Test: Porsche 911 GTS
The Porsche 911 can easily be categorized as a very serious car. In the middle of the model range, however, you will find the somewhat more playful GTS model. Let’s shift into High Gear and review the Porsche 911 GTS.
The first time the GTS designation (Gran Turismo Sport) saw the light of day was 1964.
I today, the designation is used for more or less the entire Porsche range and is meant to appeal to customers who are really passionate about driving.
The idea of a Porsche GTS model is not to be too extreme to compromise the ability to drive the car every day.
The Porsche 911 GTS has several elements from the 911 Turbo. (Photo: William Koitrand)
Athletic appearance
Exterior wise, the GTS stands out, not least in the case of our test car, which had carmine red paint and black rims. However, it is not the exterior differences that are most significant for a GTS, but more driver-oriented stances.
Our test car was equipped with a lightweight package (SEK 87,600) carbon fiber roof (SEK 37,100) all to minimize weight and make the car as raw as possible.
According to Porsche, the GTS is supposed to offer a more “emotional” driving experience.
Our test car also lacked rear seats, all in the name of slimming down. However, the seats in the test car were not the carbon fiber reinforced shell seats that the GTS is offered with, but instead 18-way adaptive sports seats, something that is undeniably better for everyday use.
What GTS strives for is to offer an incredibly sporty driving experience in a package that can still be used on a daily basis without having to make a standing appointment with a chiropractor.
The chassis comes from the 911 Turbo, the car has more cream than its cheaper siblings, and the 911 GTS weighs less.
The aforementioned lightweight package also includes four-wheel steering and other aerodynamic features. It also has the brakes and dampers from the 911 Turbo.
The 911 GTS doesn’t have performance to the point of being overpowering, but the lightweight mentality and driver focus make it a slightly more toxic and involving piece versus, say, an entry-level model.
On the inside, you are greeted by the typical 911 interior – a functional layout consisting of a series of small screens.
However, the steering wheel is difficult to set in a way that does not obscure parts of the instrument panel, mostly because Porsche has invested heavily in the nostalgic track.
The Porsche 911 GTS is fun on four wheels
We tested the 911 GTS in winter gear, to see how the most everyday sports car copes with an honorable Swedish winter. Our test period consisted of both huge amounts of snow but also a lot of dry ground.
The position of the tail motor means that there is always a lot of weight on the rear axle, which in the case of our rear-wheel drive test car meant that grip levels are rarely compromised.
The 911 GTS continues to be extremely well balanced and although 911s of yesteryear have a reputation for beating the crap out of their owners, Porsche’s engineers have succeeded well in bringing out a more playful side while the car’s competence is ever-present.
The suspension parries the unevenness of the road like a ninja and means that you are constantly aware of the surface without significantly affecting comfort.
The comfort level is high and in the normal mode the 911 GTS is comfortable, while the Sport Plus mode offers a significantly stiffer experience.
The 480 Germans gallop down to the rear wheels via the six-cylinder boxer engine and a lightning-fast eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox (a seven-speed manual is also available).
The result is astonishing, not least on dry surfaces. The sprint to 100 is violent, and it’s almost a guarantee that the power figures are grossly understated on paper.
Even on snowy surfaces, the car has the ability to reduce the power on the hill, something that makes it suitable even in winter conditions. For those who want even more grip, the GTS is also available in four-wheel drive.
When you have driving as an interest
The steering is direct and communicative and the narrow steering wheel is a wonderfully nostalgic feature.
The car’s balance makes it exceptionally easy to control when the rear wheel comes out, and the 911 GTS is thus hugely rewarding to drive, even if your last name is not Röhrl.
What the GTS epithet entails is a series of features that intrude on the car’s comfort, something that makes the 911 such an accommodating and reasonable car to live with.
The lightweight package that our car was fitted with means that the noise level in the passenger compartment will be higher – due to less insulation – something that is not particularly desirable on our rough Swedish roads.
Even the regular 911 GTS has less insulation than its stablemates.
The Porsche 911 GTS offers a caffeinated driving experience
What thus suffers is how pleasant the 911 GTS is to drive on an everyday basis.
If you spend a large part of your time on winding serpentine roads in the southern part of the continent, it is extremely attractive, but if you spend your everyday on the Essingeleden, it is not as attractive.
Conceptually speaking, a lean sports car is very attractive and in the case of the 911 GTS, the engineers have added a large dose of caffeine to the experience.
The car feels sharper, not least considering that a lot of insulation has been removed.
The result is a car that’s phenomenal to drive, but in reality would have done better without the lightweight package, unless you really want to brag at the next car meet.
The bottom line
The Porsche 911 GTS is a well-balanced trade-off between ease of use and raw performance.
It injects a high dose of playfulness into a fiercely competent package and is aimed specifically at those who genuinely have driving as an interest.
The 911 GTS is like an ordinary 911 that starts the day with a double espresso. Lightweight package that our test car was equipped with points to how geeky the car really is.
What is compromised is comfort, something you suffer from in the long run if you use the car daily. 911 GTS however, can be seen as a golden mean for those who want a bit of everything.
However, there is something very cool about the whole lightweight mentality and the drive to maximize the experience behind the wheel without completely compromising comfort.
The 911 GTS undoubtedly appeals to the heart more than the brain, which is really the whole purpose of a car of this caliber.
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS (2022)
Motor: 3-liter boxer six, twin turbo, 480 horsepower, 570 newton meters
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Acceleration 0–100 km/h: 3,4 seconds
Top speed: 311 km/h
Weight: 1 620 kg
Dimensions: (length/width/height): 4533/1852/1301 mm
Taken: 1 SEK 470,000 (Test car SEK 1,862,300)
Högsta Växeln’s overall impression of the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
Final grade: 4/5
The Porsche 911 GTS offers the best features of the 911 as a model in one and the same package. More specifically, the 911 GTS highlights the model’s driving characteristics while still being useful for everyday use.
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