2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet Video Review: King Of The Road

The Porsche 911 model range is an anomaly in the sports car world. At last check, there are 24 different models to pick from, with over $100,000 separating the least expensive Carrera from the priciest Turbo S. Shoehorned somewhere in the upper-middle section of that gamut is the 2022 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet.

In simplest terms, this is the best 911 for the road. Or maybe I should say, the best 911 for roads in Southern California because there’s more than enough sunshine to go around. Porsche offers the GTS with a fixed roof and lightweight package if racetracks are your desired playground, but this droptop is the poster child for canyon carving.

Maximum Attack

This argument of “best 911 for the road” can quickly devolve into a matter of semantics and personal ability, but my time with the GTS taught me one thing above all else: 473 horsepower is at the limit of what’s usable on a public road. And that’s only because it’s in a car with such superb dynamics that pushing hard feels effortless.

Porsche turned up the boost on the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six from 16 to 18.6 PSI, increasing output by 30 hp over the 443-hp Carrera S. The accessibility of power throughout the rev range is a worthy trade-off for a lower redline. There’s no arguing against the merits of a GT3 screaming at 9,000 RPM, but in situations with speed limits, you’re seldom able to keep a foot planted for that long. Contrary to that, the GTS pulls hard even south of 5,000 RPM, making it a breeze to add quick throttle inputs mid-corner.

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Using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, rifling through the PDK’s eight speeds was joyous. The seven-speed manual would be my preferred equipment, but at least Porsche gives customers the choice. In either case, dropping a gear to taunt the sport exhaust is a hilarious indulgence that I took for myself perhaps too many times.

All-wheel drive is optional, however, my tester only had power at the rear wheels. Adding to its handling prowess were two important options: Porsche Dynamic Chasis Control (PDCC) and rear-wheel steering. The former mitigates body roll with active stabilization and the latter provides more agile cornering ability. They cost $3,170 and $2,090, respectively, but both proved themselves to be laudable additions during my week of driving.

The best thing a sports car can do is build a driver’s confidence as they spend more time with it, and that is exactly what happened to me with the GTS. This car was more capable than me by a long shot, but it made me feel at the top of my game.

The Price You Pay For Greatness

We’ve seen this movie before, but the Porsche 911 GTS Cab is not a cheap date. It starts at $149,500 and my review vehicle cleared $175,000 with options. For context, a Corvette Convertible is quicker to 60 miles per hour and it costs roughly $80,000 less.

But when a car’s biggest drawback is its price tag, you know that it's something special to drive – and the GTS is exactly that. Higher horsepower and more track-focused models be damned, this is the best Porsche 911 for the road.