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 alternative within the 911 lineup, however the limited-edition 911 S/T appears to be like on the GT3 and says, “You assume you’re the uncooked, purist’s automotive? Maintain my beer.”

The engine making all that noise comes from the 911 GT3 RS, nevertheless it’s not teamed with that automotive’s huge array of aerodynamic add-ons and quite a few controls for monitor changes. As an alternative, 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 every other 911. The flat-6’s wail fills the cabin to the detriment of dialog and the delight of automotive fans. 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. Nonetheless, low revs aren’t as frequent as a result of 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. Nonetheless, as a substitute of a dual-clutch automated transmission, right here it’s mated to a 6-speed handbook 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 handbook 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 handbook 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 way more rapidly between gears (a regular rev-matching characteristic helps as nicely), nevertheless it 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 line 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 pace. A shorter final-drive ratio limits the highest pace to 186 mph, 12 mph lower than the GT3, however with the way in which it revs you possibly can wager it could 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 automotive. A lithium-ion battery saves 6.6 kilos over a lead-acid unit and a light-weight carpet conserves 4.4 kilos. Carbon-fiber strengthened 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 chopping 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 method for the automotive, which is punctuated by a scarcity of driving modes, although the damper tuning might be modified on the middle display.

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 many of the dealing with enhancements should look ahead to a hotter, drier day than as we speak’s 45 levels and rain. The steering nonetheless has numerous really feel and a pleasant heft, and I don’t discover slower turn-in because of the adjusted steering ratio. Whereas the 255/35R20 entrance and 315/30R21 rear Pirelli P Zero Corsa summer time tires are doing a yeoman’s job of gripping the slick floor, pushing it too laborious 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 highway or racetrack, with a flat angle by 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 a couple of miles in a 911 GT3 Touring in the course of the drive and the distinction in trip high quality turns into evident. Whereas the S/T feels extra uncooked than the GT3 Touring in virtually each approach, it rides higher. It has particular, softer tuning for the dampers, in addition to its personal settings for the steadiness 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 observe the highway floor. Because of this, the automotive can nonetheless pound over sharp ruts, nevertheless it’s extra forgiving on lesser highway imperfections.

Regardless of its lighter weight, the S/T shouldn’t be a competitor for the 911 GT3 RS and gained’t beat that automotive 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 less complicated GT3 Touring’s physique with an lively rear spoiler that deploys at 80 mph. A regular Gurney flap provides some downforce, however Porsche doesn’t hassle to say how a lot, because the model views the S/T as the last word avenue automotive relatively than a monitor automotive. Meaning the GT3 RS will be capable to carry extra pace by quick corners because the downforce helps the automotive 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 virtually skeletal, with CFRP shells and solely four-way changes. Nonetheless, they’re nicely shaped to create a perfect efficiency driving seating place, and so they’re large sufficient for larger 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 automotive to 1,963 world-wide gross sales in honor of the 12 months of the 911’s launch. The S/T is impressed by a monitor bundle 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 price. Within the U.S., every ST will run $291,650, or $105,000 greater than the GT3 Touring. When 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 obtainable Shore Blue Metallic paint (pictured on the no. 63 vehicles within the photographs), classic-style Porsche crests inside and outside, two-tone black/Traditional Cognac semi-aniline leather-based with material seat inserts, and gold S/T and 911 badges on the rear.

As a limited-edition automotive, consumers who get an allocation might be tempted to purchase it and flip it. To fight this, prospects might be required to lease the automotive for the primary 12 months, which will even encourage them to drive it. After that, they are going to have the chance to purchase it.

And prospects will need to drive it when deliveries start subsequent spring. The way in which the 911 S/T revs so willingly, the way in which the engine screams “let’s go,” the way in which the sunshine flywheel encourages pace shifting, and an improve on the usual 911’s dealing with all beg homeowners to drive this automotive and drive it laborious. The 911 S/T is a uncooked nerve of a automotive, with a sound that will get on passengers’ nerves however might be music to the ears of Porsche followers.

Porsche paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to deliver you this firsthand report.