2022 Porsche 911 GTS review: International first drive

You’d be forgiven for thinking that with its comfortable and confident stance, the 2022 Porsche 911 GTS could do no wrong, but it carries an invisible but significant burden on its wide muscular shoulders. In fact, all variants in the 992 family do.

That’s because each new generation of the iconic sportscar must advance the game enough to justify the evolution of the bloodline, but when you are following in the tyre tracks of machinery that is fairly close to perfection, even incremental improvement becomes vastly challenging.

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While the Turbos distance themselves from the entry Carrera with massive power advantages, the GTs represent atmo power for the Porsche purists and the RS family takes a quantum leap into hardcore racing territory, the GTS occupies a much tighter spot in the 911 family. But Porsche’s approach to the next 911 GTS is a gentle and deft application of the recipe that works beautifully.

For a start, power from the turbocharged 3.0-litre flat-six is up just 22kW and 20Nm from the 991 GTS. That’s the same power advantage over the current 911 Carrera S but an extra 40Nm. It’s enough to cut the zero-to-100km/h dash to as low as 3.3 seconds, in the case of the coupe GTS with all-wheel drive and the eight-speed PDK dual-clutch auto.

Porsche’s approach to the next 911 GTS is a gentle and deft application of the recipe that works beautifully.

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Choose any of the other rear-drive, manual, cabriolet and Targa GTS combinations and you’ll be at a small performance and economy disadvantage. And that’s particularly so in the style-driven Targa that doesn’t get the new 10mm lower suspension and helper springs on the rear axle but does share the elegant touches common to the entire GTS range including blacked-out interior and exterior touches, GT sports steering wheel, synthetic suede upholstery with GTS branding and wheels that measure 21 inches on the rear axle and 20 up front. Oh, and there’s now version 6.0 of the PCM infotainment that now includes Android Auto.

With its subtle enhancements that don’t extend to ostentatious wings, spoilers and air dams, the GTS design is the purest interpretation of the 911 shape and the most knee-weakening, disarming and elegant. Its relatively subtle exterior hides a serious performance surprise, however.

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On public roads, the GTS offers all of the tractability you might expect from the 911. The ride is almost impossibly pliable with excellent bump absorption and comfort, notable road noise is weirdly absent and its second row of ‘seating’ might only be okay for amputees, but swallowed a large suitcase no problem.

Perhaps the best illustration of the GTS’ relaxing nature, however, came from my heart rate monitor which, after a more sedate cruise through winding Italian roads, read just 41bpm. In other words, I am slightly less stressed in the driver’s seat of the new 911 GTS than I am when asleep in my own bed.

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Impressively though, there is a whole other side to its personality which emerges when it cops a sniff of some fresh circuit asphalt. Away from the confines of public road driving, the newest 911 variant is immensely well balanced and hugely rewarding.

From the first contact with the rumble strips, the GTS exhibits steering that is delicate but surgically precise and enables laser-guided positioning on the track. It’s remarkably easy to drive smoothly from exit to apex but still has enough mongrel to make you work for the most rewarding laps. As this version is the all-wheel-drive 4, the potential for understeer in heavy hands is ever-present but with the correct line, the 911 carries immense speed through corners.

Away from the confines of public road driving, the newest 911 variant is immensely well balanced and hugely rewarding.

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There’s huge confidence to trail-brake deep into bends with a typically firm and progressive Porsche pedal feel, and accelerating on straights is glorious thanks to an exhaust note in Sport mode and above that is almost offensively loud – but glorious. It’s also accompanied by brilliant whistles and hissing from the complex turbo system as the dump valves and impellers breathe noisily in your ears.

Power delivery from the turbo six is remarkably un-turbo like, with immediate torque whenever it’s required and its pairing with the DCT is a match made in heaven. Sadly, the manual-style shifter of the 991 GTS that allowed gear changes in tight corners is gone in favour of a little toggle – the only thing that left a yearning for the optional manual.

But when the laps were over, the GTS returned to the regroup with perfect composure. No brake fade, no warning lights, engine temp normal and a smiling driver.

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If you love what the base 911 Carrera represents then you’ll adore the GTS. It’s not that it is substantially better than the most affordable 911 because trying to define the ‘best’ 911 is to approach the range in the wrong way.

The GTS simply offers more of what makes the 911 so good. It’s just a little faster and louder without spoiling the power delivery, it’s that little bit sharper on the road without compromising comfort, and it adds small luxury touches without becoming vulgar.

Think of the 992 family like choosing popcorn at the cinema. If you love it, just get more.

2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS specifications