PORSCHE 911 [992] CARRERA CABRIOLET

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Back in 2019, the original 992-era version of Porsche's 911 sportscar proved that this model line had plenty of life left in it. Proof of that came with this mid-level Carrera GTS model. With more focus than a base Carrera and just a taste of 911 Turbo, it might well be all the 911 you could ever need from the 2021-2024 era. Here's where we look at this 992 model from a used buyer's perspective and try to find out.

Models

2dr sports Coupe / Cabriolet / Targa (3.0 Carrera & Carrera4)

History

'GTS' or 'Gran Turismo Sport' branding has long been a Porsche staple. The company first used it back in 1963 with their 904, the moniker supposed to designate a sports car suitable for both road and track. GTS versions of the 924, 928 and Cayenne then eventually followed but the badge didn't appear on the 911 until 2009, as part of the facelift made to the '997' version of that model. Sales were strong enough for the GTS nomenclature to be retained for the replacement '991'-series 911 in 2012. In 2021, it also appeared on that car successor, the '992' series 911, creating the car we're going to look at here. Which was available with rear and all-wheel drive and with the Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet body styles. The idea with the 911 GTS was to offer a perfect middle ground. A 911 with a little more focus than a Carrera. But without the price and track style compromises of a GT3. With a bit of 911 Turbo thrown in. Sounds promising. The second phase 992.2 GTS models arrived for the 2025 model year, but it's the earlier 992 models that we focus on here. What You Pay

What You Get

All 911 GTS models from the 2021-2024 era got the brand's Porsche Design Package. This gave you darkened headlight and daytime running lights surrounds. And the black finish used for the GTS badging also features on the front spoiler lip - and on the centre-lock alloy wheels. Body style choice lies between Coupe or glass-roofed Targa models - or the Cabriolet version with a canvas hood that can be raised or lowered in only 12 seconds at speeds of under 31mph. There's a GTS designation on the doors and as usual on a 992-era 911, the wide arches house different rim sizes - you've 20-inch alloys at the front, with 21-inchers at the rear. Inside, the GTS cabin is marked out by greater use of Alcantara - Porsche calls it 'Race-Tex'. Plus there are more tightly supportive 'Sport Plus' seats and a thin-rimmed 'GT Sports' steering wheel which, like the ordinary 911 tiller, rather obscures the outermost instrument cluster dials. Other things that weren't standard on a Carrera include the 'Sport Chrono Package' with its dash top-mounted stopwatch; plus you'll be able to use the 'Porsche Track Precision' app. Apart from the gearstick (10mm shorter than that in a regular Carrera), everything else is as with any other early 992 series 911. Early 992-era models like this one kept a defiantly analogue central rev counter. The two 7-inch read-outs that sit either side of it are actually configurable freeform displays. The left hand one has two virtual dials, one a speedometer (to supplement the digital speedo in the rev counter) and, on the far left, a read-out for time and outside temperature. As usual with a 911, just about everything else you need to know is covered off by a 10.9-inch flush-mounted 'Porsche Communication Management' touchscreen display in the centre of the dash. This has a right hand vertical menu bar with 'Home', 'Nav', 'Audio', 'Phone' and 'Car' sections. Alternatively, you can customise the screen layout with big 'widgets'. As usual with a 911, there are two small rear seats - which also split and fold down flat, allowing you to easily carry longer items of luggage - a set of golf clubs for instance. Having this extra space for potential bag stowage is important given that, as with any super sportscar, trunk space is at a bit of a premium. The mid-engined configuration of Porsche's 718 Boxster and Cayman models frees up space for a rear boot compartment but of course with this car's twin turbo 3.0-litre six slung out the back, you don't get that with a 911. Just a little flap that rises to reveal an engine plaque and access to various service reservoirs. That means anything you can't fit inside therefore has to go in the compartment beneath the sculpted bonnet. This is 132-litres in size regardless of your chosen 911's rear-driven or 4WD status.

What You Pay

Please contact us for an exact up-to-date valuation.

