When you hear GTS in the same sentence with Porsche, die-hard enthusiasts think of the 904 GTS mid-engined race-bred model from the 1960s. But nowadays, the GTS moniker is used by the Stuttgart-based manufacturer to market its line of high performance naturally-aspirated models, with the newest of the lot coming in the form of the 911 GTS.
It's easy to wax lyrical about a GTS model, but you can sum this kind of Porsche very well in just a few words: the best-sounding and most performance-oriented Porker that's not aided by a couple of turbochargers. A driver's delight with the sporty knob turned all the way to eleven, you might also say.
So what's in it with the 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS? For starters, it arrived three years after the 991 generation of the breed entered production and Porsche says it's something that combines the best the thrilling 911 GT3 and the 911 Carrera S have to offer. Secondly, it comes in four different flavors to suit anyone's preferences: rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with either a fixed metal roof or a soft top.
Its naturally-aspirated flat-six powerhouse packs 430 German ponies, which is more oomph than the Carrera S and marginally less than the track-focused GT3. Of course you can have it with a manual, but it would be a shame not to opt for the PDK double-clutch transmission. When the flat-six is mated to the latter, 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) is dealt with in a blistering 3.8 seconds for the 911 Carrera GTS coupe and 4 seconds for the Cabriolet, making the GTS one tenth of a second faster than the 911 Carrera S.
‘Gran Turismo Sport’ without usability drawbacks
Despite the added get-up-and-go, Porsche is adamant that efficiency levels are similar to those of the 911Carrera S lineup of models, which is pretty nice for a performance car you can use every day, seven days a week. In terms of aesthetics, the visual sauce of the GTS borrows the wider track and flared wheel arches of the Carrera 4. GTS models also differ from the rest of the range through the center-lock wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter, which are similar design-wise to those of the blistering fast 911 Turbo S.
Smoked bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System and black bits and bobs adorning the engine lid round off what differentiates the GTS from the rest of its kin. By the way, an Alcantara interior with sport seats wrapped in leather come as standard, as well as an aurally enticing sports exhaust, the Porsche Sports Chrono Package and the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).
So I just have to choose the color and tranny. Neat, but what about the price?
Oh dear, you had to ask, didn't you? This kind of performance-oriented car doesn't come cheap. With sales commencing this November, Porsche priced the all-new 911 Carrera GTS at €117,549 in Germany, while the US-spec model is going to set you back $114,200 for the coupe and $126,100 for the Cabriolet. If you can't do without all-wheel drive, the 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS coupe sports a sticker price of $120,900.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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