Z356

There might be some 'breaking news' coming soon on this subject. I thought it might be prudent to start a thread in anticipation of that news. At a recent thread called 'Is 981 Cayman R (thereby, Spyder) Imminent?', we touched briefly on the subject of the date of the debut for the 981 GTS:

Officially, as discussed above, the 981 GTS (Cayman & Boxster) is scheduled to make its official public debut at the Beijing Auto Show. Press Day for that event is April 20th!

http://www.china-autoshow.com/2010bjx/en/

But the boys over at Planet 9, who know a thing or two about Caymans & Boxster, are pretty certain that the information embargo (details about the 981 GTS model given in advance to motoring press with the condition not to make it public until an agreed to future date) is being lifted early - in fact on March 19th! Some of them seem to feel that Porsche dealers in the US will be able to finalize their orders re: their previously allocated 981 GTS models starting on March 20th and to expect their first delivery of the 981 GTS perhaps as early as July, 2014! So all interested parties should be on standby because all the specifics of this model might be released in two days!

Here is a recent 981 GTS report from 'Car' in Britain:

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-...twins-scooped/

And attached are the latest two photos of a undisguised 981 GTS Boxster published last month in World Car Fans.

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

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PS Rider: I don't think the timing release of the GTS has anything to do with the anticipation/speculation that some motors in the .2 981 version after the facelift will be turbocharged. Remember that the 981 Boxster/Cayman was introduced as a MY2013, a bit later than the 991 which came first as a late MY2012. I would hope to see the facelift on the 981 in MY2016 (to coincide with the .2 991 expected in Spring 2015). But it might be pushed back six-months or more on the 981 model...since facelifts normally occurs after four model years...not after the third!!!


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Z356

The Planet 9 lads are pretty sure the 'details' on the 981 GTS will be released tomorrow...or by March 20th at the latest! Let's hope so.

In the meantime, some additional prototype photos from AutoGespot...this one a Cayman GTS!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

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Marine Blue

Visually the only difference I see is at the front bumper. Rear and sides look the same. So if I was making an educated guess, this package will be special wheels, more power and a group of popular options. Will be interesting to see where the price lands.

hzoenvy33

From the 997 GTS "experience", I think this will be in fact the case.
The front bumper and the "diffuser" on the rear seem a bit different, the new tail lights and 20inch wheels probably standard.

Maybe some interior stuff (GTS on the seats or the door step) and the power figures that someone released a couple of days ago...

If they really change to a turbo charged engine, I wonder how they will be able to fit that into the mid-engine layout.. ok, if it is 4 cylinder, the engine will be smaller to fit the "turbo stuff" in it.. I think when there are already 991.2 with turbos out there, it will be 1 or 2 years longer until the turbocharger will come to the 98x. MY 2017 maybe or even not for the facelift?

Z356

The dealers were told at that PCNA meeting (the slide photo that was leaked to the press -first photo) that MSRP will be $75,000 for base. But don't know if they are talking Boxster GTS or Cayman GTS. Normally (or should I say "abnormally"), the hardtop Cayman is more expensive than the convertible Boxster! It would be unusual if both GTS are $75K base.

http://jalopnik.com/2014-porsche-box...000-1410686769

If you pay close attention to the dates on the slide, that is where is mentioned that the embargo off date is March 19th, 2014 and the official debut in April at the Beijing Auto Show. I can't make out the 'Point of Sale' date.

Obviously, the front bumper is the most attractive feature of the GTS. As hzoenvy33 points out, the rear tail lights are the optional 'dark tinted' (second photo) and it will come with 20" wheels as standard! The extra hp is 15. Leather interior & Sport Design steering wheel. Black external model designations like in the 991 gt3. We are hoping all of these 'leaks' and 'rumors' are verified tomorrow.

Saludos,
Eduardo

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Schmidts Cat

Shouldn't GTS have alcantara? Like the 997 GTS, and Cayenne GTS?

spyderphile

Eduardo:
Thanks for the pictures and links. My inference (based on various reports/speculations) on 981.2 is for MY2016, which isn't far from your estimates. Isn't an average life of a platform about 6 years? That puts a face-lift at 3-year mark. It appears, by the similar time period, 991 (non-GT3) might be getting downsized flat-6 turbo. I wish I was more successful financially; I would get well spec-ed 981 and 991 with NA engines and live happily ever after! Sadly, when I reach that position, there won't be any new Porsche model that would meet my narrow criteria!

Afshin, hzoenvy33, Eduardo:
You guys could be discounting structural/beneath-the-surface changes. I am betting on chassis and steering tuning. If PASM is the only suspension (with no option of X73), then there might be further tuning of it. So, GTS could (and, should) have stuff that couldn't be added discretely to base/S.

Schmidts Cat:
I am betting that we should be able to configure via Configurator just like other models; it would allow options like Alcantara (as opposed to standard, is it?).

cheers. henry.

Z356

Yes, that is what I would expect to see/read tomorrow in their 'announcement' (if it happens). Alcantara headliner, alcantara inlays on the leather seats, alcantara panels on the bottom half of the door, alcantara armrest, alcantara sport design steering wheel & alcantara shifter! No alcantara brake lever...those are history now in most new Porsches.

Remember this 'leaked' slide was a PCNA photo presentation to their 'dealers'. So they had to 'dumb-it-down' to reach their intended target.

To dealers, standard 'Leather' on the GTS sounds like good, expensive content & makes them 'happy'! PCNA's knows their targeted audience all too well! But for us their end customers, they'll 'man-up' and give us 'Alcantara' with leather on this GTS, as they do on all their most 'sportiest' of models! That much detail information would have confused most dealers...so that is why they simplified it for them!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

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Z356

I say 7 years & sometimes 8! For example, let's take the 997

MY2005
MY2006
MY2007
MY2008
facelift
MY2009
MY2010
MY2011
MY2012 (ended early).

Yes, Turbos are coming to all models and PDK will be soon the only transmission choices. Blame tough Euro Cycle 6 emissions and USA CAFE standards! But we really don't know yet exactly what is Porsche's battle plan for introducing them to the 981 & 991 base models.

I will not speak for the others, but I am not discounting any of it! I am hopeful that the GTS's PASM (which I expect will be the only suspension offered on the 981 GTS!) will be modified & calibrated for more 'Sport' than in the other non-GTS 981 models. That is my HOPE for the big announcement that will come tomorrow! For those of us that owned & loved the MY2011/2012 Spyders & MY2012 Cayman R, we all know how a well-tuned factory suspension can (in addition to light weight components) make all the difference in the feel & handling of a particular model! So the improved 981 chassis, the already light components in that chassis, the higher HP and a specifically sport-tuned 'PASM' could create in the 981 GTS a world-class performer! For those of us that are fans of Porsche mid-engine platform, nothing would give us more reason to celebrate than to see the 981 GTS become the affordable 'gt3-Lite' in the Porsche line-up! But that remains to be seen, confirmed and tested in the coming days and months ahead!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

orthojoe

Muhahahahhaha.

mooty

this is exciting.
now that front bumper is so so.
fender not wide enough.
and WHERE IS THE BIG A** WING. no wing is no GTS.
keep it light, forget the stupid options.

Tommy 5

+1!

Kelderek

The GTS is up on the Porsche website now!

the_vetman

Alright, gents:

http://www.porsche.com/microsite/box...px?pc=98134FB1

orthojoe

New GTS is perfectly optioned out of the box. I don't think there is anything you need to add. Nice package deal.

Alcantara, sport exhaust, sport suspension free option, sport chrono, everything