PRECISION PORSCHE

Building on decades of success, every new 911 to come to market has seriously hefty shoes to fill and time and again, Porsche manage to fill them...and some. The latest GTS variant of this iconic machine is no different. Bringing some added sporting style to the standard car alongside the obvious performance improvements, the GTS model is not for the faint of heart, it is a statement piece that wants to sit front and centre.

Continuing the rich history of the undeniably iconic flat-six engine, the latest all-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4 GTS boasts the turbocharged 3.0-litre unit with 480 PS - over 30 PS more than the predecessor and current Carrera S - and maximum torque of 570 Nm - an increase of 20 Nm over the outgoing model. What this means for the sprightly sportscar is a zero-to-sixty-two time of just 3.3 seconds when paired with the lightning fast and silky smooth eight-speed Porsche dual clutch transmission (PDK), shaving three tenths off its predecessors sprint. A top speed just shy of the heralded 200mph mark makes for a suitably swift roadgoing machine.

A seven-speed manual gearbox option is available on all GTS variants with a particularly short-shifting action should you wish to be a little more engaging with your driving experience, just don't expect those shifts at full acceleration to provide quite the same level of comfort.

The chassis for the 911 GTS has been derived from the 911 Turbo - so it's in pretty good company already - which has been specifically modified to accommodate the performance demands that those three letters entail.

Standard Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) allows the cars shock absorbers to respond to dynamic changes on the road at lightning speed. In this coupé guise, it is combined as standard with the sports chassis, which is also lowered by 10 millimetres. The addition of helper springs at the rear is a concept also derived from the Turbo models, with the main springs being under tension in all driving conditions.

In the real world, this provides a refined, composed feel at any speed in both a straight line and through cornering with impressive porsche.com/uk stiffness in the chassis and rapidly responding suspension adapting to every situation you put it in...within reason.

With increased power comes increased responsibility and as you would expect, the engineers at Porsche are fully aware or the consequences should they fit standard brakes to a vehicle of this calibre. As a result, the big sister steps in once again to provide the high-performance braking system found on the Turbo to match its increased performance.

Housing such an impressive brake array requires some equally substantial wheels, so Porsche opted to take the 20-inch (front) and 21-inch (rear) centre-lock alloy wheels from the 911 Turbo S and deliver them in a striking black finish. Thanks to some clever GTSspecific tuning, the standard sports exhaust system, together with the omission of part of the interior noise insulation, ensures an even more emotive sound experience than your 'run-of-the-mill' 911.

For those not impressed enough with the regular engineering witchery, you can further improve the driving dynamics of your 911 GTS by adding (or more accurately, taking away) the lightweight package which is available for the first time on the GTS. You can achieve weight savings of up to 25kg thanks to lightweight full porsche.com/uk bucket seats made of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), lightweight glass on the front, door and rear windows, and a lightweight battery. The rear seats are also omitted to complete the sporty style inside and out. Other performance optimisations available include rear-axle steering as standard when you opt for the lightweight package, along with additional aerodynamic finishing touches. New air guide elements in the front section of the underbody reduce lift at the front and the programming of the adaptive rear spoiler has been adjusted accordingly.

From the outside, the typical features of a 911 GTS remain with multiple black or darkened exterior details highlighting the cars provenance including the very apparent flairs highlighting the rear wheel arches. Elements painted in satin black also include the lip of the front spoiler, the centre-lock alloy wheels, the GTS lettering on the doors and rear, and the slats of the rear lid grille. The two tailpipes of the sports exhaust system are also black chrome-plated while an optional exterior package is available that completes the look with highgloss black body details and other features.

Some of the standard features you'll find as part of the GTS model includes the Sport Design package which will provide you with the distinctive aesthetic at both the front and rear of the car as well as darkened headlight surrounds and daytime running light edging supporting the LED lights featuring the Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus which are also standard. You can also enjoy a distinctive light show from the rear with a variation on other models. porsche.com/uk

These subtly aggressive hints give variation from the regular Carrera line up, while maintaining a level of sophistication you come to expect from the Carrera models.

Inside the theme continues, possibly with a little more vigour. The sporty details of the GTS models are evident both with regard to functions as well as visually once inside. The gear lever of that optional seven-speed manual transmission has been shortened by 10mm, enabling fast gear shifts with just a flick of the wrist. While a GT sports steering wheel, as well as the Sport Chrono package with mode switch, Porsche Track Precision App and a tyre temperature display are all standard features allowing you to take to the track at any given moment to see what your new GTS can really do.

The standard four-way electrically adjusted Sports Seats Plus provide lateral support without compromising comfort and convenience like some race buckets can, and the interior insulation has been reduced to enhance the driving experience and that invigorating engine sound.

Numerous black Race-Tex features underscore the elegant dynamic ambience with the seat centres, steering wheel rim, doorhandles and armrests, storage compartment lid and gear lever all covered in the microfibre material. With the GTS interior package, the decorative stitching can be either Carmine Red or Crayon giving the seatbelts, embroidered GTS lettering on the headrests, and the dials of the rev counter and Sport Chrono clock the respective contrasting colour.

It features the new generation of Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with additional functions and a significantly simplified operation. The touch areas in the media menu have been enlarged, and the tiles on the home screen can now be rearranged to suit you. An improved voice assistant recognises everyday speech and can be activated by saying “Hey Porsche” to make things even easier.

The 911 Carrera 4 GTS Coupé manages to perfectly bridge the two persona’s of 911, the sleek, smooth and comfortable Carrera and aggressive, poised sporting nature of the Turbo and GT3 models giving you an all-in-one option should you be questioning what it is you want your 911 for. The ideal everyday car with that little extra under the bonnet to enjoy equally as much as a weekend toy.

Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Gts