Porsche Carrera GTS Review

That’s as distinct from the comfortable one (Targa), the fast one (Turbo), the trackday one (GT3) in addition to future even more specialised trackday one (GT3 RS) – and it also’s maybe not counting coupés and convertibles, rear-drive and four-wheel-drive variations, typical and ‘S’ designs or special editions independently.

So on the face of it, this is certainly a motor vehicle that generally seems to respond to simply no need whatsoever. However, mightn’t be farther from the truth.

Cars like 911 subsist on a reasonably small customers, and with the current 991 generation now approaching middle-age, Porsche needs one thing to lure owners back to the showroom.

Aided by the awesome GT3 today all but sold-out, the company also needs a more pragmatic counterpoint available consumers clearly perhaps not searching for the imminent GT3 RS. That, basically, may be the GTS’s raison d’etre: to incorporate spice on design range, but at a consistent level whichn’t also rarefied.

The GTS is very good – because it’s a Porsche 911 sprinkled with go-faster dirt, whenever typical 911s are actually pretty special products. However when you remove exactly what it is, the GTS actually appeals even more as a shrewd purchase than as some kind of idealised nice spot-on the 911 ownership ladder.

Porsche has just taken a consistent Carrera S, thrown into the mix the larger human body and axle songs for the Carrera 4 together with engine update of this optional ‘powerkit’, basically included some items of drivetrain and framework equipment as standard that you’d usually have to pay extra for.

So that the GTS gets Porsche’s Sport Chrono Plus package with recreations exhaust and dynamic engine supports, its torque vectoring set up with the limited-slip diff as well as its actively damped PASM flexible suspension system thrown in.

It cann’t have Porsche’s PDDC active anti-roll taverns, but easily you wouldn’t would like them. But were you to definitely purchase the car’s standard specification on a normal Carrera S, you’d have within £2000 of this GTS’s list cost - maybe not counting the leather/alcantara inside, large human body and/or powerkit upgrade. Effortless offer, after that.

Included with that, there are one or two ways the GTS’s mechanical specification is truly brand new. The suspension system and steering were retuned for better dynamic poise and feedback, with 10mm of ride level having already been removed from the former compared to the PASM set-up regarding Carrera S.

The GTS is also the first 911 to benefit from a retuning of 991’s standard seven-speed manual gearbox for better shift quality. While it had been a popular viewpoint, I’ve never had a problem aided by the method various other manual 911s change equipment. Nor performed we lose sleep if the GT3 turned to PDK-only.

While it’s a more civilised product than a GT3, you'lln’t phone the GTS a particularly comfortable tourer. The conventional 20in rims and low-profile tyres kick-up noticeably more roadway roar than you’ll get in any GT worth its salt, the level six ranges from vocal to really singing in its different exhaust modes, along with to keep that engine stoked up with frequent gearchanges in order to make the car feel really fast.

All of which you’ll simply take considerable pleasure in performing. The car’s deliciously harmonious and substantial controls make every interaction a delight, and also the means the level six builds to an eccentric 7500rpm climax is automotive theatre at its most addictive.