I’m driving on a moist Freeway 128 in California’s wine nation and the cacophony behind me is coming from 4.0 liters of German flat-6 unfettered by issues like sound deadening materials. The 911 GT3 has historically been the light-weight, naturally aspirated selection within the 911 lineup, however the limited-edition 911 S/T seems on the GT3 and says, “You suppose you’re the uncooked, purist’s automobile? Maintain my beer.”
The engine making all that noise comes from the 911 GT3 RS, but it surely’s not teamed with that automobile’s huge array of aerodynamic add-ons and quite a few controls for observe changes. As a substitute, the S/T goals to out-GT3 the 911 GT3 with even lighter weight and an much more partaking driving expertise.
Because it revs, the S/T’s engine sounds a racket that’s louder than some other 911. The flat-6’s wail fills the cabin to the detriment of dialog and the delight of automobile fanatics. It has so little sound deadener that the whir and lash of varied powertrain elements might be heard, together with flywheel rattle. The sound will increase with revs, solely calming down at low rpm. Nevertheless, low revs aren’t as frequent resulting from shorter gearing.
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
Like within the GT3 RS, the engine makes 518 hp and 342 lb-ft of torque, up from 502 hp in the usual GT3. Nevertheless, as a substitute of a dual-clutch automated transmission, right here it’s mated to a 6-speed guide that’s teamed with a short-throw shifter, a light-weight flywheel, and shorter gear ratios. It’s a formulation for powertrain engagement in contrast to something within the 911 lineup. It’s all louder, faster, extra intense, and extra visceral.
The S/T’s flywheel weighs 22 kilos lower than the unit within the guide model of the GT3. The result’s a freer revving model of the 4.0-liter flat-6 that winds readily as much as its 9,000 rpm redline. The gear ratios are 8% shorter than within the guide GT3, and the shifter is 10 mm shorter than the short-throw shifter within the GT3, which is already 10 mm shorter than the levers in different 911s. Tidy gear shifts are useful as a result of the sunshine clutch drops the revs rather more shortly between gears (a normal rev-matching function helps as nicely), but it surely all encourages railing on the S/T such as you stole it.
The powertrain mods and the S/T’s lighter weight conspire to make it the quickest naturally aspirated 911 within the 0-60 mph dash. It does the deed in simply 3.2 seconds, in accordance with Porsche, 0.2 second faster than the GT3. Energy comes on sturdy from a cease however feels much more strong because it relentlessly builds velocity. A shorter final-drive ratio limits the highest velocity to 186 mph, 12 mph lower than the GT3, however with the best way it revs you possibly can guess it will beat the GT3 to 186 mph handily.
Two different cuts to rotating mass contribute to that improved acceleration in addition to to dealing with. The S/T comes normal with carbon-ceramic brakes that save 39.9 kilos and magnesium wheels that trim 23.3 kilos.
Different types of weight financial savings are discovered all through the automobile. A lithium-ion battery saves 6.6 kilos over a lead-acid unit and a light-weight carpet conserves 4.4 kilos. Carbon-fiber bolstered plastic (CFRP) cuts weight for the rear shear panel (4.6 kilos), rear anti-roll bar (4.4 kilos), doorways (4.4 kilos), bucket seats (15.4 kilos) and roof (2.2 kilos). The S/T additionally lacks a rear seat like different GT3s, and reducing the GT3 Touring’s normal rear-wheel steering drops one other 14.3 kilos. All advised, the S/T weighs in at 3,056 kilos, 70 kilos lower than the GT3 Touring, making it the lightest 911 within the lineup.
The shortage of rear-wheel steering is one of some dynamic adjustments Porsche employs for the S/T. The engineers slowed the steering ratio from 14.2:1 to fifteen.0:1 to compensate for the shortage of stability rear-wheel steering provides in quick corners. It’s all a part of the back-to-basics strategy for the automobile, which is punctuated by a scarcity of driving modes, although the damper tuning might be modified on the middle display screen.
