Porsche’s Iconic 911 ST Nameplate To Return In A Manual GT3 RS

Following the launch of the high-riding 911 Dakar, Porsche is setting its sights a little lower – the still-secret 911 ST seen in these images will feature a lower ride height, lower weight, and deliver faster lap times thanks to various bits of hardware borrowed from the GT3 RS.

The ST takes its name from a small run of lightweight 911s built for racing in the early 1970s when the FIA changed competition rules to allow racing cars to run wider arches than their showroom cousins. But while its modern namesake should feel right at home on the track, it’s definitely been designed with the road in mind.

It’s best to think of the new ST, which is the next car of Porsche’s Heritage Design projects, as evidenced by the circular badge on the rear deck, as a mashup of your favorite modern Porsche 911 components. So the muscular rear end blends wide arches with a spoiler-free tail, just like the GT3 Touring, and the original ST predated the legendary Carrera RS 2.7 and its iconic ducktail. Then there’s the double-bubble roof from the Sport Classic and the cutaway front fenders (obscured by disguise in these images) and matching slash-cut carbon doors from the GT3 RS.

Like the Sport Classic, the ST will send its power to the rear wheels alone via a six-speed manual transmission. But instead of adopting the Classic’s brawny 911 Turbo powertrain, the ST will almost certainly get the 518-hp (525 PS) 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat six from GT3 RS, which is currently only available with a dual-clutch PDK transmission. Having three pedals means the ST won’t match the RS’s 3.0-second zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) time, though it might take a tenth or two out of the 3.7 seconds a manual GT3 Touring needs.

Porsche only built around 24 original STs between 1970-71, but you can bet that it will be pumping out around 50 times the number of modern STs based on the 2500-unit run for the Sport Classic. And if we also use the Sport Classic as a price guide, you could be looking at paying $274k (£214k) to get into one, or $100k more over a GT3 Touring.