Checkered Past

From as early as the mid-1960s, Porsche began to develop a race-ready version of the 911 inside its Stuttgart headquarters. First, the superlight 911 R made its debut – the godfather of Porsche’s last super special homage from 2016 – swiftly followed by the 911 S. Once the interior specs from the already FIA-approved 911 T were applied to the homologated chassis of the road-going S, the prototype was aptly dubbed by Porsche engineers, the 911 ST.

The key to competition with strict homologation rules of the era was weight saving, anywhere and everywhere possible. Powered by a peppy 2.2-litre flat-six, the original ST boasted some extreme weight saving thanks to Plexiglas windows, and a plethora of aluminium and glass-fibre-reinforced plastics used for key body panels. This latest, and most hardcore track variant of the 911 soared to victory, first in 1970 at the Monte Carlo Rally, and later at Acropolis, Nürburgring, East African Safari Rally and even taking podium finishes in endurance racing at Le Mans and Daytona, all within just a three-year period.

It was thanks to the unparalleled success of the 911 ST, that the recipe was written for some of the most legendary cars in motoring history to be born; including its successor, the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 and subsequently the entire Porsche GT programme, that to this day continues to deliver some of the most awe-inspiring vehicles – according to anyone with good taste.

Why is the origin story of the ST so important? Because it’s the winning formula of which cars like the entire GT3 lineup, hellish GT2 RS, multi-award-winning Cup Cars, and multi-time Le Mans winners are formed. And that’s the exact DNA that translates into the soul of the new 911 ST.

Pure Pleasure

So, what exactly is the new 911 ST? Simply put, imagine a 911 GT3 RS, but shave off the wings and trim the ducts and race-inspired aero parts. The exterior is timeless with smooth curves, the interior is plush with soft leathers, the exhaust note is a throaty rasp, and a PDK transmission is not an option. You’ll shift slower to 100 km/h than in an RS, but you won’t care. Even for a second.

The ST is powered by a 4-litre normally aspirated flat-six motor, the same powerplant found in the full-fat GT3 RS variant, this time, mated to a short ratio six-speed manual transmission, a lightweight clutch and single-mass flywheel, providing maximum engagement all of the time. The cherry on top of this combination is the stripped-back nature of the ST, with a profusion of panels – including the roof, hood, front wings, and doors – all being made with carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, plus a huge quantity of sound deadening removed. Even the wheels are magnesium, shaving another 10.6kg off over the GT3’s forged rims. The results are astounding, making the ST the lightest model in the current 992 lineup, tipping the scales at 1,386 kg wet through. In combination with the 518 bhp on tap from the rear-mounted flat-six, and you’ve got a pretty serious power to weight ratio providing fun through all twists and turns. A sprint to 100km/h will take just 3.7 seconds, and if you’re keen, you’ll redline at a spinetingling 9,000rpm.

The cabin keeps up with the exterior’s timeless theme, with minimal distractions from the main event – the drive – and quality cloths and leathers adorn every surface. The driving position is primed by carbon-fibre sports bucket seats, ahead of the GT sport steering wheel, that sits thinner in the hand and smaller in diameter over the standard Carrera wheel, but with a distinct lack of knobs and dials to toggle between driving modes. On the dash, you’re greeted by the classic horizon of 911 gauges, and if you opt for the Heritage Pack, it will be visible with green accents, akin to the ST’s of old. The optional Heritage pack also offers the ability to spec a two-tone interior, featuring Classic Cognac on black leather and cloth seat inserts, as well as some external livery options that pay homage to the long line of Porsche podium finishers.

Limited to just 1,963 examples to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 911, the ST pays perfect reverence. And what makes the ST so special isn’t what it’s got, it’s what it doesn’t have that makes it stand out. The simplistic formula and timeless design philosophy is refreshing, raw, honest, and provides one of the most coveted driving experiences on the market today. So, here’s to the 911, and to the marque that truly knows how to distil the ultimate driving experience.

POWER: 518bhp and 463 nm-torque
0-100KM/H: 3.7 seconds
TOP SPEED: 300 km/h
MARKET ALTERNATIVES: Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, McLaren 765LT, Aston Martin Vantage, Ferrari 296 GTB
PRICE: From €292.187 plus local taxes