Sportscar fans owe a lot to Porsche, as the German brand manages to ensure that things like the naturally aspirated engine and the manual transmission will stay with us, even in a limited quantity, despite the major changes the industry is going through.
And while this wave of appreciation for an analogue sports car was initially revived with the limited run 911 R, Porsche went ahead and created the 911 GT3 Touring as a permanent member of the range, while the more affordable 911 Carrera T enables more customers to join the club.
Porsche’s latest step in this strategy is of course the new 718 T models, which become the new entry point, offering a slightly tighter setup, a locking differential and the base 300PS turbo-four engine.
The 911 Carrera T comes with a slightly shorter ratios for the manual gearbox, less sound insulation, a locking differential and a sportier suspension while the twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat six engine makes 370hp and 339lb-ft of torque from 1,750rpm.
As for the GT3 Touring, most of you already know that it’s powered by one of the greatest naturally aspirated engines available today: a 4.0-liter flat six unit that can rev up to 9,000rpm and produce 493hp, 339lb-ft of torque and an amazing soundtrack.
Top Gear brings the Carrera T and the GT3 Touring together on a mountain road to show us why, despite their differences, they are both so good and also why more car makers might want to take note.