Battle Of The Manual Porsche 911s: 992.2 Carrera T vs GT3 Touring - story Go to full screen story Fullscreen

Battle Of The Manual Porsche 911s: 992.2 Carrera T vs GT3 Touring

Which manual Porsche 911 is more deserving of your money? The classic Carrera T or the screaming GT3 Touring?

by Dimitar Angelov on January 24, 2025, 06:00

It seems that most automakers are making a profitable “side business”, based on a renewed demand for manual-transmission vehicles. Porsche does something similar as it is gradually phasing out the stick from most mainstream models, including the 911 and 718. Occasionally, the German carmaker gives us special-edition vehicles, equipped with a manual gearbox, and sells them for an obscene amount of money. Naturally, people buy them because it’s Porsche and they are bound to become collector cars.

But what if you want a 911 with a manual transmission, but want to stick to the “standard” 911 lineup? Luckily, even with the 992.2 update, you still have options. Currently, there are two – the 911 Carrera T and the 911 GT3 Touring. I figured it would be a good idea to compare these two sports cars and look at them in more detail, to determine, which one would better suit you. The GT3 Touring’s engine makes a strong case for itself, but do you really need to pay that substantial price premium that it commands? Let’s find out.

Porsche 911 (992.2) Carrera T Vs Porsche 911 (992.2) GT3 Touring: Performance

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It is hardly any surprise that both Porsche 911 models ride on the same version of the MMP platform. Obviously, the rear-engine iteration of it. However, there are a few key differences between the two cars and they go beyond the different engines they use, i.e. the Carrera T sticks with the tried and tested twin-turbo mill where as the GT3 Touring packs a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six. The Carrera T is available only with a manual, whereas the GT3 Touring can be had either with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed auto. Performance-wise, the two cars are very different in the way they deliver power.

The big thing with the 992.2 update isn’t just the T-Hybrid powertrain in the Carrera GTS, which will also be featured in the upcoming 911 Turbo. It is also the fact that for the first time, all 911 variants from the 992.2 generation, feature double-wishbone front suspension. Most of the early 992-generation cars still featured a McPherson setup in the front. Here’s how these 911s compare on paper.

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Performance Porsche 911 (992.2) Carrera T Porsche 911 (992.2) GT3 Touring
Engine 3.0-liter, DOHC, twin-turbo, flat-6 4.0-liter, DOHC, normally-aspirated, flat-6
Power 388 horsepower at approx. 6,500 RPM 503 horsepower at 8,400 RPM
Torque 332 pound-feet at approx. 2,000-5,000 RPM 332 pound-feet at approx. 6,000 RPM
Transmission and drivetrain 6-speed manual, rear-engine, RWD 6-speed manual/ 7-speed PDK, rear-engine, RWD
Curb weight 3,285 pounds 3,223 pounds
0-60 mph 4.3 seconds 3.7 seconds
Top speed 183 mph 194 mph

Porsche 911 (992.2) Carrera T Vs Porsche 911 (992.2) GT3 Touring: Features and highlights

Battle Of The Manual Porsche 911s: 992.2 Carrera T vs GT3 Touring storyboard - image 197181

The Carrera T available as a coupe or a cabriolet slots in nicely between the base Carrera and the recently introduced Carrera S. It features the base model’s drivetrain, but a few bits and pieces you may find on more performance-oriented models, without going too crazy on the price. The most important thing is that the 992.2 Carrera T is the most affordable way to get behind the wheel of a manual Porsche 911 (MSRP included in the table below). As standard, the 992.2 Carrera T also comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential, not present on the base Carrera.

Meanwhile, the GT3 Touring is more road-oriented than the track-focused GT3. The most obvious feature (or lack thereof) is the lack of aggressive aero bits in the GT3 and GT3 RS models. The GT3 Touring also gives you more options when it comes to the transmission. For the hefty sum of $36,010, you can equip the GT3 Touring with the Lightweight Package. This is one of the options that can easily get the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring’s price to over $300,000. It is worth pointing out that despite recent trends, these are not the only new Porsche sports cars available with a manual transmission.

Battle Of The Manual Porsche 911s: 992.2 Carrera T vs GT3 Touring storyboard - image 196263
Features and highlights Porsche 911 (992.2) Carrera T Porsche 911 (992.2) GT3 Touring
Exterior Optional Carrera T graphics, SportDesign package, aero package with fixed wing, body-colored and gloss-black finishes available, Sport side skirts, wheels - 8.5Jx30 front, 11.5Jx21 rear, tire size - 245/35 ZR20 front, 305/30 ZR21 rear GT3-specific front fascia, rear apron, and engine cover, optional Touring package in black, wheels - 9.5Jx20 front, 12Jx21 rear, tire size - 255/35 ZR20 front, 315/30 ZR21 rear, exposed carbon-fiber roof (part of the Lightweight Package), body-colored front air-blades
Interior Black Plaid Sport-tex interior, optional Carrera T interior, adjustable seats, optional full bucket seats, optional rear seats (free of charge), optional body form seats (soft/medium/hard), optional ventilated seats, extended Race-Tex interior Standard black leather interior with fabric seat inserts, optional full leather interior, adjustable sport seats/ optional full bucket seats, optional rear seats (free of charge), extended Race-Tex interior
Chassis MMP rear-engine platform, aluminum chassis, aluminum-alloy body panels MMP rear-engine platform, aluminum chassis, aluminum-alloy and carbon-fiber body panels
Mechanical highlights 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-6 with DOHC and direct fuel injection, 6-speed manual as the only transmission option, mechanical limited-slip differential, optional front-axle lift system, speed-sensitive steering, steel ventilated discs 350mm front and rear, brake calipers - 6-piston front, 4-piston rear 4.0-liter, DOHC, normally-aspirated flat-6 engine with direct fuel injection, 9,000 RPM redline, a choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed PDK (dual-clutch) automatic, mechanical limited-slip differential with PTV (Porsche Torque Vectoring), optional front-axle lift system, optional Porsche carbon-ceramic brakes with 420mm front rotors and 410mm rear, calipers - 6-piston front, 4-piston rear
Price (MSRP) $134,000 (Carrera T) / $147,300 (Carrera T Cabriolet) $222,500
Dimitar Angelov

Dimitar Angelov

Dim has been an automotive journalist since 2014. Although he is interested in all things automotive, his main interests revolve around, Asian, classic, and sports cars. He is particularly fond of Porsche sports cars as well as JDM classics from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and others. Dim operates mainly from Bulgaria, but can, occasionally, be seen attending Europe's most reputable Auto shows, and events. Read full bio