This time, I had the opportunity to test drive the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS (992), which I had been curious about for a while, so I would like to report on it while comparing it with the Carrera T that we have at home.

Porsche’s GTS

Porsche’s grades are mainly divided into three: the base grade, S, and GTS. Of course, there are others like T and the GT3 series, but since their production numbers are smaller, when people refer to the regular grades, they often mean these three.

Among them, the ‘GTS’ grade stands for ‘Grand Touring Sport’, which is tuned based on the S model. It’s not aimed at race tracks like the GT3 but is designed to be the fastest on public roads. Personally, it’s my favorite grade.

This GTS is the latest 992-generation Carrera GTS, painted in the popular Ruby Star Neo color. This color is the successor to the ‘Ruby Stone Red’ from the 964 era. It’s pink, so it stands out a lot, but it’s a color that defies the usual feminine or cute image associated with pink—it actually feels quite cool, which is fascinating.

This GTS is a right-hand drive manual transmission model, equipped with the standard GTS sports PASM chassis and rear axle steering, almost identical in specification to our Carrera T.

I got in right away and started the engine.

The seats are the standard GTS Sports Seats Plus (4-way), and the interior features the GTS Interior Package. When I turned the ignition, the 480hp highly tuned 3.0-liter flat-six turbo engine roared to life with a bold startup sound. This startup sound is essentially the same volume and tone as the Carrera T.

Pressing the clutch, which is surprisingly light and easy to operate for a Porsche, I shifted into first gear and slowly released the clutch. Without any sign of stalling, the GTS smoothly pulled away.

Accelerating to 30 km/h, then 40 km/h, honestly, at these speeds, the power difference between the GTS and the Carrera T’s 385hp base engine is not noticeable at all. In fact, the Carrera T even feels a bit more nimble and quick to accelerate.

“Is there really a 95hp difference?”

That was my initial impression as the test drive began.

The Suspension of the Carrera GTS

The biggest difference from the Carrera, Carrera S, and Carrera T is the ride comfort at low speeds. The GTS honestly feels a bit bumpy. Especially the rear’s sharp jolts and noise are quite pronounced. This is a ride quality I did not experience with the 992 Targa 4 GTS I drove before. Of course, the Targa has a different weight and dedicated suspension, so that’s expected, but this is quite a hard 911.

This road isn’t particularly rough; it’s a normal winding road. I have driven the same route in a 992 GT3, and the GT3 actually felt more comfortable.

After getting out of the car, I checked the suspension. The tire and wheel sizes are the same as the Carrera T and S, but the brakes are completely different. The GTS brakes are enormous—probably even larger than the older PCCB brakes. Such large cast-iron brakes must add significant unsprung weight, which might also affect the ride quality.

Ideally, I’d want PCCB on the GTS, but from what I’ve heard, at the time of writing this blog, PCCB is not available as an option.

Handling-wise, it’s very similar to the S and base Carrera. It doesn’t have the lightness of the Carrera T but has the solid 992 feel of gripping the road firmly. From the moment you start turning the steering wheel, the response is sharp, conveying overwhelming road contact through the steering as you corner.

With rear axle steering, the cornering ability is even higher.

Compared to the Carrera T, the GTS feels like it progressively pulls in tighter through corners, very similar to the GT3’s behavior.

Partway through, I switched the suspension to Sport mode, increasing the damping force. On straight roads, I didn’t feel much difference between Normal and Sport modes. As I pushed the pace and aggressively attacked corners, the previously harsh suspension softened, and surprisingly, the suspension felt more supple.

The owner in the passenger seat also said, “This feels more comfortable,” so I’m confident in that assessment.

Later, talking with the owner, we agreed that the GTS suspension’s design speed is far above typical Japanese public road speeds. The suspension’s sweet spot is at very high speeds, and only when subjected to significant loads at those speeds does it fully show its true performance.

In fact, the owner mentioned that when cruising slowly on congested routes like the Hanshin Expressway, they sometimes feel “hmm” about the ride comfort, but when pushing the car on winding roads with some load, their evaluation changes to “comfortable.” This hypothesis seems quite accurate.

By the way, the GTS’s tire pressure at this time was set to the standard pressure, almost neutral. Modern cars often have slightly higher standard pressures to improve fuel economy, so if anyone is dissatisfied with the GTS’s ride comfort, I recommend adjusting the pressure to Comfort mode in the settings and tuning the tire pressure.

The Charm of the GTS Engine

At the start, I said that at low speeds, the power feeling is not much different from the Carrera T’s base engine, but from around 4000 rpm and above, the story changes completely.

From about 4000 rpm, like the Carrera S engine, the rotational friction decreases further, and the engine eagerly climbs higher. Compared to the base Carrera engine, this is clearly noticeable. Naturally, the power feeling increases, and the GTS even produces a violent deep growl.

Although the engine displacement is the same, the sound is like the displacement has increased, a roar truly worthy of the name ‘roar.’ At high revs, the engine speed climbs incredibly fast, resembling a sparkler’s sparks intensifying toward the end.

As if summoning its last strength, the tachometer needle accelerates toward the redline with increasing speed. It’s not quite a GT3 engine, but it feels close.

However, that ‘roar’ is fleeting. The acceleration of the 480hp turbo engine is so intense that you quickly reach incredible speeds. Also, since this is a manual transmission, you need to shift quite quickly; any hesitation risks missing the best shift timing.

Next, I tested torque delivery at low speeds. Since the 992’s launch, I’ve often said on this blog that there is a difference in turbo lag at low rpm between the Carrera and Carrera S engines. This was a test to see how the GTS compares.

Driving in third gear at just under 2000 rpm, I pressed the accelerator firmly. The GTS accelerates with about a two-step delay. Then I switched to the Carrera T and did the same. The Carrera T accelerates with about a one-step delay. The owner sitting next to me said, “Indeed, the Carrera engine responds about a second faster. That explains the odd feeling during overtaking on the Hanshin Expressway…”

This might make it seem like the GTS engine is inferior, but considering the overwhelming power, sound, and rev feel at high rpm, it’s a fair trade-off. The GTS isn’t a 911 to drive slowly at low revs. The trick is to drive it in one gear lower with higher revs to bring out its best.

By the way, if you want an engine that’s superb both at high and low revs, I recommend the 911 Turbo or Turbo S. Those have incredible response at any rpm.

Practicality or Flair?

Regarding Porsche’s GTS, I personally currently own the 991 and 981 GTS models and have experienced various GTS versions including Cayman, Panamera, and Macan. I feel that recent GTS models have gotten too close to the GT3.

Whereas before it was closer to the S, it’s now more like the GT series in terms of power and suspension. The GTS is still tuned for public roads, but with each model change, it feels like it’s stepping one foot into the race track realm.

That’s a good thing, but it’s undeniable that some practicality has been sacrificed.

If you don’t care about resale value, want a 911 you can drive every day, and simply enjoy driving, I recommend the base Carrera. On the other hand, if you value resale, crave overwhelming power, want the flair of the GTS brand, and want a 911 that satisfies your ownership desires, the GTS is the better choice.

This isn’t about which is right or wrong. You should choose the 911 that fits your style. This GTS is a Carrera that has come as close as possible to the GT3. For those attracted to that, it will be the perfect partner.