, the center portions of the seats have cloth upholstery in a retro pattern, and just south of the shifter is a small S/T badge.
Unlike the old 991, you can't skip the infotainment to save some more weight – it's simply too deeply involved in all the car's systems. Most drivers would simply check it as an option. Somehow the cabin feels almost too luxurious for a lightweight special. The door handles, or the watch straps that pass for them, therefore look cheap, while the rest is so well taken care of.
Because the S/T has two regular radiators in the front, just like the GT3, it retains its luggage space under the front hatch. That space was lost on the GT3 RS with which it shares its glorious engine. It's big enough to swallow a couple of carry-on suitcases and a regular bag for two.
Something we would like to see in every 911
Oh, and one more real point for the nerds: pay attention to the door handles before you get in. With the S/T, Porsche has left the electric pop-up levers for what they are and opted for regular ones. It's a huge improvement to the car's 'handshake'. Hopefully that bit of common sense will return to all 911s soon.
Perhaps the only downside to the S/T is the simple fact that it has a collector's item is in a limited edition. That could tempt people to buy one and not drive it, but store it safely in the hope that its value will increase. Criminal. This is not a 911 to admire from afar. It is one that deserves to have its magnesium wheels (minus 10.6 kilos) mercilessly driven off – and will reward you for it.
Specifications of the Porsche 911 S/T (2024)
Engine
3,996 cc
six-cylinder boxer
525 hp @ 8,500 rpm
465 Nm @ 6,300 rpm
Drive
rear wheels
6v manual gearbox
Performance
0-100 km/h in 3.7 s
top 300 km/h
Consumption (average)
13.8 l/100 km
313g/km CO2
Dimensions
4,573×1,852x
1,279 mm (lxwxh)
2,457 mm (wheelbase)
1,355 kg
64 l (petrol)
132 l (luggage)
Prices
€411,200 (NL) – sold out
€327,743 (B) – sold out
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