Monday 28th February 2011

Driven: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

PH tries out the newest 911 again - this time in Blighty

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32mm and 22bhp might not sound like the most significant of numbers, but in the land of the 911 they make all the difference.

Those few millimetres are the extra track width of the new 911 GTS and the extra horses it gains over the standard 3.8-litre Carrera S.

There are plenty of other changes that go into making up the GTS, including a standard sports exhaust system, stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, and wider 19-inch rear tyres. In truth, all the little dynamic tweaks have their part to play, but it's that extra width and mildly massaged power output that are the poster boys for the new model.

How so? Well, on the gorgeous, well-sighted and often traffic-free roads of the north Dorset downland that Porsche chose as the test route for its UK launch of the GTS, the car felt just perfect.

That little bit of extra width on the rear (not to mention 2mm on the nose) helps the GTS to feel more settled and planted than regular 911s, while the extra power is just enough not to make you yearn for the extra grunt of the turbo. Peak power also arrives a little higher, at 7300rpm, to give you an incentive to really make the flat-six sing for its supper. And it's worth it, because extra air inlets open on each cylinder beyond 6200rpm, lending the GTS a genuinely lovely racing yowl.

You will most likely only feel this on the (increasingly) rare occasion that you do find a long piece of empty back-road, mind. The rest of the time, the GTS feels like pretty much any other moderately well-specified 911. Yes, the black alloys with their centre lock wheels and polished rims are natty and yes, the Carrera 4 body does mark the GTS out as something a bit special (at least to the cognoscenti), but in everyday driving the GTS feels like any other 911.

But that is almost certainly a good thing. A 911 GT3 or RS model can feel lumpy and bumpy, a bit of a compromise in everyday driving, so those odd occasions (unless you are a committed track fiend) when you can really stretch its legs come at more of a price. In the GTS, however, you'll get 95 per cent of the adrenalin rush on a good B-road run, but with almost no cost to everyday practicality.

The marketing chap who presented the car to the assembled scribblers talked about how, when you bring together a set of apparently disparate elements, you sometimes hit a sweet spot. I normally try to make it a rule not to listen to the marketing hype in these sorts of situations, but this chap was bang on - the 911 GTS really is the sweet spot of the 911 range.

Okay, so a turbo will have it for outright pace, and a GT3 would murder it on a track, while value-chasers will want to go for the most basic Carrera, but for its ability to balance genuine driving fun with everyday usability - the very thing that made the 911's name in the first place, I reckon the GTS takes some beating.

[LukeBird]

Cracking colour scheme.
While at my local OPC recently they had an almost identical car in, it was just fantastic looking!

[chazwozza]

Like it, but seriously, does 2mm make a difference?

[anonymous-user]

A white 911 is stunning. Wish I had a lot more money now.

[jezzaaa]

Blimey - another one!

I've just been on to Porsche's web site...clicked the 911 models button, and a whole raft of variants appear over two pages!

I take it the new 911 is just around the corner then?? Next year???

[Varsity]

Its no GT-R......

.....i'll get my coat!

[sjmoore]

chazwozza said:

Like it, but seriously, does 2mm make a difference?

I was sceptical about the GTS but a good friend and Porsche obsessive, whose opinion on cars I trust, was invited to a Porsche handling day last week and got to try out most of the range, GTS included. He said it was noticeably better than the normal 911s - like a stepping stone between the normal car and the GT3. Seems like good value. However, with the new 911 not that far away I'm not sure it would make sense to buy one now - better to wait 18 months and pick one up at a better price once the new 911 hits the market.

[Dagnut]

enough with white cars already...how much extra does it cost?

[corcoran]

That is such a fine piece of arse... *sigh*

[whosgotazure111s]

Had one on 48 test drive from my OPC from Thursday to Saturday last week. It really is rather good. It does indeed feel much more planted than a C2S and more 'chuckable' too. Launch control on the PDK (with Sports Chrono Plus) is quite addictive :-) It's a very good package and is certainly pretty quick, buuuuuuuut...... new 911 will debut at Frankfurt in September, with first customer cars into UK by Feb' next year. Wouldn't really want to suffer what will inevitably be big depreciation on a run-out 997, especially when handing over taxed income for one :-/

[450Nick]

Saw this car on the way to work this morning... Looked good in white but I'd still never buy a 911..!

[zakelwe]

Will this depreciate though when the new one comes out? The 993's are doing ok against the 996's. The new one is supposed to be bigger, hmmm,small is good.

Every road test I have seen says this is an excellent compromise between the standard range and the motorsport derrived ones. I seem to recall it being fairly good value for money too, which is unusual for these specials from Porsche.

Andy

[DeadMeat_UK]

I test drove one of these a couple of weeks back, with PDK. It astounded me.

And I've got a 993 so I know what a proper Porsche should feel like ;-)

[400SE Dave]

Saw one at Porsche Bolton with a few 'extras'. Cost was £93k

It is after all a run out model made up from the parts bin and the dealer told me the numbers made will match demand. Therefore, not a limited run special so will depreciate in line with the rest of the non Turbo/GT models, imo

[team will]

Great Photo's!!.....Dean Smith?

[Mermaid]

Pick of the bunch on the used market for 997's in a couple of years.

[Oddball RS]

chazwozza said:

Like it, but seriously, does 2mm make a difference?

Eh? you mean 32mm? i think that would make a lot of difference to many things in life.

[Gizmo!]

Am I the only one that saw "wider 19-inch rear tyres" and thought "really - do they make 480mm tyres now???"

Still... I wouldn't say no. Zig Zag Hill, sir? Suits you sir.

[kambites]

I've often wondered why the C2 gets a narrow body and the C4 a wider one, presumably I'm not the only one.

[whosgotazure111s]

zakelwe said:

Will this depreciate though when the new one comes out? The 993's are doing ok against the 996's. The new one is supposed to be bigger, hmmm,small is good.

Every road test I have seen says this is an excellent compromise between the standard range and the motorsport derrived ones. I seem to recall it being fairly good value for money too, which is unusual for these specials from Porsche.

Andy

I was thinking 996 to 997 rather than 993 to 996 (unless the 997 replacement is air cooled) ;-)

[Chris71]

Gizmo! said:

Zig Zag Hill, sir? Suits you sir.

I was just thinking 'that road looks familiar from somewhere'. Even a 911 must start to feel a bit big going up that road.