The end result? Well, with 534bhp it’s now 54bhp more powerful than the older GTS while being just 50kg heavier. However, this hybridisation isn’t really focused on efficiency overall – this 911 will still only return up to 22mpg in the best conditions – but instead has been introduced to help boost driver involvement and make this turbocharged car even more responsive than previous iterations of the 911. It can’t drive on electric-only power for any real distance – unlike ‘full’ hybrid cars – but uses battery charge to help increase performance and drive some auxiliary functions, like the air conditioning.
What’s it like to drive?
Right from the start the typical points we expect to be nailed in a Porsche 911 are, well, just that.The steering has some lovely weight to it and the thin-rimmed wheel makes interacting with the car a joy.The brakes are pleasant to use too and there’s that inherent agility present which helps to make the GTS keen through the corners. Refinement is decent, too, and even in a cabriolet version we tested there was very little noise with the roof in place. How does the engine get on, though? It’s an impressive thing, that’s for sure.Acceleration is near-brutal in fashion and accompanied by all manner of whistles and whooshes from the turbo which feels primed at any moment to help crank that Boxer engine up a gear.The gearshifts, in particular, are impressive and deal out each cog with lightning-fast response. We also tested the GTS out on track, where it never felt out of its depth and, in fact, proved this model to be yet again one of the sweet spots in the 911 range.
How does it look?
As we’ve touched upon, there’s a typically softly-softly approach to the styling of this new 911. Porsche says it has redesigned the headlights and while they might be incorporating new, more powerful LED technology they’re largely the same as those on the previous generation car.The front aerodynamic elements do give the lower portion of the GTS a more distinctive look and while we don’t doubt their effectiveness, they do make the 911 look a little fussier than before. From the rear, the changes are even more subtle.There have been some edits made to the lower portion of the car but the full-width light bar remains. In truth, the 992-generation car always looked smart in our eyes, so we can’t argue about the small tweaks made to this model.
What’s it like inside?
The 911 has always had a cabin focused around the driver and it’s no different here.The seats are low down and sculpted, while the steering wheel has plenty of adjustment to offer so you can get comfortable in no time.The general material quality is good, too, though we’d still like Porsche to think outside the box when it comes to the gloss black trim used to surround the gear selector – it’s shiny, attracts dust and is thrown into the foreground by the high-quality materials used in the rest of the cabin.
26 | mccarthyholden.co.uk
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker