The Porsche 911 Carrera T is back for 2023, revived now for the current 992 generation. It slots in above the base Carrera and below the Carrera S, preserving its touring car roots in the best ways possible: it’s fun, sporty, and cool; and it does it in a purist drivers’ package.

Instead of just hitting the streets of LA, we left the city for the Angeles Crest Highway. It was here where the rear-mounted twin-turbo six-cylinder came to life, displacing 379 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a standard seven-speed manual transmission. According to Porsche, a Carrera T manual can do 0-60 sprints in 4.3 seconds.

But as a touring car, I almost feel like the 0-60 stuff and top speed– 181 mph, by the way– is less important. It’s about how it feels on the road. And this engine is perfect for the Carrera T’s job. Smooth acceleration, accurate response and harmonics you just can’t get enough of. The transmission is slick, and the clutch is firm in actuation without being a burden.

Sticking to the road was easy thanks to the mechanical limited slip differential with Porsche Torque Vectoring– a standard feature on the Carrera S trickled down to the T. The Porsche Active Suspension Management system and Sport Chrono Package are also included, though rear-axle steering, which my car had, is an option.

After some time driving, I had a realization– thinking back to another T I drove on similar roads…

“You know, it’s kinda funny. I was out here with the Macan T not that long ago, and I made a comment then about how the Macan T was a little sportier without going full-bore. That’s exactly the case with the Carrera T. It’s meant to be sort of a sportier ride, a very– almost like a purist kind of experience without going all-out, right? Now, they accomplish this first and foremost by being a 911, right? It’s going to sport. But, uh, standard you get a seven-speed manual and you get a rear-seat delete. Now, you can opt for an 8-speed PDK and you can also throw those rear seats back in if you so choose, and that’s fine, but I think the way I have this one optioned is just perfect. Like, this is how I would want it. So that, along with the lightweight glass, less sound deadening to let all the good noises in, um, and the Porsche Active Suspension– all those things, it all culminates into yeah, exactly that: a purist, just totally fun experience.”

So, the Carrera T brings in some of the more driver-focused amenities and also does it while saving a little weight in the process, but it does so without stripping away all the premium features you’d realistically still want. 4-way power sport seats are standard, as are the digital gauge cluster and infotainment screen; the latter of which I used for Apple CarPlay.  My car’s seats were the optional 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats– very comfortable, and stylish with the 911 name embroidered up top.

The Carrera T stands apart from the crowd in some obvious ways, like the big side profile designations and rear badging, but it also accentuates the exterior with various trimmings in Agate Gray. The wheels are finished in Titanium Grey and carry the theme well. All in all, it’s nice to have something a little bespoke in a near-entry trim.

Now, I understand that an “entry level Carrera” may sound like an oxymoron to some, but that’s what it is, starting around $118,000 with delivery. My Guards Red tester ultimately optioned out to $137,480, so you can get a little gung-ho with the options– some of which I highly recommend for that driver’s experience, like rear axle steering.

So, to reiterate my opener: the 2023 Porsche Carrera T is a fine addition in the lineup, slotting in perfectly above the Carrera and below the Carrera S. It’s fun, sporty, and– at least in my opinion– undeniably cool.

And we’ll have plenty more cool cars soon, right here on MotorWeek.

When most people think of the Dodge Charger these days, they tend to think of the 4-door sedan that’s been terrorizing the streets in various states of V6 and V8 tune since 2006. But it actually started out as a coupe 40-years before that, and now Dodge is setting things right with an all-new Dodge Charger. Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, it’s an EV.

That’s right, the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona is battery-powered, and comes with standard all-wheel-drive thanks to motors on both axles.

There will be 2 Charger Daytonas available at launch, a 496-horsepower R/T and a 670-horsepower Scat Pack.

Both work with a 100.5-kWh battery, providing 308-miles of range in the R/T and 241 in the Scat Pack.

It certainly looks like a muscle car, or at least a modern take on what most people remember as muscle cars from the 1960s.

Dodge’s priorities in designing the Charger Daytona were to create a muscle car first, and an EV second.

So, in addition to the widebody exterior, things inside have much more in common with a 1960s Charger than any EV you’ve driven lately. That includes a substantial feeling shifter that gives a reassuring clunk when you put it in gear, and a whole host of virtual engine and exhaust sounds that are constant from start-up through accelerating and decelerating. There are unique exhaust sounds for different drive modes, and you can turn them off completely if you want.

Now, I’m old enough to remember the last Charger reboot in 2006 and there’s an equal amount of excitement around this one, but there’s also a lot more skepticism. Our early drive time came in the Phoenix area and included track time at what is now known as Radford Racing School.

In addition to some laps around the road course, we made multiple passes down the drag strip where we ran consistent 11.5s in the ¼. And yes, you can eliminate the front motor from the process if you choose, with both Drift and Donut drive modes.

“Obviously you’re dealing with a lot of weight here, but in typical Dodge muscle car fashion, there’s always more than enough power available at any point in time to overwhelm that weight. The car has a very solid feel to it, that’s for sure. The sounds, you know they can be a little gimmicky, but at the same time, they’re well done, and they really give you that feedback from the vehicle that you’re missing in a lot of EVs.”

This is just the start of the Charger reboot, as joining these all-electric Daytona coupes will be a 4-door sedan; and even ICE powertrains will work their way back into the mix next year.

Charger Daytona coupes can be ordered now, with deliveries starting soon in the coming weeks; R/Ts start at $60,000, with Scat Packs coming in around $74,000.

We’ll have a lot more on the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona soon…right here on MotorWeek.