What to Look For

992 model servicing is every two years or 20,000 and the cost of a two year Porsche Centre service is typically between £750-£850. A four year service can be anything between £1,350-£2,000. If you're a member of Porsche Club GB, you'll get discounts on these figures. And obviously independent specialists are cheaper (think around £500 and £1,100 respectively). Rear tyres (usually Pirelli P Zeros) will wear at roughly twice the rate of the fronts (think 11-12,000 miles, but it could be sooner if you drive enthusiastically). There was a product recall in March 2021 to address suspension lock nuts that didn't allow sufficient tightening of the main fasteners. Some rear spoilers have got stuck in an intermediate position. And the optional sunroof sometimes rattles. Look out for squeaks and rattles, especially from the seats and storage bins. The optional Innodrive system can sometimes forget its speed settings and check out all the functionality of the Porsche Communications Management centre screen. We've heard of blowing speakers with the optional Bose sound system and there was a recall on early cars to increase finger clearance between the electronic handbrake button and the central cubby unit. Plus there was a software update to sort out bugs in the SOS eCall system.

Replacement Parts

(Based on a 2021 911 Carrera GTS ex VAT - prices quoted for guidance purposes only - Porsche Genuine Parts - design911.co.uk) A set of front brake pads is around £243; for rear pad set, it's around £216. For a radiator, you're looking at around £484. A fuel pump is around £27. A clutch master cylinder is around £210. A track rod is around £129. A rear shock absorber (with the PASM system) is around £864.

On the Road

It's hard to imagine why you would need a faster 911 than this, unless you happen to own a racetrack. First impressions in this 2021-2024-era 992 GTS model are of a GT3 level of speed, not surprisingly given that the 480hp engine output is just 30hp shy of that variant. Even the slowest GTS derivative (a manual rear-driven Cabriolet) needs just 4.1s to reach 62mph from rest. The fastest (the PDK auto all-wheel driven Coupe), takes nearly a second off that, recording 3.3s en route to 192mph. That manual, by the way, is Porsche's rather curious 7-speed 'box, but of course most customers will want the usual 8-speed dual clutch PDK auto. Probably matched to all-wheel drive rather than a rear-driven format, though the latter adds 50kgs of weight. You don't get the sophisticated double wishbone front suspension you'd find on a GT3 but don't worry because the damping system is mostly shared with the 911 Turbo - and very well judged. Even the sharpest 'Sport' and 'Sport Plus' settings aren't too harsh for road use. Lowered sports suspension features on Coupe and Cabriolet GTS models: the Targa version gets regular PASM suspension, as on a Carrera S. The engine's not brash like an AMG V8 - or shrill when revving out like an Italian V8 - but as we suggested earlier, it certainly serves up plenty of orchestral fireworks, embellishing your progress with whooshing turbines, fluttering wastegates and sonorous roars. It also brings an almost supercar-style level of pulling power to the party - 570Nm if you're interested, 40Nm more than a Carrera S. The resulting acceleration, as we've already suggested, is almost concussive and, unlike with previous '997' and '991'-series GTS 911 models, you don't have to thrash the engine to really experience all the flat six has to offer.

Overall

While this 2021-2024-era GTS model is probably never going to satisfy a 911 customer who really wants a GT3 from this period, it's certainly a very credible and more affordable alternative to a 911 Turbo. Which is why for us, GTS ownership represents the sweet spot in the 911 range when it comes to early 992 models, regardless of whether your body style of choice is Coupe, Targa or Cabriolet. It feels more focused than an ordinary 911 and if you were to find yourself a Carrera S with all the dynamic features fitted to this Gran Turismo Sport model, GTS ownership wouldn't actually cost you all that much more. Yes, that price is certainly considerable, but you can pay an awful lot more for a super sports car of this sort and get an awful lot less. The 'Gran Turismo Sport' interpretation of what a 911 should be might not be your most addictive choice from the early 992-era 911 range. But as an ownership proposition, it might prove to be the most satisfying one.