CAPE TOWN – Snick, snick, snick… The stubby lever slots into each of the seven gears with the precision of a hunting rifle’s bolt action. This is the first time I’ve driven a Porsche 911 with an analogue gearbox, and I repeatedly revel in the smoothness of the action and the brevity of the travel across the gate. Why would anyone order a 911 GTS and tick the less interactive PDK option?
Of course, the bulk of Porsche buyers do exactly that. And with good reason: the modern-day 911 has morphed into a comfortable, refined sportscar that is entirely useable day to day. And that means getting stuck in traffic, where Porsche’s slick dual-clutch transmission removes the strain of stomping a fairly heavy – though perfectly progressive – clutch pedal.
A racetrack…
But back to that manual car… It’s a Carrera 4 GTS Coupé – which, unlike the Cabriolet and Targa models, is fitted exclusively with the PASM sport chassis and I’m at Killarney Raceway following 2016 Le Mans class winner Marc Lieb, who’s snatched himself the key to a Turbo. I should have learnt my lesson last month when I nervously trailed Bernd Schneider around Portimão in a Mercedes-AMG GT R. Racing drivers, as affable as they are outside the car, seem unable to slacken the pace when a racetrack is at their disposal. Marc’s on it, but thankfully I know Killarney well enough to feel comfortable pushing the GTS.
Through turn one, the 44 mm broader rear track (made possible by the standard-fitment, wider Carrera 4 body) means the vehicle feels poised and grippy. On the exit, the four-wheel-drive system allows slight slip as I jump on the long-travel throttle. I snick down to second gear for turn two, the ECU rev-matching perfectly, and keep Marc’s line through the kink before we tackle the two right-handers leading into the back straight. The electrically assisted steering system – better than it was in the first iteration of the 991 series, and now optionally available with rear-axle steering – feels beautifully weighted, the gearing is spot-on and the Alcantara cover absorbs the sweat on my palms as the car hits a bump on the back straight at nearly 250 km/h. There’s a momentary lightening of the rear axle before the car settles, I stomp on the 911 Turbo-shared brakes and we sweep through the final corner and exit onto the main straight.
Of course, had Marc actually mined the depths of his immense talent, he would have left me for dead before we arrived at the second corner, but what was most illuminating about the track experience was the GTS’ sheer composure and predictability.
And a mountain pass
After lunch, we head out onto a route that tracks through Durbanville’s hills before taking us to Stellenbosch and Helshoogte Pass. I’m now driving a Targa 4 GTS (R1 966 000) coupled with PDK. Opening the quick-folding fabric roof section allows the 3,0-litre, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine’s spine-tingling exhaust note, exiting through GTS-specific black tailpipes, to flood the spacious cabin when the drivetrain is set to sport or sport plus mode. All GTS models boast the Sport Chrono Package as standard, which allows the driver to choose between three drive modes and a fourth, customisable one. PDK versions also have a Sport Response setting that primes the engine and transmission for maximum performance for 20 seconds, perfect for overtaking.
Not that the GTS truly needs such a mode. Thanks to a relatively light kerb weight, swift response from the transmission and 550 N.m of torque delivered from 2 150 r/min right through to 5 000, the vehicle is stupendously quick in a straight line. Porsche claims the swiftest version, the Carrera 4 GTS Coupé PDK in sport plus mode, hits 100 km/h from standstill in 3,6 seconds. And, for once, it’s a claim that feels entirely realistic.
On sections of craggy tar outside Stellenbosch, the GTS rides very firmly, but the damping is of such quality that intrusions rarely shudder through to the cabin. Annoying wind buffeting in the Targa is more of a problem, but I’d happily accept that compromise for the vehicle’s unique design.
Then again, I’d happily drive any GTS model (pricing and info on the full range is here) and quite possibly never desire another car. That singular quality all models in the 911 range possess bar the hardcore RS variants – the ability to play sportscar and daily driver all at once – has been amplified here to an impressive degree.
