I think what makes the 992 generation of the GTS trim level so much more intriguing than previous generations is the 992 GTS is not simply a tarted up C2S, with some fancy Race-Tex (née alcantara) bits and badging.

For once, the GTS actually has a quasi-bespoke dampers setup (a hybrid of the TT/TTS dampers and rear helper springs even though no double wishbone from the GT cars) and larger brakes from the TT/TTS. It's now actually not only a more powerful car than the S, but a better car from a chassis tuning standpoint.

 

I’m not an engineer, but I’m a trained scientist AND a marketing executive. If you think that the base brakes are lacking for the performance envelope of the car as it was designed to be used, then congrats to Hans at Porsche marketing - he did his job.

 

Instead of fixating on Nick Murray’s review, why not listen to someone who has driven all the 992 variations. Enjoy.

 

Agree. And if people look thru Porsche history, they will see Porsche has upsized the brakes only as needed, according to engine power.
It does seem Porsche is sandbag on engine power & Torque ratings now.
Greenies don't like huge power ratings from ICEs.
According to magazines the 640 Hp Turbo S is highly underrated.
A Chicagoland friend of mine traded a 991.2 Turbo S with a tune for >700 Hp on the drunk for a 992 Turbo S. He says the 992 Turbo S is so much faster than his 700+ Hp tuned 991.2 Turbo S, that it's crazy. He simply does not believe the factory 640 Hp for the new 911 Turbo S. He thinks Porsche is now underwriting the upper end 911s.
And one magazine article I read said the new 992 911 Turbo S is the fastest accelerating production sports car they ever tested.
Hmm...
Reminds me of the muscle car era of the 1960s when Detroit mfrs sandbagged on engine ratings. They rated the Plymouth/Dodge 426 dual-quad Maximum Performance hemis at 425 Hp. That rating was so low that all the car mags laughed at it, at that time...

 

The GTS appears designed to a specific audience with options tailored for someone who wants a more trackable C2/4S, whether or not the car will see the track. I'm not a fan of many of the trim options and more inclined toward a Gran Turismo optioned car (the suppler standard suspension w/o 10mm lowering etc) . Centerlock wheels are way cool but difficult to support (would you trust your local tire shop with them?). It'd be nice to have the Turbo Brakes as a lesser cost option on the standard car (instead of justthe $9K CC), but I doubt that would be a meaningful improvement in normal driving. The 30BMP bump can be had and exceeded by a quality tune (Techart etc) for relatively little investment. So for me the GTS attraction is only its brakes and power. For those who like the several other exclusive features of the car, it appears a satisfying solution.

 

I believe you are missing the point. The GTS is going to come with options you may not want. If they match up, great, if not, you pay more. As I've pointed out, with my spec, the delta is closer to $12K.

And the GTS has larger turbos...and that means more lag (that's kind of a duh). That's not going to show up launching the car or on a spirited mountain drive with the engine at full boil.. It is going to show up as you DD it. Noticeable? Maybe on a back to back drive - but I notice the lag on my S, so making that worse is not cool. And no, I'm confident the GTS would not be better for me - and that seems to be the issue with many here. "The GTS is the sweet spot!" - ha, for who? Not me, others? maybe - but the tone here is "If you don't agree the GTS is the perfect car, something is wrong with you"..

 

Does the GTS have larger turbos? I suspect the 30bhp is all in the ECU. The power has to come from somewhere and that suggests more boost somehow ... larger turbo, maybe/maybe not. If not, the lag might well be unnoticeable.

 

While I'm sure I've read it, MotorTrend seems to say it is just more boost. https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2...-drive-review/
"In the past, Porsche offered an optional factory "power kit" for 911 Carreras, but not this time around with the 992. The 2022 porsche 911 Carrera GTS is therefore your only pass for accessing a version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo flat-six tuned up to 473 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Those figures are achieved via an approximately 14.5 percent increase in turbo boost pressure (the peak is now 18.3 psi), and they reflect improvements of 30 hp and 30 lb-ft compared to the Carrera S. Those numbers also bring the GTS' output somewhere near the ballpark of the GT3's 502 horses. The only actual engine-hardware upgrade, Porsche says, is a strengthened dual-mass flywheel to cope with the additional torque."

 

As always take what the media says with a grain of salt. Only trust what Porsche themselves publish, or can be verified through physical inspection or instrumented tests.

 

No, it doesn't.

The only internal difference between the GTS engine and the regular Carrrera S is beefing up the dual mass flywheel to account for at the additional torque in the GTS v. the S (420 v. 390).

 

Personally I don't need the GTS badge, the centerlocks or lack of wheel options, the SD front, etc. So the S with SPASM, PSE, RAS and an MT work just fine. If I was ok not having rear seats I would have bought a 718 GTS (except for the fact that it still has a 2013 interior). And if the base came in a manual, I may have gone for that, though I can't say I mind the S brakes and SPASM. As to the HP bump, it's Porsche's tune on the S engine, so I can achieve that with my own tune. And if I do I'll have 992 MT that breaks the speed limit in town faster than I do now (which is why some like the base better as you can enjoy the gearing more before you are needing to slow down). IMHO the GTS eliminates things I want, without giving me more in return, for more $$ before even considering current ADMs and availability.