Canadian pricing for the 2024 Porsche 911 S/T begins at $343,900
As will likely be this 60th Anniversary 911 S/T, with solely 1963 (get it?) slated for manufacturing.
Fittingly, for the launch of the highly-focused, trimmed down 911 S/T, the roads Porsche has chosen right here in mountainous Calabria, Italy resemble an infinite strand of spaghetti — left, proper, up, down, repeat — and largely abandoned aside from just a few wandering canine and the occasional trundling Fiat Panda. It’s a driver’s dream (and a passenger’s nightmare) however by gawd, these roads had been made for the raucous S/T, a particular that has been within the works for about two years.
What’s the Porsche 911 S/T?
Porsche stresses the S/T just isn’t a observe automobile. It’s not chasing lap occasions, down-force numbers or high velocity. There’s not a hard and fast wing to be discovered, nor multi-adjustable suspension and even an accessible PDK dual-clutch computerized transmission. Solely a bespoke close-ratio six-speed handbook transmission and rear-wheel drive, thanks very a lot. Porsche even ditches the rear-wheel steering to save lots of weight.
Wedge your self into the usual carbon bucket seats, twist the important thing (to the left of the steering wheel, ‘natch) and the engine barks to life and settles right into a busy idle. You gained’t see the anticipated drive mode selector on the steering wheel or selectable lively exhaust. The S/T has just one drive mode, and it’s balls-out, loud and all enterprise. Toe the throttle and the revs rise and fall — whoop, whoop, whoop — like there’s no flywheel. There may be one, but it surely’s a light-weight, noisy single-mass unit that’s paired with a particular, smaller diameter clutch (180 mm vs. 240 mm) that shaves a further 10.2 kg.
So, the 911 S/T needs to be lighter than air, proper? All that effort has the S/T coming in at 1,380 kg, which is about 40 kg beneath a inventory GT3 Touring with handbook transmission. Bringing your pre-teen alongside will just about negate that. They’ll simply complain concerning the noise and stiff journey, anyway.
Is the Porsche 911 S/T snug?
The motive force’s seat is the place to be within the S/T. In case you can match within the fixed-rake carbon buckets, that’s the way in which to go — they maintain the physique in a agency embrace that has you feeling like an extension of the automobile. Whereas agency and fairly actually a ache within the ass to get into, they’re surprisingly snug for the lengthy haul. No-cost four-way-adjustable Sports activities Seat Plus are supplied for these much less dedicated and/or much less agile.
Porsche has shortened the throws of the GT3’s stubby shifter within the S/T — it serves up a deliciously correct mechanical connection to the gearbox, and auto rev-matching is out there if one dives into the infotainment menu. We didn’t. It’s all concerning the purity of the expertise, bear in mind. Talking of purity, the S/T’s rear spoiler (with its personal particular Gurney flap) deploys at 120 km/h (versus 80 km/h for the GT3 Touring) as a result of the Porsche crew feels the spoiler… er, spoils the 911’s purity of line. So that they held off for an additional 30 km/h. Find it irresistible.
What powers the 2024 Porsche 911 S/T?
The star of the present is the S/T’s 4.0L naturally-aspirated boxer six-cylinder engine, right here borrowing its tune from the GT3 RS track-maven which interprets to 518 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 343 lb-ft of torque at 6,300. Oh sure, it’s a screamer, and it must be revved onerous to ship. Simply when most efficiency engines are giving up the battle at 7,000 rpm, this jewel finds its second wind and costs to 9,000 rpm like a ferret with its tail on hearth. It’s an exhilarating, chilling and addictive mechanical hit. This may be the twilight of the interior combustion period, however Porsche is ensuring its iconic 911 rides off into that ICE sundown on a bottle rocket.
Is the Porsche 911 S/T enjoyable to drive?
The bespoke six-speed handbook gearbox with its eight-per-cent shorter gearing exhibits its value on these tight, winding roads. Second gear tops out at 120 km/h (vs about 130 km/h for the GT3 Touring) which provides this light-weight 911 a depraved kill zone whereas additionally guaranteeing Canadian clients kissing the redline will likely be much less felonious. Third gear is a extra tractable selection now too, pulling the S/T strongly out of bends that may have requested for second gear earlier than.
The S/T’s dampers and spring charges stay the identical because the GT3 Touring, though the S/T’s suspension engineer Daniel Sprissler tells me he spent the higher a part of a 12 months nice tuning the PASM (Porsche Energetic Suspension Administration) and PSM (Porsche Stability Administration) to provide this 911 its elevated stage of communication and immediacy. Curiously, the PASM change (a toggle on the sprint), which usually calls up the firmest damper setting does the reverse within the S/T, softens the suspension a bit. For these roads with their tough, undulating surfaces, it helped maintain the automobile planted.
Can I say sufficient concerning the S/T’s steering? It’s linked to the current-gen GT3’s multi-link entrance suspension (the one 911 ever to not have a Macpherson strut set-up), and Sprissler says they centered on attempting to make the S/T’s electrically-assisted helm really feel as near a superb old school hydraulic system as doable. This concerned particular {hardware} and intensive tuning, with the crew lowering the steering ratio a smidge from the GT3 Touring to provide the S/T a smoother, extra pure flip in. Mission completed, I’d say. The locking values within the limited-slip differential had been additionally modified to provide the automobile its personal cornering character.
All these parts come collectively in a magical, mechanical concord. The S/T’s nostril hunts down corners like a blood hound on the scent, diving into bends and powering out with nary a touch of understeer. Grip from the staggered Michelin Cup 2 rubber (255/35 ZR 20 entrance, 315/30 ZR 21 rear) is epic, but the rears will fortunately sidestep when hammering out of second gear turns.
Discovering a rhythm within the S/T is pure motoring pleasure, with the second day’s route having us on extra open, sweeping roads with higher sight traces. The automobile is happier at this extra elevated, flowing tempo (or perhaps it was simply my abdomen). We really received into fourth and fifth gears just a few occasions. Whoopee! Porsche selected these routes to showcase the S/T’s particular road-going talent set, one to coax an intimate man/machine relationship like no different trendy 911 — a driving expertise that distils 60 years of the 911 into the purest, headiest of elixirs that after sampled, has one craving for extra. This automobile will hang-out your goals.
How a lot is the 2024 Porsche 911 S/T in Canada?
Are there any down sides to the Porsche 911 S/T? I suppose I may complain concerning the fixed din inside the cabin — a mix of street noise, engine howl and rattle from the single-mass flywheel. However I gained’t. It’s all a part of the expertise. The truth that the 2024 911 S/T, with beginning worth of $343,900 in Canada, is about $100k dearer than the marginally much less fabulous GT3 Touring on which it’s based mostly may also elevate an eyebrow or two.
However not from the monied Porsche-files who would step over their very own grandmother simply to beg on bended knees to get on the very, very quick allocation checklist. The primary automobiles are set to reach within the second quarter of 2024.
Sizzling tip. In case you do win the 911 S/T lottery, go for the Heritage Version Bundle. It’s solely one other $23,220 and for that, one will get fab Shoreblue Metallic paint, white wheels and a surprising cockpit trimmed in cognac leather-based with retro houndstooth material. Oh, and the value of admission additionally contains an unique Porsche Design 911 S/T computerized chronograph watch.
Joyful 60th birthday to the Porsche 911, certainly.