2017 Porsche 911 GTS Test Drive – Video

 

The 450 Horsepowers of the new 911 GTS are easily felt from behind the wheel of this emotion-inspiring 911—and heard, too, since the GTS comes standard with a goodie that needs to be ordered separately on the lesser Carreras: The centrally mounted sport exhaust system, capable of emitting and amplifying an impressive range of engine noises. Porsche says the sprint from zero to 60 mph takes 3.9 seconds with the manual gearbox and just 3.5 seconds with the PDK. Subtract another 0.1 second with the extra-cost all-wheel-drive system, which adds 155 pounds but helps put the torque to the ground with a minimum of wheelspin and corrective action by the traction-control system. Given that we’ve seen the base Carrera with PDK run to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, it’s safe to say Porsche’s estimates are conservative. The rear-wheel-drive GTS with a manual transmission is the fastest Carrera, according to Porsche, topping out at a sweet 194 mph.

 

 

The twin-turbo flat-six is so quick to respond that it’s virtually impossible to tell that you’re not flogging a naturally aspirated engine. It’s a high-revving six-cylinder, with maximum power at 6500 rpm, and turbocharging brings maximum torque to a lofty 405 lb-ft. We still love the linearity and turbo-free feelings of the old 3.8-liter flat-six, but it is essentially impossible to find fault with the new powerplant. What’s more, it is rather efficient for something this quick. Fitted with the manual transmission, it gets EPA ratings of 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, and the PDK raises the city figure to an even more commendable 20 mpg.

BASE PRICE:
Carrera GTS, $120,050;
Carrera 4 GTS, $126,950;
Carrera GTS Cabriolet, $132,350;
Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, $139,250;
Targa 4 GTS, $139,250

ENGINE TYPE:
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve flat-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement:
182 cu in, 2981 cc
Power: 450 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 405 lb-ft @ 2150 rpm

TRANSMISSIONS:
7-speed manual, 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 96.5 in
Length: 178.3 in
Width: 72.9 in Height: 50.6-50.9 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3200-3500 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):

Zero to 60 mph: 3.0-3.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 7.6-8.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 11.4-11.9 sec
Top speed: 190-193 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:

EPA combined/city/highway: 21-23/18-20/25-26 mpg