Porsche is one of the most iconic automotive marques in the world. For the discerning owner, it represents success, power, and near perfection with every car in the range.
These immaculately built machines are so popular that there are no less than 21 models in the market currently, and this is only for the 911 (992) range which celebrates the 8th generation.
Let’s go back in history
It all began in 1963 when Porsche launched the ‘901’ as the successor to the immensely popular 356 which had a great reputation for over a decade.
The ‘901’ was first showcased to the world in September 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show where it was very well received. Almost a year later at the Paris Motor Show, the French Peugeot had different ideas and protested to the “901” designation, sighting they had already patented the ‘number-zero-number’ i.e., 108, 205 numerical schemes as part of their brand identity.
Luckily, Porsche had only built 82 units of the ‘901’, and rather than dragging the matter through lengthy courts and in a true demonstration of German efficiency, the carmaker resorted to replacing the 0 with a 1, arriving at the now iconic ‘911’ designation.
The Porsche GTS today
The subject in question today is no other than the middle of the range, the Porsche Carrera GTS. For many, the GTS cleverly combines the most desired features borrowed from the higher echelons of the 911 range in terms of power and personalization.
It sits neatly positioned above the 911 Carrera and Carrera S and below the Turbo and GT3 models.
The 2022 GTS comes in three trims: the 911 Carrera GTS with rear-wheel drive (Coupé and Cabriolet), the 911 Carrera 4 GTS with all-wheel drive (Coupé and Cabriolet) and the 911 Targa 4 GTS with all-wheel drive.
Under the hood, lies a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six boxer engine producing 473 Bhp which is 30 more than the previous 911 GTS. Maximum torque is 570 Nm and 0 to 100 km/h takes just 3.3 seconds with the eight-speed Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK), which is three-tenths faster than its predecessor. For the more nostalgic drivers, a seven-speed manual transmission is also available. Furthermore, the rear-axle steering comes as standard.
The suspension is derived from the 911 Turbo and modified to be GTS-specific, it works perfectly alongside the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).
The high-performance braking system borrows from the 911 Turbo to accommodate for the fierce velocity. If weight was an issue in your previous GTS, then the optional ‘Lightweight Design Package’ is your answer. By using the lighter carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) full bucket seats, lightweight glass on windows, a lightweight battery, not to mention the removal of the rear seats, the GTS manages to drop around 25 kilograms.
The Porsche GTS exterior
On the exterior, the High-gloss black, and darkened details are in abundance. The rear lights are unique to the GTS, and the ‘Sport Design Package’ comes as standard with all its fine trimmings.
The GT Sport steering wheel, seatbelts, and headrests embroidered in GTS lettering add to the ambiance while the Sport Chrono package with mode switch and Race-Tex Sports Seats Plus all come together to create one of the most desirable cabins in the 911 line-up.
Porsche has even thought to reduce the size of the gear lever by 10mm on the seven-speed manual transmission option, stating it will aid fast gear shifts with a simpler motion of the hand.
There is no tech discrimination while using the new generation of the Porsche Communication Management (PCM), which is now compatible with both iOS and Android and offers an advanced ‘Hey Porsche’ voice control experience.
With its charisma, dominance, athleticism, and class, the all-new Porsche Carrera GTS offers a starting price of AED 550,000 in the UAE.
