The Only Porsche 911 That You Can Buy New With A Manual

The Porsche 911 S/T is a 60th anniversary gift from Porsche

While the S/T name traces its roots back to the 1970s, when Porsche built a handful of 911s for the track, the modern-day 2024 Porsche 911 S/T is developed around the idea of celebrating 60 years of the 911. Apart from being the most expensive brand-new 911 you can buy right now, it is a special model that is meant to be a garage princess but will make you want to drive it hard.

Porsche’s motorsport-derived naturally aspirated flat-six engine has been a sensation in the motoring world, and in its latest avatar, it produces up to 518 horsepower and 342 pound-feet of torque. This engine tune graces the GT3 RS, the road-going 911 race car, and Porsche managed to cram in the same 4.0-liter flat-six inside the 911 S/T. However, the latter is only available with a six-speed manual gearbox, making it a very special Porsche. 0-60 mph comes in at 3.5 seconds, two-tenths slower than the manual-equipped GT3 RS, and top speed is limited to 186 mph, 13 less than the GT3 RS.

The specifications of the 911 S/T might sound enticing to all 911 lovers, but this is not a car for amateurs. While the six-speed manual-equipped in the 911 S/T is a closed-ratio unit and shifts like a charm, its clutch is 24 pounds lighter than a normal 911’s. This means that operating the clutch on your day-to-day will be trickier, especially in city traffic. Also, with the increased engine response due to a lighter flywheel, the revs will fall faster as you let go of the accelerator and depress the clutch.

The Porsche 911 S/T is all about weight savings

Porsche didn’t just stop at lightweighting the clutch and flywheel in the new 911 S/T. They went all out! Carbon fiber is everywhere - doors straight from the GT3 RS, carbon fenders and roof unique to the S/T, and the hood is carbon fiber. Unlike the GT3 Touring, the front trunk is spacious enough to store luggage. Porsche even slimmed down the windshield, and you get lightweight magnesium wheels and carbon ceramic brakes as standard.

But wait, there’s more! A lighter battery saves 6.6 pounds, the carpets shave 4.4 pounds, and an even lighter carbon-fiber rear anti-roll bar from the GT3 RS’s optional Weissach package sheds 4.4 pounds. By default, the 911 S/T features carbon-fiber seats, but Porsche will be happy to fit more comfortable sports seats for free, should you need them. Porsche also deleted the rear-axle steering system altogether to save 14.3 pounds. The carmaker claims that the 911 S/T is a whopping 84 pounds lighter than a similar manual-equipped GT3 Touring.

The 911 S/T is a limited edition manual-only 911

Limited to just 1,963 examples - which denotes the year 1963 when the first 911 was introduced - the 911 S/T is not only a limited edition Porsche but also the pinnacle of the 911 moniker. It’s not a neck-snapper like the Turbo S or a track weapon like the GT3 RS. It’s a 911 with all the right ingredients and still demands the utmost expertise to drive one.

As a limited-edition Porsche, the 911 S/T is still available to configure on Porsche’s official site, which is quite shocking since limited-edition Porsches tend to sell out the moment they are announced. This is not the case with the 911 S/T though. However, the reason behind its availability could be because of the 12-month retention period started by Porsche to avoid customers flipping their new cars at a premium on the used car market.