Porsche 911 GTS test (2021): a GT3 in disguise?

Thomas Veit is project manager for the 911 family. A few moments before our test, he recalls the positioning of the 992 GTS, a happy medium in the range between a Carrera S (450 hp) and a Turbo (580 hp). But we gradually doubt it, over the course of its detailed presentation. The biturbo flat-6? Pushed to 480 hp and 570 Nm of torque, i.e. 30 hp and 40 Nm more than the Carrera S and the power of a 2006 997 Turbo. The chassis? Lowered by 10 mm and borrowing its additional rear springs from its majesty 911 Turbo S. The GTS also steals its braking system (front discs 408 mm in diameter instead of 350 mm on the Carrera S) while the Sport exhaust , now standard, is promised even more talkative after the elimination of certain sound insulators.

For now, nothing unfaithful to what the previous 911 GTS offered … before hearing the rest. This new generation 992 thus inaugurates a “lean design pack” that reduces weight by 25 kg : thinner windows, even less soundproofing (- 1.5 kg), lithium battery (- 8 kg), carbon fiber bucket seats. And a rear space relieved of its folding seats, belts and mats (- 17 kg). All that remained was to subtly modify the aero (new front deflectors, rear spoiler turning up to 4 °) to complete our doubts: by bringing the versatile 911 GTS so close to a radical 911 GT3, Porsche would not be not gone too far?

Driving

Our test started in a convertible version, and we knew straight away that we were on the wrong track: no, the new 911 GTS does not lose an ounce of its versatility and quickly throws it in our face. From the first meters in town, the Stop & Start system cuts the flat-6 smoothly, the gearbox shifts its reports to 1,200 rpm in Normal mode, the controlled suspension filters irregularities very well despite the shortened springs. Thanks to the active anti-roll bars and the steered rear wheels (checked as an option on our test 911), which respectively improve the comfort at low speed and the turning diameter. A docile city dweller, this 911 GTS!

The first portion of the motorway continues the demonstration and this time reveals the excellence of the canvas top: no air noise at 130 km / h in the closed position, little more turbulence in the open position thanks to the effective anti-noise net. -electric whirlpool. And a very different soundtrack, on small mountain roads, depending on the position of the headgear. Open roof, you can hear the turbos a lot, whistling when accelerating and discharging when decelerating in an atmosphere more Nissan GT-R than Porsche 911. Closed roof, the Sport exhaust resonates much more in the passenger compartment, which s’ filled with a hoarse then metallic tone. Compared to a Carrera S, the sound becomes even a little deafening beyond 7000 rev / min and, at a slow pace, one is almost tempted to close the exhaust valves so as not to become deaf.

Speaking of the difference with the 992 Carrera S, the GTS flat-6 stands out on an unexpected point: its superior strength at low and mid-range rather than at the edge of the red zone. The 570 Nm of torque tumble more brutally at 3200 rpm, resulting in a little “on-off” side which should appeal to fans of the old-fashioned turbo. Insufficient to disturb the traction of our propulsion GTS Cab, which takes off like a jaguar from a standstill, then leaps from one pin to another without ever waking up its traction control. Enough to make all-wheel drive superfluous, only imposed on the 911 Targa 4 GTS, which also retains the chassis of the classic Carrera. Since then ? Even if it means changing bodywork for the rest of our test, we might as well go to the coupe …

It is on a brand new circuit, that of the new Porsche Experience in Franciacorta in Italy, that we will discover the real 911 GTS: a coupe version, two-wheel drive and equipped with the famous weight reduction package. The reduced soundproofing and the elimination of the rear seats amplify the thud above 7,000 rpm, the range where you move more on a closed circuit (see video on next page).

Soft and telepathic in Auto mode on the road, the PDK continues to seduce on the track, showing itself to be quick on the climb (but less than that of a 992 GT3) and never reluctant on the descent, even when its impatient driver calls the report. lower a bit too early. It is a marvelous relay to the flat-6, whose violence at low revs does not facilitate the dosage of the raises at the exit of a tight pin. On this course, we would have preferred more progress at the bottom, before a more marked power peak at the top which would make the climbs towards the red zone less linear.

Serving comfort at low speed on the road, the active anti-roll bars this time perfectly contain body movements, without preventing the driver from playing with mass transfers: the rear axle accepts to wind the pins by forcing the inscription, but remains unperturbed if we are content to follow the ideal trajectory. Only small discomfort at this rate? Mute steering assistance, which does not provide sufficient information on the level of grip available. We had to find a default menu to justify our trip. Though.

On board

911 GTS options and prices

The Porsche 911 GTS is billed at € 144,022. We must add € 7,940 for version 4 with all-wheel drive, € 14,400 for the convertible, and € 22,340 for the Targa version which automatically embeds four-wheel drive. On arrival, the additional cost compared to a Carrera S reaches € 18,300, which is both high… and not so badly placed. Thanks to its superior equipment (seats, steering wheel, bumpers and Sport exhaust, Chrono pack, adaptive LED lights, Design exterior pack, aluminum interior pack, etc.), the 911 GTS costs just € 1,700 more than an “optional” Carrera S. », Deprived of 30 horsepower and big brakes.

As is the Porsche tradition, the 911 GTS retains many enviable extras such as the rear steering wheels (€ 2,288), active anti-roll bars (€ 3,240), full bucket seats (€ 5,400), the lightweight carbon roof. (€ 3,588), carbon-ceramic brakes (€ 9,012) or even, for the most radical, the famous weight reduction pack. The price of the latter, which will be launched only at the end of 2021, has not yet been communicated, but it is close to 10,000 € on the big sister 911 Turbo S. You will never be on the track? That is, but you will not cut the supplements: adaptive cruise control (€ 1,716), reversing camera (€ 660), hands-free key (€ 552) or simple rain sensor (ditto) are among the options.

Find the test report, the technical sheet, all the equipment prices and the on-board video on the circuit on the next page.