2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T Review: Thinking Man’s GT3

You’re tired of waiting.

You’ve done well for yourself. Well enough to afford the Porsche 911 GT3 you’ve obsessed over for years. The only issue is that even if you could find a production slot, the S in MSRP can’t be stressed enough.

The good news is that the 2025 911 Carrera T exists. What this series production model lacks in naturally-aspirated, high-revving war cries and nods of equal parts approval and jealousy at the local Porsche club meets, it makes up for with an honest approachability and unflappable daily driver experience.

The 911 came in for its mid-cycle update this year, with a thorough rejigging of the lineup to go with it. The basic Carrera and Carrera S remain, while the GTS received a whole new engine and debuted Porsche’s new T-hybrid system. We’ve driven that one, and it’s very good indeed; the hybrid turbo tech then served as the basis for the latest 701-horsepower 911 Turbo S.

The Carrera T returned this year with a subtle reframing. It is once again based off the base Carrera, with the most sought-after performance options made standard. Gone are the fabric door pulls, mind you. The big difference is the switch to being exclusively available with the manual transmission, which is now a six-speed unit as the seventh cog disappears.

There’s a sort of purity of purpose with the latest 911 T. The plain white paint helps, as does the simplified 911 badging. Dark gray accents along the flanks make it clear to onlookers where this particular 911 lands in the pecking order. I wish the thin spokes of the 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels weren’t black—even a mid-to-dark gray would be better—but at least it provides contrast here. Perhaps best of all, the T misses the fussy vertical slats in the front intakes that mark out the GTS.

This tester comes with not one but two reminders as to the T’s manual-ness: stickers in the rear windows featuring the shift pattern and matching puddle lights beaming out of the side mirrors. Tasteful or tacky? I’ll let you decide.

The base 911’s engine—and thus the T’s—sees a tiny nine-pony bump over last year’s model, courtesy of nicking the old GTS’ larger turbocharger. The pessimist in me believes this was the minimum amount Porsche’s engineers needed to add to see the fractional increase in the acceleration figures that marketing no doubt demands these days. The other side recognizes this is still 388 horsepower in something that weighs the same as a GR Corolla, and all that power goes to just the rear wheels.

Porsche’s engineers have done great work here, ensuring the turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six still has a distinctly un-turbo character. Yes, it delivers most of its torque barely off idle, and the telltale whistle and blow-off valve chatter remain, however muted. Yet there’s a willingness to rev that is rare, making for a clean run right up to the 7,500 rpm redline. The raspy, signature flat-six howl is largely retained too, crisp but not overly dramatic.

The manual asks for little extra from the driver and rewards with that added layer of interaction. The wood-topped shifter, a nod to the 917 race car, has an aggressive self-centering action and clean movements across the gates, so shifts require actual, deliberate effort. Each gear slots home with precision, and paired with the light clutch, I find myself rowing through the gears more than necessary. In something quicker I might be inclined to go with a PDK to avoid feeling like the weakest part of the process. The T will still officially crack off 62 mph (100 km/h) in barely over 4 seconds, which is plenty quick enough on the road.

This is classic Porsche. The 911 T has a lovely lightweight feel after the bruiser GTS, a delicacy on turn-in that gives a clear indication on grip levels at both axles. Powering out is as easy as ever, with all the weight in the tail ensuring the big rear tires find purchase. Porsche does electric power steering better than anybody else right now, with natural weighting and good feedback. The T is nimble and agile, eager to dance yet never overstepping, never trying to overrule the driver’s directions. Instead it works with you, encouraging you to dig deeper, brake later, and always trusting that inherent 911 balance. It does this at saner speeds than a Turbo or GT3 would require, too.

Braking is another strong point here. The T’s middle pedal is full of feel and utterly progressive, all backed by massive stopping power. Whereas the GTS has to contend with the complications of regenerative braking, the T is old-school and just a pinch easier to read because of it.

Opting for the T means making some sacrifices in the name of sporting intention. The glass is thinner, and Porsche has skipped some of the sound deadening found elsewhere in the lineup to keep that light, 3,316-pound (1,504-kilogram) curb weight. So yes, against even the Cabriolet I drove in the spring, the 911 T has more general noise as it goes about its business. It’s never overwhelming, nor does it feel inappropriate given the level of performance the T is capable of.

With the optional (but required, if you ask me) nose-lift system, the 911 happily handles the inner-city grind with aplomb.

The standard four-way adjustable seats are plenty supportive while maintaining good comfort levels on longer drives. While the upgraded thrones offer more power-adjustability, these simple items felt better on-brand with what the T is about.

Even the 911 isn’t immune to the march of progress. A fully digital instrument cluster now sits behind the (perfectly sized and shaped) steering wheel, and it’s enough to get traditionalist teeth a-gnashing. Just as I was with the 911 Cabriolet earlier this year, I remain saddened at the switch to a push-button starter, though at least it’s still on the left side of the wheel.

The dashboard architecture remains solidly old-school, with a tall, upright main section housing a small row of toggle controls below. In fact, there’s a welcome number of physical controls within the 911, all with the sort of precise actuation you’d expect of the brand. The flourishes of Gentian Blue trim elevate the space, matching the subtle pattern on the seats.

Just don’t expect much cabin storage. The center console barely holds a phone with its wireless charger, and the door pockets are shallow. The no-cost option of rear seats gives buyers the technical ability to put folks back there, but I wouldn’t for anything more than a short trip.

That digital instrument panel might be a black hole when the 911 is fully off, robbing owners of the visual delight of Porsche’s cleanly styled analog dials. Once the power’s on the classic view is one of the many options available and honestly, with the display’s high definition and contrast ratios, the look is bang-on. The miniscule lines circling around the tachometer show no obvious pixelization, and the needle reacts in near-as-damnit real time.

Porsche’s infotainment also deserves kudos for being like the 911 T itself: focused on the task at hand and little else. While the setup lacks the flashiness found in other German brands, the menus are straight-forward and response times are lightning quick. Color coding also makes the setup easy to use with barely a glance.

This tester features the upgraded Bose sound system. It’s fine.

Even as a pared-back model, this Carrera T has seen a healthy amount of checked boxes on its options sheet. The starting price is now $146,050 in America including destination, and this model would ring in at $158,010. There isn’t much here I’d skip were it my car to spec: the nose lift, extended fuel tank, and upgraded headlights are all worthy additions, and I appreciate the T-specific cabin. Okay, I’d ditch the sunroof and audio system, saving $3,300 or so.

Canadian pricing starts at $152,150 CAD including destination, and this tester carried a $167,150 CAD sticker.

Everything else being equal, would I rather have a GT3? Oh yes, a green Touring with the stick and Pasha seats, please and thanks.

Yet the 911 T doesn’t feel like a consolation prize. As the 911 overall has become bigger, softer, and yes, more luxurious, there’s room in the lineup for a lower-trim model that puts a finer point on driving dynamics and driver interaction. The 911 T highlights all the classic characteristics that have made Porsche’s sports car such an icon, while maintaining the deft daily driver capability it has built up over the years. It’s the smart choice for those craving all the nuance of a manual 911 at a price that still feels (somewhat) attainable.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.