I wanted to take some time because in addition to all the exterior bits, the interior gets some GTS love as well, such as contrast-stitching in either Crayon (that somehow looks beige in some lights, and silver in others) or the Carmine Red I prefer, black dashboard trim strips, aluminum inserts and a sueded-microfibre material called “Race-Tex”.
A shorter-throw shifter and GT sport steering wheel are nice additions in the performance vein. Remember when I said the shift action was one of the best in the biz? Well, this makes it even better.
In addition, you’ve got all the goodies the 911 is known for, for example the latest-gen PCM infotainment with much more responsive touchscreen, fine aluminum switchgear, digital gauge cluster with central analogue tach and… a traditional cupholder?
That’s right. No longer are 911 owners saddled with the almost vestigial retractable dash-mounted items we used to see in the 911. You were better off to reach for your Coke Zero yourself with those things. This holds drinks better, which is good, but your drink will get in the way as you reach for the shifter, especially the shorter one found in the GTS. They just can’t get the 911’s cupholder right, can they?
Forget all that, though, because you’ll also notice the trademark clock atop the dash (except here, its face matches the stitching), which denotes the existence of the Sport Chrono package. It comes as standard here, along with a wheel-mounted drive mode switch, dynamic engine mounts to reduce powertrain vibration, PSM Sport mode and something called the “Sports Response” button.
Now, with 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque (that latter figure is more than what’s made by the GT3) from a 3.0L twin-turbo flat-6, the 911 GTS is obviously no slouch to begin with. But Sport Response turns things up to 11 for 10 seconds, kind of like a launch control, but while you’re moving.
That button is cool, but it’s somewhat secondary to everything else that’s going on, right at your fingertips. The manual – especially in short-throw GTS form – is so snickety-snick good that I’d never forgive myself for skipping it on the order sheet. Every gear slots so darn perfectly and precisely and the lever feel is so right on. Plus, it’s available all the time, and not just for 10-second bursts.
You’re looking at sub-3.5 second 0-100 km/h times as the 911 GTS just explodes off the line upon tip-in. Hardly any turbo lag, just a deep, guttural punch of acceleration that is one of the best non-turbo-feeling turbos I’ve sampled in recent memory. It feels (and sounds!) properly naturally aspirated and may the lord be with you if you don’t hold on when you hit it. Even when in mid-gear at speed, there’s that gorgeous flat-6 again, wailing behind you – thank the reduced sound deadening over the Carrera for that - as the scenery blurs.
Acceleration times are one thing, but the 911 GTS remains a Porsche and it’s in the curves where these cars need to really make their reputation.
Faced with the spidery switchbacks of the mountainous region around Rome and set to no-holds-barred Sport Plus mode, the GTS carves the curves, almost belittling any challenge they present by providing ultra-honest grip and heart-in-your-throat power on through turn exit. The 911 may be bigger and wider than it’s ever been, but it sure doesn’t feel like it, not even here on these narrow, unforgiving roads.
For all that, however, it’s the steering that really, REALLY does it. It may no longer be hydraulically assisted, but the steering rack is rock solid, seemingly immune to any vibrations. That feeling of solidity translates into immense turn-in that you really have to be ready for. The nose follows your inputs so closely that you feel that can place the 911 GTS to within an inch of any spot on the tarmac below. You’d never know you have all that weight behind you until you start allowing it to step out in turns. Which it will do, gamely, if you ask it to.
It’s also here that the next benefit of the Targa form comes into focus, and that’s open-air motoring that feels more put-together than the cabriolet model. The structural integrity feels more genuine here, as less of the body structure has been carved out than in the convertible. Of all the cabrios out there, the 911 is one of the best, but even when I drove that variant, I still got the sensation that there was a little more bending and flexing going on below and around me. I never felt this in the GTS. It just feels honed, and the fact that you can let that much more sunshine in is an added bonus.
The more I drove the 911 Targa GTS, the more I realized that it really does represent the perfect sweet spot in the 911 range. This was originally a model that was kind of like a “plus” version of the 911, essentially a Carrera with performance options checked. Now, though, the GTS, with its unique style both inside and out, standard Sport Chrono package and bonafide twin-turbo power, is much more a model unto itself, a compelling mix of the GT3 above it, and the Carrera below.
Not to mention that depending on how you spec it, you can have your GTS lean one way or the other. Add the three body styles, and you really can’t go wrong here.
We like
Sweet spot for 911 lineup
Perfect shift lever action
GTS styling upgrades
We like less
Some slight interior ergonomic issues
No RWD Targa option
The competition
Acura NSX
Audi R8
BMW M4 Competition
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Coupé
Specifications sheet of 2022 PORSCHE 911 GTS TARGA 4
