Porsche 911 GTS models confirmed

The Porsche 911 GTS has been announced for both the coupe and cabriolet, following in the footsteps of the Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS models launched earlier this year. Previously a limited edition model for the previous 997 911, the Panamera and Cayenne, the 911 GTS continues the roll-out of the spec level as a full-time trim level across Porsche’s range.

Two versions of the 911 GTS will be offered when the car arrives in Australia in February, one based on the Carrera S, the other on the Carrera 4S, while it will also be available as a coupe or convertible. Regardless, all GTS models use the Carrera 4’s wider, more muscular body. Power has been upped from 294kW to 316kW, and the addition of the Sport Chrono and PASM stability systems as part of the GTS kit lowers the ride by 10mm.

There are also bi-xenon headlights and the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), with black 20-inch alloys, smoked headlamps and black window surrounds distinguishing the GTS over the regular 911. Black surrounds the air-intake in the rear haunches, too, while the sports exhaust, which gives the 3.8-litre flat six a meatier timbre, and is finished in ‘black chrome’.

Porsche says that when optioned with the double-clutch transmission (PDK) the 911 GTS cracks 0-100km/h in 4.1-sec – one-tenth faster than the Carrera S when it’s optioned with the Sports Chrono pack – with the Cabriolet version’s 4.2sec time a whopping 0.8sec better than the drop-top Carrera S’s time.

Yet the extra grace and pace doesn’t come from free: the GTS starts at $268,700 for the manual coupe, a cool $23k more than the Carrera S’s starting price, yet configure a Carrera S with all the GTS goodies and you’re at the same cash without the wide-body and the extra dose of power. That alone makes the GTS a more desirable model than the S in terms of value for money when it arrives in Australia in February 2015.