The Porsche 911 T Versus 911 GTS

“Right here’s the keys, and luxuriate in! See you in every week!” Smiling from ear to ear, I took maintain of mentioned keys, unlocked the automobile, received in and pinched myself to see if I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t, not for a second, but it surely was a dream second for me but once more. I simply received right into a brand-spanking new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet, in a putting deep purple color. Figuring out I had the automobile to myself for nearly every week was one thing I used to be wanting ahead to for fairly a while! And on high of that, figuring out that Frank, a Porsche nut as nicely, received to expertise that very same vary of feelings later that very same day when choosing up “his” Porsche 911 Carrera T Cabriolet, made it all of the extra thrilling!

It’s been slightly over a 12 months since we had the fun of a lifetime within the oh-so-special 911 Dakar, and I’ve a tangible memento in a 1:18 scale arrange in my house workplace. Now, although, it’s time to subtly do it yet again with not one however two Porsche 911s. And never simply any Porsches, however most likely two of the best ever made. On one finish, we now have the extra analogue 911 Carrera T, and on the opposite, the extremely superior 911 Carrera GTS. Each as a Cabriolet as a result of, nicely, sunshine. It simply so occurred to be a really heat and sunny week, so the timing was good!

However what’s the deal right here? Why two, and never be happy with one? Effectively, I might have been, however debates throughout the staff (Frank, Brice and I merely love the model) have thus far by no means led to a conclusion on which 911 is finest. Whereas all of us have some expertise in Porsches and 911s, Frank is extra of the analogue puristic expertise, whereas Brice and I are extra “Staff New Tech”. After I requested Frank what he seems for in a driving expertise, his reply is sort of easy and clear:

“I want an analogue automobile and I like to be in management, to really feel the way it steers, the way it drives, the way it accelerates… Lots of the strongest vehicles speed up so quick that the sensation kicks in if you take a look at the speedometer and assume “wow, that went so quick!”. I want to get that “wow” feeling not by wanting on the speedometer, however by how the entrance grips right into a nook, how you’re feeling the street, the way it step by step accelerates, and also you’re nonetheless in management.”

For me, it’s extra about experiencing the brilliance in Porsche’s engineering perfection. And that always leads to the newest 911s being on the highest of my wishlist to personal and drive. I wish to really feel linked, answerable for the tech, but additionally on the sting at any time when I push a automobile to its limits. I would like it to be thrilling but additionally borderline scary at instances. The center racing, palms sweaty, adrenaline speeding, being on the very edge… I don’t have something towards a guide, quite the opposite, even, however not like Frank’s need to shift by hand, I’m completely comfortable to depend on the ultra-quick shifts up and down from a PDK gearbox.

So, to lastly attempt to settle the talk among the many three of us, we hatched a plan. When Porsche Pon Imports, the importer for Porsche vehicles within the Netherlands, reached out to ask if we had been serious about one other demo automobile, we cheekily requested for a second one, and stored our fingers crossed (Ask, and also you shall obtain!). And lo and behold, they got here again to us instantly with a convincing “After all!” Oh pleasure!!

Blue nook vs crimson nook

I usually get banter from associates of mine at any time when the subject of Porsche or the 911 comes up. The most typical remarks are {that a} 911 is only a glorified Beetle, or that each single one seems precisely just like the one earlier than. Typical stuff, actually. However I’ve had the nice fortune to take them out for slightly spin within the 911 Dakar from final 12 months, and now the 911 GTS. And each single time they arrive round and perceive the joy I’ve for the model and its vehicles. They’re simply sensible and constructed for use (and abused) each single day. Nevertheless, I’m nicely conscious that it may be a bit tough to inform which 911 is which. So enable me to interrupt down what we’re coping with right here, plain and easy, by some numbers.

The 911 Carrera T Cabriolet is up first. Completed in Ice Gray metallic with blue particulars on the bonnet, doorways and wheels, it’s maybe one among Porsche’s purest 911s within the catalogue right now. It has a turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six producing 394bhp and 450Nm of torque, which is distributed to the rear wheels solely via a guide 6-speed transmission. The zero-to-100kph dash is alleged to take 4.5 seconds, and the highest pace is rated at 294kph. The automobile weighs 1,580 kg and is simply over 4,5m lengthy and 2m large. I cannot go into particulars by way of choices, however you may verify the complete configuration of this particular automobile proper right here.

On to the 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet. This one is painted in Viola Metallic, which is a purple tone near aubergine, I’d say. Being a GTS of the newest era means it comes with the brand new hybrid drivetrain. The three.6-litre flat-six is joined by Porsche’s T-Hybrid system. The system consists of a battery pack and a collection of electrical motors to shut efficiency gaps and make the automobile even sooner (no lag, faster pick-up, and so forth). Mixed, it produces 541bhp and 610Nm of torque. That is despatched to the rear wheels solely as nicely, however this time via an 8-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission. The dash to 100kph is completed in an eye-wateringly fast 3.1 seconds, and it’ll soldier on to a high pace of 312kph. When it comes to weight, it is available in at 1,675 kg, however the footprint on the street is identical. For these within the nitty-gritty particulars of the GTS configuration, right here’s the complete spec and choices listing.

on the street

Evaluating spec sheets is okay and all, however the proof of the pudding is within the consuming. So, as Frank and I each hit the street for a few days, I within the GTS and he within the T, we rapidly got here to the primary conclusion. These two 911s are very totally different animals! Even though they rolled off the identical meeting line and share the same platform, they really feel very totally different to drive. And it’s not simply all the way down to the distinction in energy between the 2, but it surely’s way more about how they ship it. Each vehicles are very fast, as to be anticipated with sports activities vehicles, however the way in which they hammer down the street is worlds aside. I used to be satisfied I might go for the GTS if ever I had the prospect to purchase one for myself. However moving into the 911 T and discovering how totally different it feels made me query my reasoning!

