Porsche Carrera GTS. REVIEW. Dubai, UAE

Any lingering disappointment is swept swiftly under the GTS-monikered carpeting however as the road tightens from left to right-hander. Even in ‘Normal just cruising about’ mode, the balance is staggering. Though a 10mm reduction in ride height may seem inconsequential, this – coupled with that Carrera 4-esque stance at the rear – banishes thoughts of bodyroll to only the deepest, darkest recesses of the imagination. So much so that, the further we delve into the mountains, the more my entry speed begins to rise, grip from those massive tyres keeping the Carrera stable through even the most farcically off-cambered corners.

The widened rear track really is proving a knockout, 424bhp being ploughed to the rear axle but not at the expense of traction: even through the tighter turns, there’s little concern that the rear wheels are about to pivot and clout me in the ear. For that there’s always the PSM button eyeballing me from the transmission tunnel. Hmmm, nope, maybe next time…

So far, so 911. So – obviously – brilliant. And that does get me thinking about the Carrera S. Yes, the extra traction at the back is proving a sensation, but I’m not exactly feeling overawed by that additional 30bhp, and am beginning to wonder if those three little letters really are worth the hypothetical dosh.

Then I push Sport+.

Suddenly the perfectly capable but slightly clinical Porsche offers some renewed vigour. Quite a lot of renewed vigour in fact. In Sport – which I’ll segue through briefly – throttle response is sharpened and gear changes are speedier, but the experience still feels a little underwhelming. In Sport+ though, the GTS comes alive. The suspension is set to its firmest for maximum attack through the turns. Gear changes are almost impossibly quick, arriving with a palpable whoomph through the seat back as one gear blends seamlessly with the next, the only sound being the cursing under my breath for a proper paddle shift setup. Well, that and the phenomenal – PHENOMENAL – GTS sound escaping through the now unleashed sport exhaust. Under heavy acceleration, and as the revs hit mid-range, exhaust flaps open for maximum operatic oomph, a dirty sound that resonates about the cabin whether you want it to or not. Which you will. Suddenly those parallels between the Carrera S and this ‘parts bin’ GTS become slower fainter, thanks in large part to the newboy’s precision through the turns.

There’s really no escaping the precision of that setup, to the point that the extra horsepower is almost immaterial. It’s the poise the GTS demonstrates through the turns that truly furrows the brow, a balance and agility through the turns I doubt the S could manage, a strong claim in itself given the latter’s brilliance. Once again, lateral grip at pace in the GTS is mind-boggling, and I wonder how far I’d have to push before the tyres cry enough. Further than I’m willing to try I’ll wager. I also wonder if that performance band lying between the S and the race-bred GT3 has been filled.

Several hours of mindless hooning later, I’m staggered by the GTS in a way I hadn’t thought possible at the beginning of the day. But not in the tubthumping manner of the Turbo S, or the raw purity of the GT3. It’s something else, a step up on the poise and agility of the Carrera S only magnified exponentially. Much more than you would expect from a raid on the parts bin. In a straight line, there’s little warranted in that GTS badging. But through the turns, where the grip is apparently endless, the balance seemingly beyond compare, and steering feel as brilliant as we’ve come to expect from the Porsche 991, it’s a whole new ball game.

Amazing what a difference three little letters can really make. As we’ve found today, they don’t always have to be AMG or GT4.

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Technical specifications available on page 3