Wednesday 15th September 2010

New 911 Carrera GTS - First Pictures

997-series swansong gets more power and style tweaks

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Porsche has released pictures of the new 911 Carrera GTS that will be revealed in the metal at the Paris motor show next month. It's said (in various reports, if not by the company itself) to be the current 911's 'last hurrah' before a replacement for the 997-series arrives in a year's time.

The new Carrera GTS 'ascends to the pinnacle of the Carrera model series' say Porsche, with a power output of 408hp, 'outstanding vehicle dynamics' and 'a specification that emphasises the character of the iconic sports coupe'. Not to mention a price tag (from) £76,758 for the Coupe and £83,493 for the Cabriolet version when it goes on sale here in December.

Powered by a 3.8-litre direct injection flat six engine that has been tuned to produce 23hp more than the 911 Carrera S, its extra urge comes from a modified resonance intake manifold featuring six vacuum-controlled tuning flaps that switch between power- and torque-optimised geometry. (In a Carrera S power unit there is only one tuning flap - as if you didn't know...) As a result, the 3.8-litre engine also develops maximum torque of 310lb ft at 4,200rpm, 200rpm earlier than the Carrera S.

A sports exhaust system with two dual tailpipes is said to generate a unique sound, and the outer shells of the exhaust pipes are painted in black while their inner tubes are polished on the outside and nano-coated.

As standard, the Carrera GTS has a six-speed manual gearbox with the seven-speed PDK 'box available as an option. In comparison with the Carrera S, the top speed of the GTS with manual transmission rises by 2mph to 190 mph, while acceleration from zero to 62mph improves by 0.1 seconds - which means a GTS Coupé with PDK and a Sport Chrono Package Plus in 'Sport Plus' mode will knock off the benchmark sprint in 4.2 seconds.

For the extra cash, and uniquely within the 911 Carrera family, the rear-drive GTS combines the 44 millimetre wider body of the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 models - including the widened rear track.

You also get 19-inch centre-locking RS Spyder alloy wheels, painted in black with high-gloss finished rims, with 235/35 ZR 19 tyres on the front axle and 305/30 ZR 19 tyres on the rear. There's a SportDesign front apron with spoiler edge painted in black, special side skirts also in black, and the Carrera GTS logotype on doors and rear lid, in black or silver depending on the body colour. The area between the two tailpipes on the rear apron is also finished in black.

In combination with the standard black interior colour, the centre sections of the driver and passenger sport seats are covered with black Alcantara, which also features on the rim of the new three-spoke SportDesign steering wheel and on the gear lever and handbrake.

[TommyBuoy]

Urghh, I hate that timer / clock chrono pack add on.

Other than that I realy like the look of this one and I'm not a 911 fan at all.

[chazwozza]

Not much different to the others but I still want one!

[ukwill]

hmm... a 997 walkout model. Wouldn't fancy being the 1st owner of one...

[joe_90]

Those wheels are not good.

[stuckmojo]

joe_90 said:

Those wheels are not good.

I agree. the wheels don't do it for me.

[daveco]

That blue metallic is lurvely. If I ever win the lotto, I'd seriously consider possibly buying one at some time.

[Puk]

I'm a huge Porsche fan, but this model is just purely pointless ...

[georgetuk]

Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.

Porsche are getting dangerously close to no cosmetic changes between models, in my eyes anyway.

Still they are selling alot so I am probably wrong.

[snotrag]

Article said:

19-inch centre-locking RS Spyder alloy wheels

Really? Proper, centre-locking type wheels? Splined hubs?

I'm surprised if so. That must be a proper, proper ball-ache - how do you take your wheels off at home?
What tool does it require?
How do you get your tyres changed?

Maybe I'm naive, maybe I'm not full aware of just how reliant people who buy sports cars these days are on their dealer...

[anniesdad]

Best real world car ever and I don't think it's much if any more expensive than the standard Carrera S, that is unless all the funky racer bits come as extras!

Yeah the centre locks are real - the latest GT models have all had them. Tightened to 500nm, so you can't do them with your fingers.

Oh and IMO the RS Spyder wheels are simply gorgeous, but look and show of the design better in silver.

[[AJ]]

georgetuk said:

Meet the new boss...same as the old boss.

Porsche are getting dangerously close to no cosmetic changes between models, in my eyes anyway.

Still they are selling alot so I am probably wrong.

This is not a new model, this is a trim spec of the existing 997.2 model. The article even states that this is designed as a last hurrah of the 997 range before we get the 991, or whatever it will be dubbed next year.

[Chris_]

The cabriolet pictured in the article doesn't have centre lock wheels, they are the Carrera Sport wheels which have been an option for a while.

[shoestring7]

TommyBuoy said:

Urghh, I hate that timer / clock chrono pack add on.

Other than that I realy like the look of this one and I'm not a 911 fan at all.

BTW its not a clock, its a stop watch.

Its amazing that only 12 years after needing 3.6l and two turbo's to get 400bhp, Porsche can do it with 3.8l. and probably get 30mpg to boot.

SS7

[Greenwich Ross]

Want. Big time.

[98C4S]

shoestring7 said:

TommyBuoy said:

Urghh, I hate that timer / clock chrono pack add on.

Other than that I realy like the look of this one and I'm not a 911 fan at all.

BTW its not a clock, its a stop watch.

Its amazing that only 12 years after needing 3.6l and two turbo's to get 400bhp, Porsche can do it with 3.8l. and probably get 30mpg to boot.

SS7

Perhaps with BHP - but not with Torque, its still over 100Lb/Ft down, there would be a big difference on the road, even a 993 Turbo would leave this thing.

0-62 in 4.2 is not bad by any means..

[kbee540]

Whoopy doo. Another 911 model - the all new 911 GT3RSC4GTSTurboSCarrera. Zzzzzzzzz

At least when Ford do special editions they have the decency to add pretty colours and a snazzy new name - "Fiesta Rio" - to let you know you're getting something that really stands out in a crowd....

The 911 is a fine motor, probably the greatest sports car ever. But every time they stick a new alloy under the arches, squeeze 4hp out of the mill, or bolt some plastic to it, do we really give a f***? The greatest sports car of all time and ironically probably the dullest. I actually want one, but don't fancy having to choose whether it's the one with the Sports Chrono wk or whether it's got 400hp or 402hp, wheels with 5 bolts or 1 big one, which of a dozen designs of spoiler, etc.

Sorry to rant....day has started out crappy. That GTS sure is a nice car though...

[pSyCoSiS]

Looks nice, and the little additions are subtle.

That blue really suits the convertible.

Wonder what the 997's replacement is going to be like....

[FWDRacer]

" ... inner tubes are polished on the outside and nano-coated" Nano Coated? WTF - Marketing cack speak - They are just exhaust FFS

Talk about stretching it to make a point that their has been some change!

Edited by FWDRacer on Wednesday 15th September 10:46

[guyforks1]

thats barely any different from any of the others. Poor show, thumbs down. Porsche need a massive design change before bringing out any more "new" models.

now that new Focus on the other hand....

[shoestring7]

guyforks1 said:

thats barely any different from any of the others.

I've never understood this critisism. Name me one BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Ford, VW, etc etc that is radically different from the predecessors. If you havn't noticed, Porsche have a rather successful product in the 911, why should they move from an evolutionary strategy?

God knows, Porsche get their kickings, can anyone else remember the chorus of critisism when the 996 replaced the 993, or the Cayenne or PanAm launches?

SS7