To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 911's launch, Porsche has just created a new special-edition model that will delight collectors and enthusiasts. The 2024 Porsche 911 S/T, unveiled Tuesday night, is an homage to an obscure late-Sixties/early-Seventies racing version of the 911 S. With a curb weight of 3056 pounds, it's the lightest 992-generation 911 yet, and with a $291,650 MSRP, it's also the most expensive. Porsche will make just 1963 examples, and even with a near-$300,000 MSRP, you can bet demand will far outstrip supply.
The S/T is a creation of Porsche Motorsport's GT department, which is responsible for 911 GT3 models and the like. This is a road-focused car that blends elements of the GT3 RS with the GT3 Touring and mixes those with a number of retro design details. It uses the narrower bodyshell of the GT3, but adds in the cutouts behind the front wheels and carbon-fiber doors from the RS. The S/T also gets the same spec engine as the GT3 RS, a 4.0-liter, 9000-rpm flat-six with hotter cams than the GT3 to bump peak output to 518 hp.
Unlike the GT3 RS, however, the S/T only comes with a six-speed manual transmission, and compared with the GT3, it gets a new lighter, single-mass flywheel and clutch assembly. This cuts 23 pounds off the rotating assembly, which should make an already incredibly responsive engine feel razor-sharp.
Also to save weight, the S/T's hood, roof, fenders, rear anti-roll bar, and rear shear panel are all made from carbon fiber. The wheels are magnesium alloy and the rear-wheel steering that's been a staple of Porsche GT cars since the 991.1 GT3 has been deleted. The brakes are carbon-ceramic as standard, and the S/T gets standard lightweight glass and less sound deadening than a GT3. Its 3056-pound curb weight is 70 pounds less than that of a GT3 Touring. (Note that in these photos, the S/T features the carbon-fiber half-cage also offered in the GT3 RS. As cars can't be sold with cages in the U.S., it's a feature we won't get.)
The 255/30ZR20 front and 315/30ZR21 rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires appear to be the same as those on the GT3, and the double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension come from that car as well, albeit with some tuning differences. Inside, carbon-backed bucket seats are standard, and available is a unique and rather fetching cognac-colored interior trim. The green typeface on the gauges also nods to the 356 and very early examples of the 911.
This car seems an awful lot like the 911 R of 2016, which was a combination of GT3 and GT3 RS components in a relatively lightweight, manual-only package. That car was an instant collectible, with prices rising to $500,000 or more and settling around the $400,000 mark now. The R was also possibly the best version of the 991, with a personality distinct from any other model from Porsche Motorsport.
In other words, the S/T is a guaranteed classic. Porsche says it'll make its public debut at the Rennsport Reunion event coming up in a couple months, and U.S.-spec cars will arrive at dealers next spring.
A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins served as Road & Track's engineering nerd and Porsche apologist.
