FIRST DRIVE
2017 PORSCHE 911 GTS
Porsche is expanding its 911 range with no fewer than five new GTS models, bringing the number of choices for the venerable sports car to an astounding 25 when the Black Editions and GT3 RS are factored into the mix. In the case of the new GTS, each model gets more of everything, including power and a neat new app.
The 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, flat-six engine now pushes 450 horsepower, which is 20 more than the previous GTS, and it twists out 405 poundfeet of torque at 2,150 rpm. The power increases, while modest, make a discernible difference; the Carrera 4 GTS Coupe rockets to 100 kilometres an hour in just 3.6 seconds, which is very quick. However, it is the mid-range that really impresses. Tromp the gas at 80 km/h and the GTS flashes through 120 km/h as it charges hard and fast toward 160 km/h. Time to lift or face the consequences!
The power is relayed to the road through the rear or all four wheels and a seven-speed manual or optional seven-speed twin-clutch (PDK) transmission. In the case of the test car, a hot Racing Yellow Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, it powered all four wheels and made very effective use of its PDK transmission.
Porsche’s Active Suspension Management system is now standard on all GTS models, which means the right damping characteristics regardless of the prevailing driving conditions. Throw in the perfect steering feel, torque vectoring, monster P245/35ZR20 front and P305/30ZR20 rear tires, and the GTS hoons it way around a track superbly. The Killarney Raceway demonstrated the GTS’s tenacity around a tight technical circuit, showcasing its abilities in fine style.
One of the items that will help the overall handling is the addition of a rear-steer option. At speeds below 50 km/h it turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts, which shortens the turning circle. Above 80 km/h it turns the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, which brings laserlike precision.
The GTS gets Porsche’s now de rigueur mode selector on the steering wheel. It gives access to Normal, Sport and Sport Plus with launch control, along with an Individual program. Each mode tweaks everything from the suspension to the transmission and throttle. For the most part, Sport is ideal for street driving and Sport Plus for a track day. The caveat is if the road is particularly gnarly, pick Normal, which takes the sting out of the ride.
In the middle of the mode selector is the push-to-pass button (Sport Response in Porsche-speak). It selects the lowest possible gear, sharpens the throttle and primes the turbos to deliver maximum boost, meaning lag-free performance. When pressed it holds these hyper settings for up to 20 seconds so the instant the road opens up a deep stab at the gas brings the best possible acceleration and an easier passing move around a slower car.
A neat feature is the Track Precision app. It not only taps into the gas, brake and steering inputs, as well as the g-forces at play, it overlays the information on a video of the hot lap. The app comes with 130 race tracks pre-programmed into the system.
Once activated, the app uses the navigation’s GPS to automatically start the recording session the instant the car crosses the start line. The driver stops the recording and the app saves the data. It allows the use of a smartphone’s camera, or a dedicated unit, to capture the lap. In the end, it gives the racer (amateur or otherwise) the opportunity to analyze a hot lap and determine how to improve one’s technique and wring the very best out of this seriously capable ride.
The 911 of choice for me was the Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet; it blends the esprit of the Coupe with the fun of an open-air ride. Its agility and ability flooded to the fore on the run along Chapman’s Peak Drive, nine kilometres of twisting road that runs from Hout Bay to Noordhoek, near Cape Town. It is regarded as one of the most spectacular drives anywhere in the world, and I am not going to dispute that.
I hauled out of a hairpin, hard on the gas and up a short straight before leaning on the optional carbon-ceramic binders. When driven with purpose, Sport and Sport Plus bring the engine’s sound alive. It burbles seductively with every rev-matched downshift and reaches a glorious crescendo just a handful of revs before redline. Roll into the throttle at the exit of a curve and the riders can hear the turbos spooling up to speed as they get ready for the next short, but very fast, straight.
The GTS seemed to relish the workout almost as much as I did. The combination of the engine’s sweet siren and the tenacity of the handling saw it cling to the road and defy the dropoffs that would have seen my clothes go out of style before hitting bottom was simply intoxicating. By the end of the drive, the balance displayed by the GTS made a ham-handed klutz like me feel like a pro; man and machine seemed to combine to become one adrenalin-pumping entity.
Some will argue the changes to the latest GTS are small in nature. That may be true, but the sum of those changes makes for a much richer and faster driving experience.
The new 911 GTS lineup starts at $136,000 for the Carrera Coupe and tops out at $157,900 for the Targa 4.