Porsche 911 S/T Celebrates 60 Years of the 911 with Perfect Blend of Performance, Styling, & Technology
The 911 S/T combines light weight with GT3 RS power, a manual transmission and a GT3 Touring body to create the ultimate 911.
As a writer I am not supposed to be at a loss for words. But when Porsche announced the new 911 S/T the only word that came to mind was WOW. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Porsche 911 the automaker cooked up a doozy of a special edition. Like some sort of mad scientist, they took the best bits from other highly regarded 911 models and combined them to make what just might be the ultimate Porsche 911. You get a dash of GT3 RS, a helping of GT3 Touring, and a splash of Targa Heritage Edition to create this drool worthy 911 S/T.
The 911 S/T is going to be limited to just 1,963 examples. In case you are wondering why the strange number. The Porsche 911 was first unveiled to the public in 1963. This will be the lightest 992 generation 911 ever offered. At 3,056 pounds it is about 70 pounds lighter than a manual 911 GT3 Touring. It will also be the most expensive with an MSRP of $290,000 excluding the $1,650 for delivery, processing and handling. The car will make its U.S. debut at Rennsport Reunion 7 from September 28 to October 1, 2023. Deliveries are expected to begin in the spring of 2024.
Porsche 911 S/T
Powering this car is the same 518 horsepower 4.0L flat six found in the GT3 RS. But unlike in the RS you control that power in the S/T via a 6-speed manual transmission. And that transmission has a shorter gear ratio than on the 911 GT3. The car is wrapped in the body from the GT3 Touring. The S/T includes a Gurney flap on the rear spoiler.
There is some special badging at the back as well. There is also a vent behind the front wheels which is not present on the GT3 Touring. Other than that, most people would mistake this for the GT3 Touring. In fact, most people on the street would probably mistake it for just a regular 911. Perhaps they could spot it with the optional exclusive Heritage Design Package with new exterior color Shore Blue Metallic and the wheel rim color Ceramica.
On the inside you will find standard CFRP full bucket seats. But most will probably want the Heritage Design Package which goes far beyond the special color and wheels. It includes instruments finished in classic Porsche green. Cloth seat centers in Classic Cognac with black pinstripes.
There is also extensive two-tone leather and other Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur bits to finish up the inside. You can pick a starting number on the doors from 0 to 99. And the Porsche crest is in the style of the original 911 and it is found on the hood, wheel center caps, steering wheel, head rests and the car keys.
Other Special Bits
To keep weight down Porsche used a lot of carbon fiber in this car. The hood, front fenders, doors, and rear axle anti-roll bar are all carbon fiber. The wheels are magnesium, and the battery is lithium-ion.
Carbon fiber brakes are standard, as are lightweight glass, and reduced sound deadening material. Porsche also ditched the rear axle steering system to further reduce weight. There is also a new lightweight clutch exclusive to this car.
The Results
All this makes for a lightweight 911 that can hit 60 mph in a claimed 3.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 186 mph. Solid numbers but this is not the fastest 911 you can buy. That is not the point of this car. It is a throw back to the 1969 911 ST. They were race versions of the regular 911 S.
And as such had modifications to the chassis, wheels, engine and the body. But huge spoilers and other aerodynamic aids were not used on the 1969 cars. And that is the formula Porsche is trying to follow here with the new S/T. The new car has plenty of speed for sure. But if you want lap records get the GT3 RS.
The S/T is about the driving experience. Having that high revving 4.0L engine controlled with a real manual transmission. It is the dream 911.
Problem?
The car is like a greatest hits album from the current 911 range. It is wonderful. But and it is a big BUT. You can’t have one. This is just another in a long line of recent Porsche sports cars that will be sold to the same people that got the Sport Classic, the 911 Dakar, the Targa Heritage Edition, the 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design, and so on.
I wrote about this problem a year ago. And if anything, it has only gotten worse since that time. As great as this 911 S/T appears to be, I really don’t care if it ever goes to production. It has nothing to do with the MSRP. It is expensive for sure, but not outrageously so when you consider the price of other high-end Porsche 911 models. But MSRP is irrelevant.
Porsche dealers that get allocations for this car will call their special clients who have hoarded all the other desirable Porsche models. These folks will buy them and put them in their garage hooked up to the battery tender. You will see the S/T on the popular YouTube channels.
There will be an example at major Porsche events like Rennsport Reunion, Werks Reunion, Porsche Parade, and so on. On occasion one will pop up on Bring a Trailer with a $500K reserve and 100 miles on the clock. You won’t see these in the wild. They won’t be at the track. They will likely not even be at your local PCA events. The new 911 S/T may as well not exist.
Porsche, Why?
Dear Porsche, who are you building these cars for? The S/T is great. So, build one for everyone that wants one and can afford your asking price. Or how about building enough regular 911s first so folks can get cars they want to drive. Why create another bauble for the same group of people that already own and don’t drive your other special models? I am the biggest Porsche fan. Have been since I was a little boy.
I am extremely active in the Porsche community. And I have had enough. When is Porsche going to actually sell the great cars they build? I am waiting, checkbook in hand.
Photos: Porsche
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