Porsche resurrects manual Carrera S after launching its facelift in 2025 only as a PDK. Six-speed transmission comes exclusively with rear-wheel drive and chassis upgrades. MY27 S Coupe starts at $169,450 including $2,350 destination; Cabriolet is $183,350. Demand for three pedals is harder to kill than Porsche thought. After launching the facelifted 2025 911 Carrera S exclusively with an eight-speed PDK, the German sports car brand has listened to enthusiasts and brought the six-speed manual back. And I’m sorry to break it to you rest of the world, but North America gets this new configuration all to itself. Called the 911 Carrera S with MT Package, it is to the 992.2 S what the Carrera T is to the base Carrera. A driver-focused offshoot for people who want more engagement from their 911s but can’t stretch to a GT3 Touring. You might even call it a baby GT3, a role the Carrera GTS played before it gained hybrid power and went PDK-only. More: Mystery Porsche 911 Spotted Wearing Something No GT3 Model Has Ever Had The Carrera S with MT Package is available as both a coupe and Cabriolet, and pairs Porsche’s six-speed manual transmission exclusively with the 911’s rear-wheel chassis. So there’s no pretending it’ll be the quickest version away from the lights. Porsche openly pitches this one toward drivers who’d rather enjoy changing gears themselves than shave another fraction from a 0-60 (97 kmh) time by letting actuators do it for them. In fact, Porsche hasn’t even revealed a 60 time, but given that the manual-only Carrera T is 0.4 seconds slower to 60 than the PDK-equipped Carrera with the same entry-level 388 hp (394 PS) engine, we’d expect the MT Package to add two or three tenths to the PDK Carrera S’s 3.3-second time. Center-Lock Wheels Power comes from the existing S’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo, non-hybrid inline-six making 473 hp (480 PS). But the manual package involves more than simply swapping transmissions. Or else how could Porsche justify massively inflating the price? More of that later. Rear-axle steering and a sport suspension lowering the car by 10 mm (0.4 inches) are standard, as are unique exhaust tuning and center-lock wheels. Those wheels – which have never been offered on a relatively lowly Carrera S before – trim more than 17 lbs (7.7 kg) compared with the regular Carrera S setup. Porsche has also thrown in four-way Sport Seats Plus, titanium exhaust outlets, a SportDesign front fascia and a red “S” badge at the rear, an idea the brand borrowed from North American Porsche owners who’ve modded their own cars. Buyers can upgrade to carbon fiber buckets and ceramic composite brakes, the latter unavailable on the regular Carrera T. The S-MT, by the way, weighs 3,327 lbs (1,509 kg), just 11 lbs (5 kg) more than the T, yet has an extra 90 horses. Walnut Shifter The interior package gets creative too, adding plaid fabric seat centers with Chalk stripes, matching stitching and seat belts, plus Ceramica trim with brushed aluminum accents. There’s a white accent ring around the dashboard clock, and more importantly, the manual gets a walnut shift handle like the Carrera T. You can even option puddle lights projecting the six-speed shift pattern onto your driveway to remind your left leg to get ready for a workout. Not The Budget Option Orders for the MT-equipped 2027 911 Carrera S are open now, and deliveries are scheduled to start before 2026 bows out. The coupe will set you back $167,100 plus $2,350 in destination fees, while the Cabriolet begins at $181,000. Prices for the rest of the MY27 lineup haven’t been revealed, so it’s hard to make a direct comparison, but for some context, a MY26 Carrera S Coupe with a PDK, and without the MT’s tasty visual and chassis upgrades, stickers at $156,200. The Carrera T comes in at $148,000 and the GT3, £235,800 in either winged or wing-free Touring form. Do you think the MT is great value with its extra mods thrown in, or is this just another example of an automaker cashing in on drivers wanting a supposedly simpler, purer car? Porsche
Liked by Caleb Roy, Amélie Young
Liked by Caleb Roy, Amélie Young
Liked by Caleb Roy, Amélie Young