(2017 – 2019) Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Coupe (991.2) – Ultimate Guide
No one can blame Porsche for not answering to the individual tastes of their fans with its 911 lineup. With their 911s having regular and wide bodies, coupes and targas having various engines and with each of having two states if tune, also don’t forget about the choices of two-wheel or four-wheel drive, front-only or all-wheel steering; it’s easy to be confused with what you are going to want.
This leaves us wondering why Porsche has done this. Is it really necessary to expand their 911 lineup any further that it already has? They even added a GTS version for their 911 models. Faster and more athletic, the GTS version serves as a brilliant 911 middle ground between the Carrera S and the track-only GT3.
The 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS might possibly be the perfect everyday Porsche 911 equipped with a faster new turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six engine. You can also get it for any body style you like – Coupe, Cabriolet or Targa – with rear or four-wheel drive, and a manual or PDK automatic gearbox. The Carrera 4 GTS Coupe with PDK automatic gearbox is the fastest of them with a 0-62 mph acceleration of just 3.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 191 mph.
GTS cars are all about pulling the best things from the option lists and then putting it into one attractively priced package. So with the exception of embroidered headrests, decals and 20-inch satin black, centre-locking Turbo S wheels, it would be possible to take a Carrera S and build a GTS in all but name. Add in the PASM sports suspension, a Sport Chrono pack, sports exhaust, Sport Design front bumper, sports seats, and the Powerkit that gives a boost to the engine by 30 bhp and 37 lb.-ft and you’ll now have a GTS without the badges.
Car and Driver: …the GTS has traditionally represented fairly good value—inasmuch as something that crests six figures can, anyway. While the entry-level, 370-hp Carrera comes in at $90,450 and the 420-hp Carrera S commands $104,450, the GTS packs 450 horsepower and is priced at $120,050. Hardly cheap, but the next rung up the ladder is a big leap away: the 540-hp Turbo, at $160,250.
The good news though is that a GTS costs about $4000 less than adding all the kits one-by-one yourself.
This GTS with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive is arguably the preferred choice by many car enthusiasts. The new twin-turbo 3.0-litre flat-six engine may take a little longer to get in action but once it does, it kicks noticeably faster in the mid-range than a standard Carrera S. You can really feel the improved performance of the engine here, but what makes Porsche 911 Carrera GTS more interesting is that you can really push it into a corner with full confidence. You can lean on the tires, trust the balance and marvel in the lack of body roll.
While using manual and PDK on 911 have their pros and cons, the GTS benefits a lot from the PDK given more defined edges to the driving experience. You can upshift or downshift easily with your two hands on the wheel and for a car that gets you closer to the road, rolls less and tends to spreads its shoulders a bit wider than a standard car, the PDK is really the perfect.
Porsche says the sprint from zero to 60 mph takes 3.9 seconds with the manual gearbox and just 3.5 seconds with the PDK. Subtract another 0.1 second with the extra-cost all-wheel-drive system, which adds 155 pounds but helps put the torque to the ground with a minimum of wheelspin and corrective action by the traction-control system.
Simply put, the new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is the perfect everyday sports car you can buy right now. It has the speed, the looks, and most importantly, serves as a great value for money.
Motortrend: The changes run more than skin deep. Controlled by a GTS-specific calibration, those bigger turbos pump up to 18psi of boost pressure, compared with the Carrera S’s 16psi, which helps deliver not only 30 extra horses at 6,500 rpm, but 405 lb-ft of torque between 2,150 rpm and 5,000 rpm, up from 368 lb-ft. The standard Sport Exhaust system also features calibration unique to the GTS for actuating the bypass flaps.
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Press Release
Faster and more capable than ever before – the new Porsche 911 GTS models
Highest performing 911 Carrera and Targa variants announced
Atlanta, Georgia.Porsche is expanding the 911 model line with five new GTS models: the 911 Carrera GTS with rear-wheel drive, the 911 Carrera 4 GTS with all-wheel drive – both available as a Coupé and Cabriolet – and the 911 Targa 4 GTS with all-wheel drive. The 3.0-liter flat-six cylinder with larger turbochargers delivers 450 horsepower, which is 30 horsepower more than the current 911 Carrera S and 20 horsepower above the previous, naturally-aspirated GTS model. All GTS variants are equipped as standard with a seven-speed manual transmission. The seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) dual-clutch transmission is available as an option.
More power, even greater performance
405 lb.-ft. of torque (37 lb-ft. more than the Carrera S) further improves acceleration and responsiveness. Maximum torque is available between 2150 and 5000 rpm. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is included as standard on all GTS models. The GTS Coupés feature the PASM Sport Suspension, which drops the ride height by 0.39 inches (10 millimeters) compared to the PASM suspension, which is standard on all 911 models including the Cabriolet and Targa variants of the GTS. The 911 GTS Coupé models accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour 0.2 seconds faster than the respective Carrera S and 4S Coupés. When equipped with the optional PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung) transmission, the Carrera 4 GTS Coupé takes just 3.4 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. The GTS Cabriolet and Targa models reach 60 mph 0.3 seconds faster than the comparable Carrera S/4S Cabriolet or Targa 4S models. Top track speed of the GTS models is up to 3 mph higher, depending on the variant. The 911 GTS Coupé with manual transmission and rear-wheel drive is capable of 193 mph.
Typically GTS: Black elements accentuate the high-performance character
The GTS models distinguish themselves within the 911 model line not only in terms of technology, but also in their design: All GTS variants are based on the Carrera 4/4S body, which measures 72.9 inches (1852 mm), even on the rear-wheel-drive models. The new Sport Design front end with a spoiler lip painted in black emphasizes the high-performance character. Combined with an increased rear spoiler extension height, it reduces lift on the front and rear axle compared to the Carrera S models. Tinted tail lights, rear lid grill strips with a satin black finish and tailpipes in high-gloss black, which are part of the standard Sport Exhaust system, give the GTS a particularly striking appearance. A new black trim strip between the tail lights is featured on the rear-wheel-drive variants. A light strip between the tail lights is reserved for the all-wheel-drive models. Sport Design exterior mirrors, 20-inch center lock wheels painted in satin black, and black GTS logos on the doors represent further visual enhancements. The characteristic Targa bar, which is black with a satin finish for the first time, also gives the 911 Targa 4 GTS a very distinctive look.
New Porsche Track Precision app included with extensive standard equipment
The GTS offers a unique interior. The stopwatch of the standard Sport Chrono Package is integrated as a central component of the dashboard. The included Porsche Track Precision App has been further enhanced for the market launch of the GTS models. Its features include automatic recording as well as a detailed display and analysis of driving data for smartphones. Standard Sport Seats Plus with GTS logos on the headrests provide increased lateral support and comfort. They are fitted with a combination of leather and Alcantara® that is highlighted with a new seat stitching. Alcantara® can also be found on the standard GT Sport steering wheel, the gear lever and the armrest. The brushed aluminum interior trim is anodized with a black finish.
The 2017 911 GTS models are available to order now and are scheduled to arrive at dealerships in the United States in April 2017. The MSRP for each model is as follows:
| 911 Carrera GTS | $ 119,000 |
| 911 Carrera 4 GTS | $ 125,900 |
| 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet | $ 131,300 |
| 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet | $ 138,200 |
| 911 Targa 4 GTS | $ 138,200 |
