Porsche
The GTS package has always been the sweet spot in the 911 lineup, bringing serious performance upgrades to the base-model sports car without flinging you into the Turbo price range. Porsche just released details on the 2022 911 GTS package, and it sounds like more of a great thing.
The GTS has always been a sweet spot in the middle of the Porsche 911 lineup. Faster and more focused than a base-model Carrera, but not as wickedly quick (or expensive) as the top-spec Turbo, and far more livable than the raw GT3. Here s something to put it all in perspective: With 473 hp, the new 2022 911 GTS makes more ponies than the most powerful air-cooled 911 ever sold for street use the 1997 911 Turbo S, a limited-edition 993 that made a whopping 450 hp.
Porsche 911 Carrera S review: why the manual gearbox still matters
(Porsche)
Manuals have become a minority. Last year, 55 percent of new cars came with an automatic gearbox. That compares with just under half in 2019 – and less than a quarter 10 years ago. When it comes to sports cars, the trend for two pedals and paddles is even more marked. Porsche is one of the few still offering an old-school stick shift.
Not that a manual 911 is the default choice. You can’t combine this ’box with the entry-level Carrera, open-air Targa or flagship Turbo – your only option is the 450hp Carrera S. And Porsche expects only one in 10 Carrera buyers to do their own declutching. You can imagine the salesman’s quizzical