The New Porsche 911 GTS

Not more 911’s I hear you say, but wait, this really is a welcomed addition.

The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, according to Porsche AG is supposed to slot perfectly in between the Carrera S and the more radical track orientated GT3 and to be honest it does just that. The GTS packs an extra 30hp thanks to the power kit which includes a clever intake manifold, the sport chrono pack as standard featuring special dynamic engine mounts that reduce body roll when turning, and the Sport Exhaust which offers a louder, throatier, sexier sound. The GTS is offered in coupe, cabriolet, 2 & 4 wheel drive variants and possibly the biggest draw to the last few remaining driving enthusiasts out there is the manual transmission available which is sadly not an option on the GT3 or Turbo these days.

Porsche grows the diversity of the 911 family by adding 4 new variations to the line-up. There are now 19 in total (20 in the UK if you include the GB edition)

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Test Drive

Porsche are obviously very confident with their build quality & reliability as they hired Willow springs International Race way in Rosamond California for the track and road test drives and we drove from Pasadena to the track via Angeles Crest Highway and the Canyon Roads (which really are the some of the best driving roads possibly anywhere in the world) and then back to Pasadena, an amount of driving that a lot of manufacturers wouldn’t so freely allow.

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

The GTS is boisterous & extremely enjoyable to drive, the brakes are immense, the throttle response is fantastic and as you would expect from an extra sporty 911 both 4 and 2wd versions stick to the road like they’re on rails and therefore inspire huge confidence on track and on any demanding road. I must admit didn’t want to like the auto with its PDK transmission but I did, amazingly precise and fast its popularity is no surprise and even for a diehard manual fan if I were to buy one it wouldn’t be a straightforward decision. That said the 7 speed manual is the best I’ve ever driven in a Porsche and the rev matching works every time, the gear stick is effortless to use and makes fast yet smooth driving easy. With the sports exhaust on there is little need for the expensive stereo as it has a real throaty gargling sound just like its air cooled ancestors.

Inside there is a generous offering of Alcantara on seats, steering wheel and dash giving it a really racy feel, all models come with the more aggressive looking wide rear end from the 4s and sit on matt black 20inch centre locking wheels.

This is arguably the best, coolest 911 in the range as it ticks all the boxes. For most the turbo is too expensive, the GT3 is too hard-core and the standard Carrera S is well, too standard. This is the perfect all-rounder, I want one.

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