Because of the huge success of the 911 R, Porsche suddenly has a renewed focus on cars that are built especially for enjoyment on the road, not all out times on the track.
The new 911 GT3 is available with a touring package, which removes the rear wing and can only be optioned with the manual gearbox. Now, if you can't afford the screaming new GT3, there's a more affordable option: the Carrera T.
Now, there might be a little confusion with that name. Because all new 911 Carreras are turbocharged, you might think that the T stands for Turbo. It does not. It's actually inspired by the original 1968 model of the same name, so the T stands for Touring, and Porsche has focused on taking weight out of the Carrera. It has lighter glass in the rear and side windows, cloth loops for door pulls inside, Sport-Tex seats, and less sound insulation. Unlike the regular Carrera, the T has PASM and can be optioned with rear-wheel steering. And if you option the full bucket seats (which you definitely should) then the rear seats are deleted to save even more weight.
While it's pictured above with Porsche's PCM system deleted, that will not be an option for cars bound for the US.
That all brings weight down to 3,142 pounds, the least of all the 911s.
The engine is the same 3.0 liter twin-turbo flat-six that's in the 911 Carrera, which means it has 370 horsepower and 339 lb.-ft. of torque. With the standard seven-speed manual, it gets to 60 in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 182. The optional PDK model is a bit quicker, at four seconds to 60 (and a 180 mph top speed), but if you're buying the lightest, purist 911, why not get it with the manual gearbox?
While it is the lightest, the T is not the least expensive 911, with a base price of $103,150 (including destination charge). Cars should start arriving in March, 2018.