So what then? Have I switched groups? Earlier than I get to that, let me attempt to describe the place the variations lie. Beginning with the GTS, I might finest have the ability to describe it as a two-faced beast. A real ‘Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde’ situation. It’s very straightforward to drive day by day, via site visitors and from house to work or wherever you wish to go. You possibly can probably even drive it all the way down to the south of France for every week, and again once more. Do pack mild, although, as baggage house is proscribed. However if you flip the dial to 11, or in Porsche phrases to Sport Plus, it adjustments character within the blink of a watch, and also you higher maintain on tight!

The throttle response turns into prompt, the suspension stiffens up, and it helps you to climb the revs for much longer. It merely turns into as aggressive as it may be. Oh, and for these questioning what the crimson button on the steering wheel is for: push it, and all hell breaks unfastened! The automobile shifts down and revs as much as the perfect level for the pace you’re doing, providing you with most energy to overhaul whoever you wish to overtake, for 20 seconds at a time. It’s a real thrill experience, the place your senses get an additional brutal dose of sound, vibrations and sheer pace. Actually, it’s extraordinarily intoxicating as nicely!

The inside of the 911 T…

and the 911 GTS.

That “Overboost” button is absent on the 911 T, which is altogether a really totally different 911. It’s extra docile, extra balanced, and extra of an everyman’s good friend. The gear lever has a beautiful brief throw to maneuver up and down the gears. Shifting down by the way in which, is met with auto-blipping by the gearbox, and pops, gurgles and bangs from the exhaust. Extra so than within the GTS, by the way in which, which sounds a bit extra muffled. The 911 T additionally invitations you to mess around in corners a bit extra. The place the GTS is consistently pushing you in its quickest settings, the 911 T lets you push the automobile. Each are planted on the street and haven’t budged an inch after we pushed them, but it surely appears the 911 T is the extra darty, the extra nimble of the 2. On the monitor, the GTS would blitz it, however on twisty B-roads, the 2 will seemingly be a lot nearer.

However making an attempt to reply which of the 2 is the higher automobile is like selecting which one among your youngsters is your favorite. In an effort to make some sense of it at the very least, it’s maybe finest for each of us that we skilled the vehicles.

Frank: “For me, the conclusion is in step with the expectations I had it earlier than we even began the engines. It’s the T… all the way in which. I’m driving a 997.1 C2S each day (that’s a 2006 Carrera S of the primary 997 era, with a guide gearbox), and over the previous a few years, I’ve not pushed any newer 911 that I might commerce in my 997 for. Not one which gave me that feeling of absolute pleasure, whereas nonetheless being in management. The sensation that you just’re dealing with an absolute sports activities automobile, that additionally permits you to drive with a really controllable stage of enjoyable and pace, on the small nation roads in my space.

That was till now… handing over the keys of the brand new 911 T was a bit painful. This was the primary new 911 that felt even higher than my 911. And I didn’t count on that in any respect. Having pushed the 992.2 base Carrera as nicely, which in all honesty didn’t do it for me, and the 911 T felt sooooo totally different. Sure, it comes with the identical engine, the identical quantity of horsepower and torque, but it surely additionally comes with a sports activities chassis, sports activities suspension, a guide gearbox with a brief shifter, rear wheel steering and a whole lot of management and feeling. Boy, what a automobile!”

In order that’s Frank, sticking with what he loves, and rightfully so, because the 911 T is an excellent machine. To the purpose it virtually received me over, and going “analogue” as nicely. However I’m going with the GTS simply as I might have earlier than this entire expertise. It’s the brutality the automobile is able to, whereas on the identical time being a docile cruiser if you need.

I wish to be on the sting of my seat, and on the fringe of my management, however I don’t need that on a regular basis, each time. The truth that the GTS can do 1,500 rpm in eighth gear at 120kph on the freeway and in addition kick you within the again like Rico Verhoeven is what I might search for. Nevertheless, having now pushed these two again to again does give me an excellent deeper understanding of the model and the 911 than earlier than. And to be sincere, it comes down to a 60-40 break up in favour of the GTS, perhaps even a bit nearer than that.

So what did we be taught from all of this? The straightforward reply is that there’s a 911 for each single one. The vary is extremely versatile, each in type (coupe, targa, cabriolet) and in aggressiveness. It truly is the each man’s sports activities automobile! However the perfect of the 2? In all probability the T, as you may push that closet to the sting, and it’s extra docile, however the GTS is the sooner and extra cutting-edge of the 2, and that ought to account for one thing, proper? Proper!

For extra data on the Porsche 911, please go to Porsche.com.

Editorial Word: The vehicles have been offered by Porsche Pon Imports within the Netherlands, for which we thank them. Different sources of knowledge or photos are credited the place wanted.