First test of the Porsche 911 Carrera T: simplify, then add the right options

Enlarge / Lighter and less powerful, the 911 T benefits from desirable options not available on other 911s. Tim Stevens

Getting bigger and heavier with age is something many of us can relate to. Even the sportiest of cars is not immune to this unfortunate expansion. The Porsche 911 weighed just 2,400 pounds (1,089 kg) when new in the early 1960s and was just 165 inches (4,191 mm) long. Since then, he has grown over a foot (300mm) and accumulated over 800 pounds (363 kg).

Notice that the 911 is still a stellar car, truly sublime, but this enlarged girth has changed the Carrera from a true sports car to something on the sporty side of a comfortable touring machine. Now, however, with the return of the Carrera T, the 911 is going back to its roots, once again. After spending a great evening carving canyons in California, I'm happy to say the result is remarkable.

Enlarge / Like the 911, this one is aimed squarely at driving enthusiasts. Tim Stevens

The T in Carrera T actually stands for "tour", but that's a bit of a misnomer. Here it is a designation for a lighter, bolder and more engaging flavor from Carrera. The first Carrera T was created in 1968, a simpler 911 which notably won the Monte-Carlo Rally at the hands of Vic Elford.

After 1973, this model was retired and was resurrected in 2017 for the then current 991.2. Since then, Porsche has put a T on the 718 Cayman, 718 Boxster and even the Macan, always signifying something a bit pared-back and capable.

What did Porsche do to design the new 911 Carrera T? Well, it starts with a base Carrera, powered by 379 hp (283 kW) and 331 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged 3.0L flat-six engine. That's far less than the 443 ponies (330kW) offered by the Carrera S and well below the 473 (352kW) of the GTS, but believe me when I say it's more than enough. More on that in a moment.

Enlarge / Porsche's bucket seats can be tricky to install and remove, but once inside, they're wonderful. There is no rear seat in this version, however. Tim Stevens

Porsche then paired this with a seven-speed manual transmission, complete with a subtle short shift kit, although an eight-speed PDK transmission is available as a no-cost option if you'd rather not not row yours. Porsche's torque-vectoring, limited-slip rear differential is available if you opt for this transmission, and regardless of pedal ...