The Porsche 911 (992) S/T at a glance
- 911 special model limited to 1,963 units
- 4.0 liter naturally aspirated GT engine with 525 hp
- 0-100 km/h in 3.7 s, Vmax 300 km/h
- Focusing on the country road
- Curb weight under 1,400 kilograms
- Starting price from 292,187 euros
The most expensive 911 ever – and hardly anyone sees it
If anyone knows how to play on the keyboard of sinfully expensive special models, it is certainly Porsche. Even if the Stuttgart-based company is now throwing new small series at the feet of the ever-hungry Porsche collectors in an inflationary manner – the new Porsche 911 S/T is different (combined fuel consumption: 13.8 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 313 g /km)². It’s not one of those pumped-up 911s from Zuffenhausen; it was developed in Weissach with a dedication to the 60th birthday of the Porsche 911. After all, there’s not just any engine under the trunk lid, but the holy grail of the GT motorsport department: the 525 hp 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine from the current GT3 RS (combined fuel consumption: 13.4 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions : 305 g/km)².
The rear wing battle (a discreetly extendable spoiler and a “Gurney Flap” are enough for the downforce) and the complex aerodynamics of the racing car were saved, because the S/T is not intended for the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. You drive it on normal country roads, use it for vacation trips or simply for a lap around your home route after work. Anyone who does without the Heritage sticker set will generally drive under the radar of envious people and ill-wishers. It’s just a Porsche 911 – nothing more. Only the Porsche Ultra recognizes from small details, such as the delicately crafted transitions and air outlets between the front CFRP fenders and the doors, which are also made of carbon, that this is not a GT3 Touring (combined fuel consumption: 13.0-12.9 l/ 100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 294-293 g/km² is in front of him. S/T logos can only be found on the outside of the central locks of the standard magnesium forged wheels and on the trunk lid.
Steering that will leave you positively stunned
So you buy a Porsche 911 S/T primarily for yourself. Because you understand the essence and philosophy that lies in this vehicle. Do we necessarily have to make a reference to the year 1969 and the original 911 S(T) at this point? Porsche did this, but for our one it’s a bit of a stretch. Because the new S/T doesn’t need an ancestor to refer to. He is the ancestor of many vehicles that followed. One, if not the ultimate driving machine of our time. The most Porsche, if you will. Yes, the heart, the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter GT boxer engine, which screams at you up to 9,000 rpm with its immediate response, contributes a lot to this fascination. But it’s other components in this vehicle that will leave you positively stunned. There is the adaptive chassis, which acts so smoothly and reliably at the same time, even on Calabrian hinterland roads, that it is a delight.
You then notice that one or two (sports) cars are ruined on the Nordschleife. Not the S/T, which they tested primarily on the Swabian Alb, on high-speed stages between Stuttgart and Munich and here in southern Italy. Mille Grazie dear chassis engineers around chief dynamic engineer Holger Bartels. Next up is the steering. It alone would be a reason for its own article, because it puts everything else we know about the people of Stuttgart in the shade. Although a Carrera can turn well per se, the difference in direct comparison to the S/T is significant.
The 911 S/T comes with no annoying fat deposits
Even the much praised GT3 Touring cannot keep up. From the middle position, the S/T’s valance is less nervous, but at the same time is even more precise and has an outstandingly good weighting. Of course, the weight of the vehicle also plays a role in ensuring that this car turns the way it turns. Without annoying pockets of fat, Porsche specifies a minimum DIN weight of 1,380 kilograms, a Turbo S Cabriolet (combined fuel consumption: 11.3 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 257 g/km)² is at the other end of the scale with 1,785 kilograms almost obese. Meanwhile, the excellent power-to-weight ratio cannot hide the fact that the 992 series has become quite a large car. This insight is not new, but it is impressively demonstrated again and again in Calabria. At the latest when you park the 911 between two Fiat Pandas (first generation).
But back to the technical qualities of the 911 S/T. Finally, it is important to take the wind out of the sails of those who see the understatement racer as a profit-optimized GT3 RS with a touring package. On the one hand, it cannot be denied that Porsche has saved on many expensive components, in this case the rear axle steering. On the other hand, it seems credible when the team around GT boss Andreas Preuninger states that an enormous amount of development time went into the S/T. Just adapting the 525 hp GT engine to the newly designed six-speed manual transmission, including a lightweight clutch with a single-mass flywheel, probably took a few months.
Walter’s original
The result is probably one of the tightest marriages in the engine/transmission sector. Everything about the handset is, in one word: short. This takes some getting used to, which also applies to the mechanical background noise in this 911. The GT six-cylinder is clearly a decisive instrument, but you tend to listen to the clutch and the grinding noise that would cause you to rush to a workshop with any other car. But Preuninger reassures. This is all completely normal and even a certain amount of odor must and may be tolerated.
The transmission is not said to be particularly fond of bang starts and at the same time they hardly correspond to the nature of this very mature street athlete. The pricing is also adult, although the base price of 292,187 euros is actually only half the truth. None of the 1,963 S/T will probably leave the factory for less than 300,000 euros (based on the German price list). Brand ambassador Walter Röhrl will soon be one of the prominent owners of this very special car. For him, the S/T is, by his own admission, the best road car ever. No wonder, as the rally legend is largely responsible for its fine-tuning. The 75-year-old was so intensively involved in the development process that he jokingly remarked that this 992 should actually be called “911 Walter Röhrl”.
First conclusion
At Porsche they always manage to improve the old basic recipe of the 911 in the right places. And just when you think there’s nothing left to do, they give you a car like the Porsche 911 (992) S/T. In our opinion, it is clearly the most Porsche, but you can no longer buy it today. A precise driving machine for the normal road that stands out in its technical perfection and is certainly not lightly praised in the highest tones by rally legend Walter Röhrl. It remains to be hoped that its future owners will make full use of the full potential of Sport Touring. (Text: Thomas Vogelhuber | Images: Manufacturer)
Technical data Porsche 911 (992) S/T*
- Model: Porsche 911 (992) S/T
- Engine: Six-cylinder naturally aspirated boxer, 3,996 cc
- Perfomance: 525 hp (386 kW) at 8,500 rpm
- Torque: 465 Nm at 6,300 rpm
- Drive: Rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual transmission
- Combined consumption: 13.8 l/100 km²
- CO2 emissions combined: 313 g/km²
- Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 3.7s
- Maximum speed: 300 km/h
- Dimensions (L/W/H): 4.57m/1.85m/1.28m
- Weight: approx. 1,380 kg
- Basic price: from 292,187 euros
*Manufacturer information
