Porsche brings back popular 911 GTS

PORSCHE has brought back the 911 GTS, making the equipment, styling and power upgrade available on five variants comprising two- and all-wheel-drive (AWD) coupes and cabriolets plus the all-paw Targa 4.

Available to order now, with first Australian deliveries expected in the second quarter of this year, the GTS line-up starts from $279,000 plus on-road costs for the rear-drive Carrera GTS coupe and tops out at $316,600 for the Targa 4 GTS.

Headlining the changes is a 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six engine based on that of the Carrera S, but with a new turbo increasing power by 22kW and torque by 50Nm for total outputs of 331kW and 550Nm. Peak torque arrives later at 2150rpm, compared with 1700rpm in Carrera S variants, but peters out at the same 5000rpm.

Although many will lament the passing of Porsche’s high-revving 3.8-litre naturally aspirated engine from the pre-facelift GTS, which developed its power and torque peaks at 7400rpm and 5500rpm respectively, the new unit makes up for it by being 15kW and 110Nm more potent.

The Carrera 4 GTS coupe with seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission is quickest out of the blocks, with a claimed zero to 100km/h time of 3.6 seconds, shaving four-tenths off the official Carrera 4S figure.

All can crack 300km/h with the manual Carrera 2 GTS coupe able to hit 312km/h (up 6km/h over the Carrera 2S).

Like previous iterations, this new GTS carries unique styling features starting with the normally AWD-exclusive wide body as standard on rear-drive variants, lowered adaptive suspension on coupes and plenty of black trim.

Further changes include new front and rear spoilers designed to reduce lift and the Targa GTS gaining a black roof hoop for the first time.

The rear of each GTS gains smoked taillights, a silk-gloss-black air intake grille, black twin central tailpipe tips for the standard sports exhaust and a black trim strip between the tail-lights on rear-drive variants that is replaced by a light strip on those with AWD.

Gloss-black 20-inch wheels with central locking nuts, vented door mirrors and GTS door decals finish the effect.

Porsche’s Sports Chrono package is standard on all GTS variants and is complimented by an updated Porsche Track Precision app that can record and analyse driving data using a smartphone.

The Alcantara-trimmed seats have an updated stitching pattern, four-way electrical adjustment and additional lateral support plus GTS logos on the headrests.

More Alcantara is applied to the steering wheel rim, centre console and armrests, along with black-anodised brushed aluminium trim strips echoing the dark exterior theme.

The 911 GTS has proved popular in Australia since it joined the 997 line-up in that generation’s twilight years.

Porsche Cars Australia public relations director Paul Ellis put this down to it being a stepping-stone between Carrera variants and the GT3, with much of the styling but few of the compromises associated with the latter’s hardcore nature.

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS pricing*

911 Carrera GTS Coupe	$279,000
911 Carrera 4 GTS Coupe	$295,100
911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet	$300,500
911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet	$316,600
911 Targa 4 GTS	$316,600

*Excludes on-road costs