Porsche 911 Carrera S (991.2) Exhaust: Slip-On Install Guide

Upgrading the Porsche 911 Carrera S (991.2) exhaust is one of the highest-impact modifications you can make to the 2017–2019 turbocharged flat-six — and it is a genuine bolt-on job that needs no cutting or welding. The 991.2 Carrera S makes 420 hp and 368 lb-ft from its 3.0L twin-turbo flat-six, but Porsche muffles a lot of that character behind a heavy factory rear silencer. This guide walks through exactly how to install a slip-on or cat-back exhaust on your 991.2 Carrera, which two systems we stock and fit at our Tampa, FL shop, and what to realistically expect for sound, weight, and power once the car is back on the ground.

Why Upgrade the 991.2 Carrera S Exhaust?

A 991.2 Carrera exhaust upgrade primarily changes sound and weight, with power gains being secondary on a slip-on. The second-generation 991 (built 2017–2019) was the first standard Carrera to switch from a naturally aspirated engine to a turbocharged 3.0L flat-six — 370 hp in the base Carrera, 420 hp in the Carrera S, and 450 hp in the GTS. Turbocharging quieted the exhaust note considerably compared with the screaming NA 991.1, so aftermarket systems exist to bring back the hard-edged, metallic flat-six bark that Porsche buyers expect.

In our Tampa shop, the two questions we field most on the 991.2 are “how much louder will it get?” and “will it hurt reliability?” The honest answer: a quality slip-on or valved cat-back adds real presence without droning on the highway, and because both systems we stock are engineered as direct bolt-ons that retain the factory valve control, there is no impact on drivability, cold-start emissions behavior, or the OE sport-exhaust button. You keep the quiet mode; you just add a much better loud mode.

Slip-On vs Cat-Back: Which 991.2 Exhaust Path Fits You?

A slip-on replaces only the rear silencer and tips, while a cat-back replaces everything from the catalytic converters rearward. On the 991.2 Carrera, that distinction drives your decision. The Akrapovic Slip-On Line keeps the factory center section and simply swaps the muffler and tailpipes, so it is lighter, simpler, and quicker to fit while retaining the OE valve behavior. The AWE SwitchPath is a full cat-back that adds a second, valve-controlled exhaust path — giving you a genuinely quiet touring mode and a much louder open mode toggled by the factory Porsche Sport Exhaust (PSE) button.

Neither system requires tuning to run correctly, and neither throws a check-engine light on a properly optioned car. Choose the slip-on if weight savings and titanium construction matter most; choose the SwitchPath if you want the widest gap between whisper-quiet and track-loud, and you already have factory PSE.

Top Pick: Akrapovic Slip-On Line (Titanium) w/ Titanium Tips

Valved Alternative: AWE Tuning SwitchPath Cat-Back

991.2 Carrera Exhaust Comparison: Slip-On vs SwitchPath

Here is how the two 991.2 Carrera systems we stock line up on the attributes that actually drive the buying decision. Both are direct bolt-on fitments for the 2017–2019 Carrera S, so the choice comes down to material, install scope, and how you want to control the volume.

How to Install a 991.2 Carrera Slip-On Exhaust (Step by Step)

Installing a 991.2 Carrera slip-on exhaust takes about 1.5 to 3 hours on a lift and requires no cutting. The Akrapovic Slip-On Line is engineered to reuse the factory hangers, valve actuators, and center section, so the job is a straightforward muffler-and-tips swap for any competent DIYer or shop. Here is the sequence we follow on every 991.2 that comes through our Tampa bay.

Tools and Prep

You will need a two-post lift or a jack and stands, a metric socket set, a torque wrench, penetrating oil, and trim tools for the rear diffuser. Let the exhaust cool completely before you start — titanium and stainless both hold heat, and the cats stay hot for a long time. Spray every clamp bolt and hanger with penetrating oil and give it a few minutes to soak.

Step 1: Remove the Factory Rear Silencer

Support the OE silencer with a jack or a second set of hands. Loosen the clamps where the muffler meets the factory center section, then disconnect the vacuum lines or electric actuators that drive the OE exhaust valves. Unbolt the rear rubber hangers and carefully lower the factory silencer and tips away from the car. Keep the OE unit intact — you will want it if you ever return the car to stock.

Step 2: Transfer the Valve Actuators

The Akrapovic Slip-On is designed to reuse the factory valve control, which is what keeps the PSE quiet/loud button working exactly as it did stock. Transfer the vacuum or electric actuators from the OE silencer to the Akrapovic unit per the supplied instructions, making sure the linkage seats fully so the flaps open and close through their full range.

Step 3: Hang the Slip-On and Slip the Joints

Lift the Akrapovic muffler into place, hang it on the factory rubber isolators, and slip the inlets over the center-section outlets. Fit the supplied clamps but leave them hand-snug for now — you want the whole assembly free to rotate a few millimeters so you can align the tips before final torque.

Step 4: Align the Tips and Torque

Install the titanium tailpipes and center them in the diffuser cutouts, checking that the gap around each tip is even side to side and top to bottom. Once the alignment looks right, torque the clamps to the specification in the instructions. Even, symmetrical tips are the single most visible sign of a professional install — take your time here.

Step 5: Reconnect, Start, and Leak-Check

Reconnect the valve actuators and cycle the PSE button with the engine running to confirm the flaps open in loud mode and close in quiet mode. Listen and feel for exhaust leaks at every joint, then re-check tip alignment once the system has heated up and settled on its hangers. Expect the titanium tips to take on a blue-gold heat patina after a few drive cycles — that color change is normal and permanent.

Sound, Power, and Weight: What to Expect

A 991.2 Carrera slip-on delivers a dramatically fuller sound and meaningful weight loss, with only modest horsepower gains. Because the Akrapovic Slip-On changes the rear silencer and tips rather than the catalytic converters or downpipes, the 3.0L twin-turbo flat-six picks up presence, a harder cold-start bark, and a richer note under load — but crank-horsepower changes stay in the low single digits. If your goal is a big dyno number, the real gains on a 991.2 come from downpipes and a tune; if your goal is the sound and character Porsche left on the table, an exhaust is exactly the right first mod.

Weight is where titanium pays off. Akrapovic rates the Slip-On Line roughly 40–50% lighter than the factory rear silencer, and that mass comes off the very back of the car, where it helps rotational and rearward balance most. The AWE SwitchPath, built from 304 stainless, is heavier than the titanium slip-on but adds the widest quiet-to-loud range thanks to its valve-controlled second path, and AWE’s 180 Technology is engineered to keep highway drone out of the cabin.