Hello all,

Having had my GTS for 3 months now, I thought I would write a short piece about my recent change from a 991 C2 PDK to a 991 GTS PDK.

I have been a long term 911 fan for quite a few years. Starting with a 993 C4 and then moving to a 997.1 then a 997.2 PDK, two 991 C2 PDK and finally a 991 GTS.



So this is my third 991, something I did not intend to happen, but after thinking very long and hard about buying a new 991.2 I decided that, for me at least, the GTS was the best car available at this time.



There are lots of things I could say about the C2 v the GTS, but I thought I would just look at three areas for now. The power difference (350 v 430), the styling and the performance v cost.

The POWERRR!…. 3.4 v 3.8





So this will be controversial, while there is a difference between the 3.4 and the 3.8 it isn’t as pronounced as you might think. The moments when you really feel the difference are in the top end of the rev range. Typically as the 3.4 is trailing off the power the 3.8 gets its second wind. What this translates to in the real world is that over 70mph is where you really feel the difference. Of course none of us go over 70(!) so that begs the question, is the extra muscle worth the additional cost? Of course I joke, there are a few additional differences that show up when you are in the wrong gear, (which doesn’t matter in the 3.8 as much as the 3.4), but of course the wonder of PDK means that if you are in the wrong gear it is only for a second (or less). And that’s the issue, while the 3.8 feels more muscular it really doesn’t matter if you have PDK with the 3.4. I would gander that the actual performance difference is almost indistinguishable between the two engines. If anything, the manic nature of the 3.4 lends itself to the overall feel for the baby 911.

I should mention that until I owned my second C2 PDK (with SPASM and PTV etc), I longed for an S. But the feel I gained from the SPASM together with Sports Chrono etc, was a real leveller both in terms of performance and feel, and for me it is all about feel….

GTS bits

So, why buy a GTS over say an S? Well for me it’s the wide body (love), the black bits, (on my white car, outstanding) and the extra toys you get as standard. Oh and the noise, did I mention the noise? A GTS is the (I think) the loudest 991 you can buy (not withstanding the GT cars). I was dead set on buying a 991.2 until I drove two of them (C2 and C2S). Great as they were, (and they are really good), I really missed the sound my C2 made. Then when I drove the GTS, I was reminded why I had lusted after one for sooooo long. There is a two-stage noise flap, (not the correct technical term) that opens as you nail the throttle. It sounds ‘holy cow’ good, and will I bet sold/will sell many, many GTS’s on noise alone. I don’t recall any other 991 making quite the same noise. (Do power kitted 991s have the two stage flap thing)? But for me, again, it felt like a 911, even more so as you get higher and higher up the rev range. The C2 could not match the noise and theatre of the GTS power kitted 3.8, in fact I’m not sure many engines can.





Performance

So, is the GTS faster than a C2? Well yes, yes it obviously is, it is 350hp v 430hp in largely the same car. But, and this is the big but, there is something I would like to add as someone who has driven 991 since 2013. If you buy a bongo, standard C2 manual without Sports Chrono and without SPASM, then the chasm between them, not just cost wise, but in terms of feel and performance will be notable. But, if you have a fully loaded C2 with Sports Chrono (dynamic engine mounts), SPASM, PTV, and any other performance enhancing bits (ceramic brakes maybe), then honestly, the difference will be very small. Add sports exhaust, (a must on a 991) and that gulf becomes a tiny stream.

However, and this is where I admit that I made a mistake. I thought that the GTS came with SPASM as standard, if you look at the Porsche web site it is very unclear about SPASM added to the car and there are very few GTS’s (or other 991s) with SPASM, so I assumed it was standard. It isn’t. And so as a result, honestly my last C2 felt and drove better….. I didn’t notice it on the test drive because it is such a tiny thing when every other thing about the GTS is a step up from the C2, but it is there. The steering, stance and feel of my C2 was a tiny, tiny percentage better than the GTS I now own.

I should also mention the cost. My last C2 with all the bits it had was £96k new. No one in their right mind would spec a C2 to that amount of money, except Porsche. My car was an ex-Porsche car that had been speced to the nines and then sold on at 6 months old. I paid just over £74k for it and at that money it was a great deal, but compare that to a 6 month GTS at £96k and its an interesting problem. Is the GTS worth the extra £20k? I guess it depends on what you want and what you are happy to spend. For me I float between no, and yes, (noise)! Well, not unless you buy one with SPASM then it is worth every penny.





Anyway, I’m now looking at fitting the BILSTEIN B16 DAMPTRONIC COILOVER SUSPENSION KIT to correct my error.

Anyway, I hope this adds something to the debate, love reading this forum.

Regards,

Tom

 

Great write up Tom. Thanks!

 

love the GTS cars......the 991 GTS most of all. interesting the commentary between the 991C2 and a C2S. having come out of a C2S 3.8l and now driving a 3.4 C2, i can definitely feel the difference in power, and how each make their power. my 3.8 had spasm, this 3.4 only pasm, so far the difference there isn't huge, but it is felt. sports chrono; had it now i don't, not necessary if daily driving the majority of the time. pasm offers sport mode, and truthfully, i'm typically shifting via the paddles anyways. the 3.4l i have to work to make it go fast (that's the fun part about it), the 3.8l less so as it had more grunt when stepping hard on the gas. both fine automobiles, just different. the 991 GTS? my absolute favorite....an almost perfect 991.

congrats on yours!

 

Nice writeup and I do agree with your core message that a C2 with the correct hardware is a blast to drive. I've stated it before and believe that a C2 with spasm and sc is a real winner.

One subject I disagree with you on is the power kit magic. Most people tend to equate speed with feel and they tend to forget that torque isn't a good gauge of how fast a car is. You would have to run the variants side by side to see the actual difference. The difference is substantial.

Porsche is an anomaly as is because the hp and torque values should not put these cars in the same category as those producing much more. Porsche has mastered rear engine power put to the road. To me the power kit is tremendous because I've seen the difference. It's a good bit faster in all the gears.

 

GTS is just so incredible and the 991.1 probably the last NA GTS, enjoy the last of the finest.

Congrats on the GTS!

 

Just a vote here for that nicely done, very classy silver C2. I think iit says to the world, "this is all I need". (at least for awhile).

 

Totally agree with you. I just purchased mine after a few months with the Black Edition, basically a Base with a few goodies thrown in. The GTS is TOTALLY a different animal. The sound just puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. (sport mode) Have not done Sport Plus as of yet tho. Also the wide rear is soooo sexy!!!

 

Have you thought about a DSC module for the suspension? Much easier mod than new dampers and works v well.

 

MagicRat,
Have you gone to the DSC module on a non-spasm gts? Mine did not have spasm but everything else that I wanted when dealer located it. I am going to get the DSC and lowering springs I think. Thanks

 

I think the DSC works as a replacement for the PASM/SPASM brain, if your car doesn't have PASM/SPASM then the DSC would have nothing to plug into.

 

I have, but I also want to lower the car.

Have you tried the module?

 

Nice write up! Anyway is that GT silver on the C2?

 

Yes, sure is.

 

Have it on my PDCC GTS cab and love it. Makes the car feel incredibly planted and improves road feel. Car feels mid-engined on turn in and then rear-engined on way out. Sport mode on the PASM is also now comfortable enough to use all the time.

You're right that it doesn't lower the car, but not much lowering goes on in my city of speed bumps...

 

Have you though about sourcing the S-pasm springs and sway bars from Porsche? This was a common practice years ago to retrofit m030 suspension to a standard base car.