Manual-Only 992.2 Carrera T Is a Porsche Fan’s Dream Come True

After introducing hybrid tech to the 911 for the first time, Porsche is taking its core model back to the basics. The 911 Carrera T returns for 2025 available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, and it benefits from several weight-saving measures that make it the lightest member of the Carrera range. It’s less expensive than the hybrid GTS, to boot.

Here’s a quick lesson in Porsche-ology: the T name was first used on a stripped-down 911 sold from 1968 to 1973. Though Porsche saw the original T as a way to homologate the 911 for a stock-body touring series, that T became known as the poverty-pack version because it was shorn of the best bits of competition-oriented kit: fifth gear, antiroll bars, crankshaft counterweights, alloy pistons, that sort of thing. While the modern T is more of a grand tourer, and while isn’t designed to race, it is marketed as the most driver-focused variant of the 911 Carrera. (In case you missed it, we loved the 2023 version.)

To create the new T, Porsche engineers started by putting the 911 on a diet. They fitted lightweight glass and removed some of the sound-deadening material to get the coupe down to 3316 pounds. The weight of the convertible version of the T hasn’t been released yet. For context, the base 911 Carrera coupe weighs 3342 pounds and the hybrid GTS checks in at 3536. Buyers who want a lighter car can upgrade to carbon fiber-bucket seats.

Power comes from the same twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter flat-six found in the 911 Carrera. It’s rated at 388 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, and it sends the T from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 183 mph. That’s the coupe; the convertible posts figures of 4.5 and 182, respectively.

Rear-wheel-drive and a six-speed manual transmission come standard. You’re out of luck if you’d like your T with all-wheel drive, an automatic gearbox, or both. Porsche explains that the transmission is basically the same unit as the seven-speed offered through the 2024 model year but with the seventh gear lopped off. An auto-blip feature automatically rev-matches on downshifts, though the driver can manually turn it off.

It’s not all old-school, however. The T’s list of standard features includes a rear-wheel steering system, like the previous iteration; the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system; and torque vectoring. Six-piston front calipers sourced from the 911 Carrera and revised roll bars on both ends are part of the package as well.

Several styling cues set the T apart from other 911s. Porsche added Vanadium Gray Metallic paint on the door mirror caps, the 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels, and the emblems, and it fitted black outlets to the sport exhaust system. The finishing touch is a decal with the shift pattern on each rear window.

Inside, the coolest feature is unquestionably the walnut shift knob, which adds a touch of retro flair. Porsche went to significant lengths to drive the “this is a stick-shift!” point home: there’s a small “MT” (for “manual transmission”) badge right behind the shifter, the shift pattern logo on the passenger’s side of the dashboard, and even puddle lights that project the shift pattern on the ground when you open the door.

On sale now, the 2025 911 Carrera T and Carrera T Cabriolet cost $135,995 and $149,295, respectively, including a $1995 destination charge. The T slots neatly between the base 911 Carrera, which starts at $122,095, and the hybrid GTS, which is priced at $166,895. Deliveries will start in the summer of 2025.