2017 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Trading a fancy folding roof and a pair of front driveshafts for no more than a third pedal in the footwell, this standard, rear-drive, manual 911 GTS coupé will always be the first choice of those who’ve always believed that, when it comes to 911s, simplest is best. This is the lightest GTS you can buy, weighing just 10kg more than a Carrera S and that only thanks to its Carrera 4-width body, and regardless of what figures enhanced by four-wheel drive traction or super-swift PDK shifts might claim for other GTSs, the fastest too. How fast? Well, it has a better power to weight ratio than that well known sluggard, the Mercedes-AMG GT.

It also has the full suite of GTS enhancements, including the most powerful version of the new 3-litre flat six twin turbo motor yet seen with 444bhp, lowered, sports suspension (not available on Cabriolet or Targa GTSs), reduced sound deadening, a sports exhaust, a limited slip differential, torque vectoring, bigger brakes with Turbo pads, 20in centre-lock wheels, active engine mounts and the option of rear-wheel steering.

Outside there’s a minor aero tweak to front and rear spoilers and true to GTS form, the car’s gone all moody with black wheels, black exhausts, smoked tail lights and black GTS badges. Inside the familiar Alcantara theme returns on the steering wheel, gear lever, and seat centres. GTS badges are omnipresent, on the rev-counter, TFT centre screen, kick-plates, as an option on seats and as standard on the carpet for those who, for one strange reason or another, choose to spec their GTS without rear seats.

Video review of Carrera 4 GTS