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
I can really feel the free-revving powertrain on these roads, however judging a lot of the dealing with enhancements must watch for a hotter, drier day than immediately’s 45 levels and rain. The steering nonetheless has a lot of really feel and a pleasant heft, and I don’t discover slower turn-in as a result of adjusted steering ratio. Whereas the 255/35R20 entrance and 315/30R21 rear Pirelli P Zero Corsa summer season tires are doing a yeoman’s job of gripping the slick floor, pushing it too exhausting will ship the S/T careening right into a winery or redwood tree.
That’s OK, as a result of we already know even base variations of the 911 are unflappable on a canyon street or racetrack, with a flat angle by way of corners, agile strikes, prodigious grip, and a stability that belies its rear-engine design. Take weight out of the powertrain, physique, and wheels and it solely will get higher.
I get just a few miles in a 911 GT3 Touring in the course of the drive and the distinction in journey high quality turns into evident. Whereas the S/T feels extra uncooked than the GT3 Touring in nearly each method, it rides higher. It has particular, softer tuning for the dampers, in addition to its personal settings for the soundness management and differential locking values. A Porsche engineer advised me that the dampers have been tuned to be simply as agency at full compression however to be freer on rebound to higher comply with the street floor. In consequence, the automobile can nonetheless pound over sharp ruts, but it surely’s extra forgiving on lesser street imperfections.
Regardless of its lighter weight, the S/T just isn’t a competitor for the 911 GT3 RS and received’t beat that automobile on a racetrack. Along with its many chassis changes, the GT3 RS has quite a few aerodynamic add-ons to create 1,895 kilos of downforce at 177 mph. The S/T has the easier GT3 Touring’s physique with an lively rear spoiler that deploys at 80 mph. An ordinary Gurney flap provides some downforce, however Porsche doesn’t hassle to say how a lot, because the model views the S/T as the final word road automobile somewhat than a observe automobile. Which means the GT3 RS will be capable to carry extra velocity by way of quick corners because the downforce helps the automobile stick with the pavement.
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
I’m taking all of it in from a cabin that mixes minimalism with connectivity and some particular touches. It has solely two seats, and so they’re nearly skeletal, with CFRP shells and solely four-way changes. Nonetheless, they’re nicely shaped to create a great efficiency driving seating place, and so they’re vast sufficient for greater backsides. The instrument cluster has Phosphorous Inexperienced graphics, and so does the digital clock on the sprint.
Porsche is releasing the 911 S/T as a part of a Sixtieth-anniversary celebration for the 911, and is limiting the automobile to 1,963 world-wide gross sales in honor of the yr of the 911’s launch. The S/T is impressed by a observe package deal Porsche supplied for the 911 S starting in 1969, which was identified internally because the ST.
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
2024 Porsche 911 S/T
All of this comes at a hefty value. Within the U.S., every ST will run $291,650, or $105,000 greater than the GT3 Touring. Should you’re going to spend that a lot, spring for the additional $20,360 for the Heritage Design Bundle that provides door gumballs with any quantity from 0-99, an out there Shore Blue Metallic paint (pictured on the no. 63 automobiles within the images), classic-style Porsche crests inside and outside, two-tone black/Traditional Cognac semi-aniline leather-based with fabric seat inserts, and gold S/T and 911 badges on the rear.
As a limited-edition automobile, patrons who get an allocation will likely be tempted to purchase it and flip it. To fight this, clients will likely be required to lease the automobile for the primary yr, which can even encourage them to drive it. After that, they are going to have the chance to purchase it.
And clients will wish to drive it when deliveries start subsequent spring. The way in which the 911 S/T revs so willingly, the best way the engine screams “let’s go,” the best way the sunshine flywheel encourages velocity shifting, and an improve on the usual 911’s dealing with all beg homeowners to drive this automobile and drive it exhausting. The 911 S/T is a uncooked nerve of a automobile, with a sound that will get on passengers’ nerves however will likely be music to the ears of Porsche followers.
Porsche paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to deliver you this firsthand report.
