PORSCHE 911 S/T
Autocar UK|September 27, 2023
Stuttgart rolls out a very special 911 as a birthday present to itself
MATT PRIOR
PORSCHE 911 S/T

TESTED 19.9.23, LAMEZIA, ITALY ON SALE NOW

You can't accuse Porsche of under-promising with the 911 S/T. Andreas Preuninger, who runs Porsche's GT division, tells us it is "one of the greatest 911s of all time, if not the greatest" and "the most entertaining". And he says Walter Röhrl, Porsche's brand ambassador (and two-time world rally champion), calls it "the best street-legal car I've ever driven".

Which, when even just the recent back catalogue has the GT3 RS 4.0 and 911 R in it, is no minor boast.

The S/T is a special-edition 911 limited to 1963 units (it's the model line's 60th anniversary), about 10% of which will come to the UK, each priced at £231,600. It's based on the GT3 Touring, the marginally more laid-back, road-friendlier version of the GT3 that is Autocar's reigning - and two-time - Britain's Best Driver's Car champion. But while the S/T is "a GT product", according to Preuninger, it is unequivocally "not a track car". The evidence? "The Nürburgring lap time I don't care about," he says. "I don't know it. We haven't tested it."

Instead, the S/T is meant to be different from all previous 911 GT cars. "We wanted to make the ultimate driver's car," says Preuninger, "and being the lightest 992[-generation 911] was the main development goal."

There are, then, carbonfibre door skins, front wings, 'froot' lid and roof. Wheels are magnesium and the interior features no rear seats.

Weight has been shed elsewhere too, as a by-product of other goals. The 4.0-litre flat-six naturally aspirated engine comes from Porsche's 911 GT3 RS, where it makes 518bhp. But because the team wanted it to have more of a 'zing' factor, there is a much lighter clutch for the six-speed manual gearbox, and a single- rather than dual-mass flywheel.

Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Autocar UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Autocar UK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA AUTOCAR UKSe alt
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
Autocar UK

Poster car that went from rusty to trusty

One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 13, 2024
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
Autocar UK

THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF

The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason

time-read
2 mins  |
November 13, 2024
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Autocar UK

GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80

Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon

time-read
4 mins  |
November 13, 2024
LEXUSLBX
Autocar UK

LEXUSLBX

Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know

time-read
4 mins  |
November 13, 2024
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Autocar UK

Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'

Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading

time-read
4 mins  |
November 13, 2024
Once more, with feeling
Autocar UK

Once more, with feeling

AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it

time-read
7 mins  |
November 13, 2024
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Autocar UK

MERCEDES-BENZ CLE

Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?

time-read
9 mins  |
November 13, 2024
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Autocar UK

ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT

Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days

time-read
4 mins  |
November 13, 2024
ALPINE A290
Autocar UK

ALPINE A290

The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`

time-read
5 mins  |
November 13, 2024
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Autocar UK

UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS

Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models

time-read
2 mins  |
November 13, 2024