Back in the 1970s, the racing world was very competitive - maybe a little bit more than it is today. With strong competition coming from makers like Ford or BMW, Porsche really had to offer something better than everything else. That's how the Porsche 911 ST was born. The new race car was built for just one year: 1970 to 1971, and there were only 24 units built. The ST entered various races from Daytona, Targa Florio, and Nürburgring, and even won the GT class at Le Mans. Now, 52 years later, Porsche will pay tribute to the iconic 911 ST and its success with a special edition. It is based on the current generation 911 but will carry the ST name.
The New Porsche 911 ST - A Lighter 911 GT3 Touring
It's been more than 6 months since we last saw a Porsche 911 ST prototype in the real world, and this time around our spy shots show an extreme evolution in design. Porsche is still clearly using the 911 GT3 touring as a base, though the body itself has been modified, with the double bubble rood being the most obvious modification. The rear camouflage on the front fenders appear to hide some GT3 RS-like air intakes. The doors on the 911 ST appear to be borrowed from the GT3 RS, which means they are made from carbon fiber and as light as possible.
With the original Porsche 911 ST - only 24 of which were built - Porsche's goal was to build the lightest 911. It did succeed in that, though, with modern safety and emissions requirements, that won't be the case with the new 911 ST. It could, however, be one of, if not the lightest, of the 992 generation, though, and to do that, Porsche will have to shave weight wherever it can. Expect to see additional carbon fiber inside the cabin where possible, along with a carbon fiber engine cover and front bonnet.
There's no word on how much power the 911 ST will produce, but since it's based on the GT3 Touring, the 4.0-liter flat-six should deliver at least 502 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. This will, however, be a very limited special edition, so Porsche engineers might squeeze out a little extra power for good measure. Expect a debut to happen before March of 2022 as the 911 St is expected to be sold as a 2023 model.
Original Story: The 911 ST - A Link To The Past
One of the most impressive features of the 1970s ST race car was its weight: at only 960 kilos (2,116 lbs), it was about 60 kilos (132 lbs) lighter than the production version 911S at the time. With the new 911 ST, we expect Porsche to focus on the same thing: reducing weight. The modern ST will be based on the 992 GT3 Touring - a car with a total weight of 1,410 kilos (3,109 lbs) which, by the way, is already 8 kilos (17.6 lbs) less than the standard 911 GT3. If Porsche can shed another 50-60 kilos (110-132 lbs), this will bring the future 911 ST's final weight down to a little under 3,000 pounds.
2023 Porsche 911 ST Expected Performance
Under the hood, the next 911 ST will retain the same engine as the 911 GT3 Touring: a naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter, flat-six engine that delivers 502 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. Of course, since it will be lighter, it will most likely offer improved on-track performance figures. With the 911 GT3 Touring sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, we expect the 911 ST to do the same sprint in less than 3.0 seconds. Top speed should also go from 197 mph up to 200 mph.
Porsche 911 ST Aerodynamic Design
As for its exterior look, the spy shots reveal a slightly modified look when compared to the GT3 Touring. The first thing standing out is the double-bubble roof - a design similar to the recently launched 911 Sport Classic. Also, if you look closer you will notice that this ST prototype features some additional aero parts at the back of the front fender towards the door. And, since we are talking about the doors, it seems that, unlike the GT3 Touring and the Sport Classic, the next 911 ST will be offered with classic door handles. They will be, of course, made from a lighter material to help with weight reduction.
We expect the new 911 ST to be launched before the end of 2022, but it will likely be a limited-run model. Judging by the expected performance numbers and its link to Porsche's racing history, we expect the next 911 ST to sell out very fast.