About Porsche’s GTS Models

At the end of the year, my husband went on a touring trip in the Boxster GTS and said thoughtfully:

The GTS model, true to its name Grand Touring Sport, really is well suited for touring. It’s actually more ideal than the GT3.

That’s what he said.

When I asked him why,

Of course, it’s fun to drive on great roads, but even when driving slowly on regular roads to get there, the ride is comfortable, so you don’t get tired. Especially this time, since we crossed prefectural borders and couldn’t use the highway much, having to drive on local roads a lot, I felt that even more.

I see…

When I said, “But the 911 GTS I once rode in with an acquaintance had a very stiff suspension, and I felt tired after a long time, so maybe it differs by model?” he replied,

No, the 911 GTS you rode in back then, I later found out, had a sports chassis and cup tires, so the ride was stiff. If it hadn’t been set up like that, I think the ride would have been a bit more comfortable.

That makes sense… Tires really do make a huge difference in ride comfort.

Is the 911 GT3 Too Much to Handle?

Since that end-of-year touring trip, my husband has been saying things like this:

I’ve realized that I love driving even more than just loving cars. So I want to go touring often, and I want to drive aggressively on all kinds of roads without worrying too much about weather or road conditions.
Thinking that way, I’ve started to feel that maybe the 911 GT3 Touring isn’t really necessary for me right now.

I said, “What?! But you said it was the last naturally aspirated GT3 model and that the Touring Package made it rare and valuable, and that it was an exciting, top-tier car you couldn’t let go of!” and he replied,

Yeah, that’s true… I still think it’s valuable and that it’s amazing on wide, beautiful roads. But even though it’s called Touring, the GT3 Touring is still a GT3. So the ride is stiff, and honestly, it’s a bit much for city streets and regular roads.
The naturally aspirated engine sounds wonderful, but since I can’t frequently rev it above 4000 rpm in daily driving, I don’t get to hear it much.
Still, when you drive it on good roads, it feels incredible, and I’m impressed thinking, “That’s the GT3! It’s on a whole different level than the GTS!” But that only happens for maybe 10-20% of the time on a tour. The other 80% or more is not as fun compared to the GTS, and getting stuck in traffic is the worst. Maybe it’s even more so because it’s a manual.
For those brief moments of thrill, the GT3’s use ends up being limited, and lately, I’ve felt it’s a bit wasteful to keep owning it.
Since I love driving and touring, I think I get way more enjoyable time with the GTS or the base models. Also, the GT3 has cup tires, so it’s scary to drive on rainy days, meaning I have to watch the weather as well as the roads.
So, I’ve recently been thinking that maybe the GT3 is more than I need right now, or that I’m not making the most of it.

I see… Not just the driving opportunities, but the price is also incredibly high.

I said, “But the GT3 Touring would probably sell quickly if you let it go, and it might be hard to find one in good condition anymore, right?” and he said,

Yeah. But even if I want a GT3 again in the future, there’s the high-performance 992 GT3 coming out, so that might be fine… But well, the GT3 is really a car meant for the circuit, so since I only go to the track a few times a year, maybe I don’t need it. And if I’m going to the track, I’d rather have a GT3 RS.

I see… I never thought my husband would say something like this, but I get it.

He continued,

After all, you really don’t know until you actually own one. Thinking calmly, it’s obvious the GT3 is too much for daily use, but feeling it firsthand is important.
We once had a Panamera Turbo, and before buying it, I knew turbo power isn’t really necessary on Japanese roads, but I wanted to say that only after owning one, so I went for it. Owning it, I thought, “It’s an amazing car, but I really don’t need this much power.” (laughs)
But you can’t understand that feeling without owning it, so I’m glad I did at least once.

I see (I feel like all I’ve said so far is “I see” lol)

Many messages we receive on this blog say, “It’s helpful to read impressions based on actual ownership, not just a few hours of test driving,” and I really feel that test driving and owning are completely different experiences.

In 2021, I hope we can continue to steadily share our honest voices and real feelings.