For anyone who doesn’t closely follow Porsche’s lineup, the 911 range might seem as straightforward as a classical Greek play. At the bottom rung is the 911 Carrera 2 which is rear-wheel drive and comes with a 3.6-litre engine. Step up to the Carrera 2S and you get a bigger engine (3.8) and more power. If you live somewhere where roads have little grip then Porsche also offer Carrera 4 and 4S version which are essentially identical to the Carrera 2 but with all-wheel drive.
There are also convertible versions for the Carrera range. But if you don’t want a full convertible but still want wind in your hair motoring there’s the 911 Targa. But these are based on the Carrera 4 and 4S so are only available with all-wheel drive. Still with me?
Okay, go up further and we get into the performance range of the 911 family. That sounds strange, the ‘performance range of a sports car’ but bear with. The 911 GT3 (the one that spontaneously combusts) is like a more hardcore version of the Carrera 2S being a rear-wheel drive lightweight track-focused machine.
If you want more power then the Turbo and Turbo S cars should suffice with 520bhp and 560bhp respectively. These have all-wheel drive to reign in the power. Think of these as extreme versions of the Carrera 4. There are also convertible versions of the Turbo.
Apart from the Turbo, all 911s are naturally aspirated. Except for the GT2 which is also turbocharged as that’s a hardcore, lighter version of the Turbo. Or maybe it’s easier to think of the GT2 as a turbocharged GT3. But the GT3 also has a more hardcore and lighter version called the RS.
It goes without saying buying a 911 is pretty difficult. Getting the money for a 911 is a lot easier than actually deciding which one to get. Once you’ve decided which model to get you then have to think about wheels, colours, and options. There really should be a Porsche Buying Guide for Dummies. And now Porsche have added yet another variant into the mix. But that’s no bad thing because they’ve actually made the whole process easier.
The new model is called the Carrera GTS and fits in between the Carrera 2S and GT3. It’s still rear-wheel drive and naturally aspirated and available in either Coupe or Cabriolet body styles. It has a 40bhp advantage over the Carrera 2S, sharing the same engine. So thats 430bhp and a 0-100 km/h time for 4 seconds dead. That’s only 0.5 seconds shy of the Turbo’s time. The GTS has the same widebody design as the Carrera 4 models and GT3 making it better looking than the standard Carrera. It also has the same taillight design as the ‘4’ models.
To make differentiating it from other 911 models (no really, it does look different) GTS models have blacked out everything. So thats black alloys, black badging, blacked out lights, blacked out exhausts, and even blacked out rear intake grille (that I like). Inside you get a mix of leather and Alcantara and slightly more equipment. Porsche will throw in cornering lights, a sports exhausts, the Sport Chrono pack, launch control, adaptive dampers, and PASM.
So to recap the 911 GTS is more powerful, better looking, and has more equipment than a Carrera 2S. It is less expensive and more useable everyday than a GT3, not to mention having two-extra seats. It’s more pure than a Turbo or Carrera 4 as it is still two-wheel drive. Buying a 911 has never been so easy!
