That extra bit more sporty
In Zuffenhausen they are really experts when it comes to filling even the tiniest gaps in any of their model ranges. The GTS… standing for ‘Gar Turismo Sport’… is meant to be just that extra bit more sporty. There were GTS versions of the old Cayenne and of the 911 Carrera and now it is the turn of the Panamera. More power, tougher brakes and a body lowered by ten millimetres combined with a specifically sporty suspension set-up are the main characteristics of the Panamera GTS. Furthermore, this is a car with excellent all-wheel-drive.
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- At the back there is the Turbo’s four-way spoiler which deploys automatically to add downforce at speeds above 205 kilometres an hour.
`Sport Chrono’ package as standard
Under the bonnet there is a naturally aspirated V8 with 4.8 litres capacity capable of producing 430 horsepower (316 kW) at 6,700 RPM and thus exceeding the output of the Panamera S by 30 horsepower. The maximum torque rises by 20 to 520 Nm. A seven-stage dual-clutch transmission handles the power output and the all-wheel-drive is calibrated for the highest level of driving dynamics. The ‘Sport Chrono’ package with Launch Control is standard. The rush to a hundred kilometres an hour is over in 4.5 seconds in the Panamera GTS which weighs in at 1.9 tons (the Turbo is just a scant bit quicker at 4.2 seconds). The speedometer rises no more when 288 kilometres an hour is reached. Porsche claim that the averaged fuel consumption is 10.7 litres per hundred driven kilometres, but only if low roll-resistance tyres are fitted.
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- In respect of the car’s aerodynamics Porsche have borrowed elements from the Panamera Turbo program, instantly apparent when admiring the front section with its large air intakes.
The need to breathe
In order to exploit the maximum power reserves of the V8 engine the engineers have raised the maximum revs by 200 per minute, topping out in the GTS at 7,100 RPM. The valve springs have been given greater pre-tensioning in order to optimize the gas-exchange cycle of the high revving motor. The air intake ducting has also been modified. Two additional air filters left and right under the bonnet ensure that the engine’s need to breathe is satisfied. At lower speeds one of the flaps of the air-intake opening will be closed. When the engine is running at above 3,500 RPM then both flaps will open to allow more air to reach the motor. At high speed there can be a pressure increase which creates a light turbo effect, further improving the car’s performance.
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- The diffuser at the back in also in black and a matte black finish has been given to the four tailpipes terminating the exhaust system.
Sound design typically Porsche
A further component in the effort to maximise performance is the sports exhaust system which features larger tube diameters. This reduces counter pressure and gives the car additional push. Controllable flaps in the system amplify the engine sound. As in the new 911 the sound f the V8 is also manipulated by a so-called ‘Sound Symposer’ feeding the interior of the GTS. This involves a duct which ends in the ‘A’ pillars and which incorporates a membrane. In front of the membrane is a flap which can be opened or closed using the ‘Sport’ mode button of the Panamera GTS.
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- The rush to a hundred kilometres an hour is over in 4.5 seconds in the Panamera GTS which weighs in at 1.9 tons. The speedometer rises no more when 288 kilometres an hour is reached.
High-tech dynamics tricks
As standard the GTS comes with pneumatic suspension and in normal circumstances the car rides about ten millimetres lower than other models in the range. The GTS runs on 19 inch wheels with the brake saddles picked out in bright red. The brake system is that of the Panamera Turbo. The roll stabilisation PDCC system and an electronically controlled rear-axle inter-wheel lock are available as optional extras. The inter-wheel lock allows the inside back wheel to receive a nudge in the direction dictated by the steering wheel when cornering, permitting more direct steering.
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- Window surrounds, decorative trim and the headlight arrays of the Panamera GTS are outlined in black.
Close to the Turbo look
In respect of the car’s aerodynamics Porsche have borrowed elements from the Panamera Turbo program, instantly apparent when admiring the front section with its large air intakes. At the back there is the Turbo’s four-way spoiler which deploys automatically to add downforce at speeds above 205 kilometres an hour. Window surrounds, decorative trim and the headlight arrays of the Panamera GTS are outlined in black. The diffuser at the back in also in black and a matte black finish has been given to the four tailpipes terminating the exhaust system.
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- The GTS has a leather and Alcantara interior and comes with bi-Xenon headlamps as standard. There is a marked ‘twelve o’clock’ position on the steering wheel so that on a winding road the driver always knows where the car is pointing.
Racing steering wheel
In the cockpit there’s a special gimmick for wannabe race drivers in the form of a display showing lateral and longitudinal acceleration force. The GTS has a leather and Alcantara interior and comes with bi-Xenon headlamps as standard. There is a marked ‘twelve o’clock’ position on the steering wheel so that on a winding road the driver always knows where the car is pointing. Porsche has not yet released any pricing information for the GTS. The entry level should be somewhere between that of the Panamera S (from 95,595 Euros) and the Turbo (139,624 Euros).
