Why The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Is The Perfect 911
Of the 21 Porsche 911 variants, the five GTS-badged versions offer the best bang for your buck.
A masterful blend performance and civility is what sets apart the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS in the pack of 21 total 911 models. Although, once you take it to the track, it feels utterly wrong to describe this car using words such as “middle” or “compromise.” Its combo of technicality and driving experience arguably checks more boxes than any of the other models available in Porsche’s 911 lineup.
Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Model Breakdown
Porsche currently offers five models in the 911 Carrera GTS lineup. They all make use of the same 3.0-liter twin turbo flat-six engine, which is good for 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. The famous Porsche eight-speed PDK dual clutch automatic gearbox comes standard on all five models, with a seven-speed manual available optionally at no extra cost.
The 5 available Porsche 911 Carrera GTS models are:
- Carrera GTS Coupe
- Carrera GTS Cabriolet
- Carrera 4 GTS
- Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet (AWD)
- Carrera Targa 4 GTS
The above list orders the models according to their price tag and not necessarily by performance. Even though they all use the same engine, there are several differences in how the various trims of the 911 Carrera GTS drive. Yet, this car is not all about performance. All models boast upgrades over the tamer 911 S model, and the new 2022 911 Carrera GTS also features welcome cosmetic tweaks.
GTS Styling With a Hint of Turbo
Compared to the standard 911, the Carrera GTS brings center lock wheels, also found on the 911 Turbo S. While center locks are used in race cars to reduce pitstop time, they necessarily offer utility in a road car beyond an undeniable cool factor.
The GTS also comes standard with the Sport Design fascia, which is only included as an option in the Sport Design package on other 911 models. It translates to larger, protruding intake vents on the sides, a rear end with a slightly angrier shaping, plus a matte black bumper sculpted around the generously large twin exhaust tips.
The black paint trend isn’t limited to the rear bumper and front intakes—the headlight casing, the lower part of the side mirror support and the wheels are blacked out, as is the Porsche script on the rear end and the light band. Note that if you choose the Targa version of the GTS, you can also opt to get the roll-hoop in black instead of the usual Targa-silver.
A Brilliant Interior
It’s already known that Porsche is unmatched when it comes to the interior of its 911 models. From the sportscar perspective, the GTS interior is beautiful, practical and welcoming, with aluminum trim on the dashboard and the rest of the finishing being muted and classy. They don’t distract from the task at hand: driving.
Porsche’s infotainment system works well and it’s easy to figure out. There are plenty of controls and submenus available. All the infotainment details are displayed via a 10.9-inch touchscreen, which responds lightning fast and also tunes the Bose surround-sound system.
The GTS Is the Perfect Porsche 911
If you’re in a position where monetary constraints don’t exist, you’re likely to walk in a Porsche showroom demanding a 911 GT3, a Turbo S and a Targa GTS to complete a well-rounded 911 experience experience. On the other hand, when you want to maximize the fun per dollar spent, the 2022 Porsche 911 GTS is the optimum choice. The AWD system makes it accelerate almost as fast as the GT3 but for less money.