Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Porsche has unveiled its new 911 Carrera GTS at the Paris motor show.

The model is a swansong for the current 997 range as the most powerful and potentially best-handling regular production Carrera yet.

It's due to go on sale in the UK in coupé and cabriolet body styles in December. It will be the final ‘regular’ 911 before the range is replaced with an all-new model from autumn 2011.

Unlike Porsche’s more extreme GT2, GT3 and Turbo 911s and their derivatives, the rear-wheel-drive GTS aims to preserve the Carrera’s day-to-day practicality while also boosting power, performance and dynamic ability.

Power from the Carrera S’s 3.8-litre direct-injection flat six engine is increased by 23bhp to 402bhp. Peak torque of 310lb ft is now available at 4200rpm, 200rpm lower than in the Carrera S.

Buyers get a six-speed manual gearbox as standard or can choose Porsche’s seven-speed PDK gearbox with steering wheel-mounted shifters as an option.

The manual GTS has a top speed 2mph higher than the Carrera S’s at 190mph, and its 0-62mph time is cut by 0.1sec to 4.6sec — or to as low as 4.2sec in a GTS coupé with PDK and the Sport Chrono Package Plus in Sport Plus mode.

Despite the extra power, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a PDK-equipped GTS are unchanged from the Carrera S’s at 27.7mpg and 240g/km.

The biggest visual change to the GTS is that the rear is 44mm wider than the Carrera S to accommodate a wider track. Porsche claims this “further enhances the chassis dynamics”.

A new sports exhaust system is also added, with two dual tailpipes painted black on the outside. Porsche says this exhaust set-up produces “a unique sound”.

The GTS rides on 19in RS Spyder high-gloss black alloy wheels with 235/35 ZR19 tyres at the front and 305/35 ZR19 at the rear. Other styling changes include a SportDesign front bumper with a black spoiler edge and black side skirts.

The rear bumper is painted black between the tailpipes and Carrera GTS logos are added to the doors and engine cover.

The black-finished cabin features Alcantara on the centre sections of the front sports seats, SportDesign steering wheel, gearlever and handbrake.

Prices for the Carrera GTS start at £76,758 for the coupé and £83,493 for the cabriolet.

Thanks to: Autocar