Gallery: 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
If our 911 GTS track drive last February left you thinking it’s too extreme for the street, our apologies. We just spent a glorious day in a GTS dashing around Lake Tahoe. Not to worry, on the road it’s just as it was on Killarney International Raceway in South Africa -- spectacular.
In case you forgot (how could you!?), the GTS takes a 911 S and makes the excellent even better. The growling 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six’s horsepower is up 30 to 450 hp, and there is 405 lb-ft from bigger turbos and increased boost pressure. The GTS also has as standard equipment the Sport Chrono Package, including Porsche Stability Management (PSM) with a sport mode to let the car get further out of line before electronic gizmos reel it in. If you’re feeling extra brave, the system can be turned completely off by holding down the center console-mounted PSM button for several seconds.
Anyway, the GTS also comes with sport seats inside its flawlessly built cabin, sport exhaust and a sport steering wheel. Porsche’s Active Suspension Management is also standard; a sport version with a slightly lower ride height is stock on coupe models. All GTS models also have the Carrera 4’s wider body.
But wait there’s more: Manual-equipped GTS models get torque vectoring and a mechanical rear locking differential. If you opt for the PDK dual-clutch, the locking diff is electronically controlled. Both adjust the inside rear-wheel brake to help cornering, facilitated even more with optional rear-wheel steering. Carrera S brakes are standard, carbon-ceramics optional. Either transmission is a joy to use.
It all adds up to a 911 that, as we reported from South Africa, “does many things a little bit better without any notable sacrifices.”
Lacking “notable sacrifices” is arguably more important driving a GTS every day on the street than it is for track use. The GTS looks and sounds just slightly more aggressive than your garden variety 911 but isn’t intimidating at all. Out in Tahoe, the GTS was ideal. No, it doesn’t attack the pavement like a 911 Turbo but is plenty fast enough -- 60 mph arrives in 3.9 seconds compared to the S’ 4.1 seconds or the Turbo’s 2.8 seconds. The GTS’ 193-mph top speed is clearly nothing to scoff at, though the car’s on-the-road drivability and comfort are superb, even in the areas around Lake Tahoe with some traffic.
Get away from the small towns dotting the U.S.’ largest alpine lake and the GTS is forgiving and full of character. Want to hang the tail out some? That sport mode mentioned earlier is your buddy. It won’t let you get into too much trouble. In fact, it makes you look heroic. Driven quote-unquote normally, the car proved perfectly comfortable after a day in the cockpit -- quiet and composed and, thanks in large part to the spot-on steering, oh so easy to drive. Good manners and excitement: always a good combination.
You can choose rear-drive or AWD; coupe, convertible or targa body styles; a manual transmission or PDK; plus a gazillion more options. You can’t go wrong with any recipe.
Gallery: 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 in Guards Red
Vehicle Model Information
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $120,050
POWERTRAIN: 3.0-liter twin-turbo H6; RWD/AWD, seven-speed manual/PDK dual-clutch automatic
OUTPUT: 450 hp, 405 lb-ft torque
CURB WEIGHT: 3,197 lb
0-60 MPH: 3.9 sec
FUEL ECONOMY: 18/26/21 mpg (7MT)
PROS: A terrific blend of fine road manners and on-track thrills
CONS: Hmmm. Need to think about that, we'll get back to you
