The new Porsche 911 S/T celebrates the 911’s 60th anniversary, slated with a limited run of 1,963 cars. This magic number alludes to the debut year of the iconic 911. The purist 2024 911 S/T is the lightest 911 of its 992 generation. It is fitted with a naturally aspirated 518 hp, high-revving engine from the 911 GT3 RS. Maxed out at 9,000 rpm, this beast blasts power to rubber meeting the road via a lightweight clutch and a short-ratio manual transmission, a vanishing species these days.
This latest 518-hp 911 could possibly be the best 911 from the Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen company yet. Its breeding is rather extraordinary, to say the least. So the diabolical Porsche engineers cloistered in Flacht happened to mate a 911 GT3 with Touring Package with a 911 GT3 RS.
Well, whaddya know — the two Flachtian thoroughbreds had a baby. Porsche named it… ”911 S/T.” The bouncing baby weighs in at a mere 3,056 pounds. This is thanks to its lightweight construction and a chassis setup optimized for agility and canyon carving. Porsche intimates that this is in stark contrast to the recessive-gene track-centric 911 GT3 RS.
In addition, Porsche touts the beauty of its engine and its synchronized components. There’s that reduced rotating mass in the engine, its wheels, and its brakes supposedly ensuring “particularly dynamic responsiveness.” Porsche also claims, “Every steering movement, every ounce of pressure on the accelerator or brake is implemented immediately and with pinpoint precision.”
What’s with That Quirky “S/T” in 911 S/T?
So what’s in a name? As indicated, Porsche dubbed its latest 911 the 911 S/T. Funny name with its slash, actually, if you’re not privy to the 911’s multifaceted bloodline. It turns out that the 911 S/T is the ancestral descendant of a performance-focused first-generation 911.
Porsche developed a unique race spinoff of the 911 S. The year, 1969. As with many Porsche cars, past and present, the factory attached an internal designation — the 911 ST. Since hefty downforce-producing spoilers and other aerodynamic aids didn’t yet exist back in the day, Porsche had to generate improved performance and track grip the old-fashioned way.
So the ingenious engineers back in the day spawned modifications to the engine, chassis, body and wheels, for starters. These early innovations substantially improved acceleration, braking, traction and cornering grip. Thus the new 911 S/T inherits the spiritual and genetic DNA strands of the original 911 S (ST).
Lightweight Construction, from Fenders to Clutch
But what makes the 911 S/T so agile and cunning in its sure-footed handling on the road? Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), of course! Credit Porsche’s successful evolutionary design in lightweight component development.
Such components of the 911 S/T are created from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP):
- Doors along with its striking inlets
- Front fenders
- Hood
- Roof
- Rear axle anti-roll bar and
- Rear-axle stiffening shear pane
Standard features of the 911 S/T include:
- Lightweight glass
- Lithium-ion starter battery
- Magnesium wheels and
- Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system
So how else does the 911 S/T maintain its girlish figure at a svelte 3,056 lbs.? And how can this latest 911 possibly weigh in at 70 lbs. lighter than a manual 911 GT3 with Touring Package? Here’s how:
- Omission of rear-axle steering
- Reduced insulation and
- Weight savings in the powertrain
- New exclusive lightweight clutch
- Single-mass flywheel reducing the weight of the rotating mass by around 23 lbs.
How Does the 911 S/T Perform on the Road vs. Track?
Most if not all of the foregoing advancements empower the 911 S/T to rocket to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Top track speed? How’s 186 mph? Not bad for a car inspired by a long-in-the-tooth 911 from the hippy-dippy late Sixties. And the unique soundscape produced by its standard lightweight Sport Exhaust is truly something to behold…
Despite its top track speed, the 60th Anniversary 911 S/T probably won’t shine supreme on track days. That’s because its aerodynamics have been optimized instead to reign supreme on open country roads and winding mountain roads. Why? Because it’s furnished with the following standard equipment:
- Gurney flap on its extending rear spoiler
- 20-inch (front) and 21-inch (rear) lightweight center-locking magnesium wheels
- Ultra-high-performance 255/35 ZR 20 front tires, ensuring a oodles and oodles of mechanical grip up front
- Ultra-high-performance 315/30 ZR 21 rear tires
As a variation on our standard-features theme, other such equipment includes CFRP full bucket seats, or upgrading to four-way-adjustable Sports Seat Plus at no additional charge. Incidentally, the instrument cluster and the Chrono package’s clock are burnished in a nice classic green Porsche color scheme.
Optional “Heritage Design Package” for the 911 S/T
As if its three-thousand-buck price tag wasn’t enough, you can show off your 911 S/T at the local Cars and Coffee with the optional “Heritage Design Package” for just slightly over $20K. The package draws inspiration from, and is evocative of, the aforementioned 911 ST racing version of the 911 S that excelled from the late 1960s through the early 1970s. The Heritage Design Package sports such features as:
- Classic-style Porsche crest from the original 911 adorning the frunk lid, wheel center caps, steering wheel, headrests and car key to underscore the historic roots of the 911 S/T
- Cloth seat centers in Classic Cognac with black pinstripes
- New exterior color Shore Blue Metallic
- Porsche logo and 911 S/T model designation on the rear of the car adorned in gold
- Roof lining in perforated Dinamica
- Starting number from 0 to 99 emblazoned on the doors
- Two-tone semi-aniline leather trim in Black/Classic Cognac with extensive leather surrounds and
- Wheel rim color in Ceramica
U.S. Debut of the 911 S/T
All attendees of Rennsport Reunion 7 (PRR 7), from September 28 to October 1, 2023, will be the lucky pups to witness the debut of the 911 S/T. Presumed to be the largest global gathering of Porsche enthusiasts, PRR 7 takes over WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, on the oak savanna outskirts of Monterey, California.
Attendees will also enjoy the extra treat of witnessing the debut of Mission X, Porsche’s prototype for all-electric Porsche sports cars of the future.
Porsche Design Exclusive Timepiece — the Chronograph 1 – 911 S/T
The Chronograph 1 – 911 S/T will be available only to customers who purchase a 911 S/T. It boasts several weight-saving features to further contextualize the lightweight design principle of the new special-edition purist 911.
Some highlights of the special Chronograph 1 – 911 S/T timepiece from Porsche Design include:
- Porsche Design’s WERK 01.240 with COSC certification and flyback function
- A rotor evoking the design of the magnesium wheel of the 911 S/T
- A unique watch plaque featuring the 911 S/T image and its own individual limitation number
The Chronograph 1 – 911 S/T will be available to order from Porsche Centers and Porsche Design Stores. It will retail for $13,500 (RRP).
Finally, the new Porsche 911 S/T prices out at an MSRP of $290,000, which excludes $1,650 for delivery, processing and handling (which hopefully won’t be a deal-breaker ?). PCNA anticipates U.S. deliveries to commence in spring 2024.