Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

One of the sportiest cars around, yet a vehicle for the practical driver

For some the Porsche 911 is the ultimate sports car. Conceived with pace and precision in mind, the original was marvellous. Then came the Carrera (Spanish for 'racer' and 'career') version drawing on Porsche's post-war racing pedigree. Then, in 1964, came the Carrera GTS, whose offspring we're talking about today.
Depending on your preference for speed or comfort, whichever incarnation of the 911 you go for you're obviously getting a decent machine. However, I'm here to explain to you why the new Carrera GTS may just be the diamond we've all been waiting for.
Straight up, I'll admit, Porsche has never been my go-to marque when asked to conjure up the ideal sports car. They have always been high on the list, but never penetrated the top three. Until now. Having sat behind the wheel of a Carrera GTS it has gone from also-ran to contender almost instantly. Let me explain why.
Many versions of the 911 are built solely for track enthusiasts. They may have the window dressing of something you can use every day - 'luxuries' such as air conditioning for example - but are crafted in such a way that speed is the ultimate goal; hang the rest. Take the GT3. It has scaffolding in the back instead of seats. How long before you stopped taking it out because you wouldn't be able to pick anything up at the shops? Plus the ride for a normal jaunt is far too hard.
While nobody apart from very small children may be able to sit in the Carrera GTS' back seats, at least they are there to put stuff on. This may appear a small issue, but it is an element in the larger picture as to why I love this car - it has the performance to fly round a racecourse on weekends, but the practicality and comfort to be a viable car to drive all the time.
430 hp from the 3.8-litre flat-six engine of all five of the 911 GTS models - which are available as Coupé, Cabriolet and Targa versions - sees the Carrera GTS Coupé, as an example, propelled from zero to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds with a top speed of 306 km/h (304 km/h for the Carrera 4 GTS Coupé). This is a superb amount of power and don't get me started on the noise this engine produces. It is majestic. Dropping down a gear and pinging round corners never gets old, even if the grin on your face makes you look like a gormless teenager.
The interior is also delicious. You'd expect the sports seats to become uncomfortable after a while, but I can say after a day's solid driving, they do not. Combined with the top-notch smooth ride, this Porsche may burrow its way into your heart too.