The point of spine compression should the tarmac be anything less than glass smooth. I could take Sport in small doses only – staying in that mode for too long proved tiresome.
What is far from tiresome is the cabin, specifically its high level of comfort for those occupying the front seats. (Yes, there are back seats, but they are of little use except as another place to stash the groceries.) The dominant material in the interior is black Alcantara, found in the centre sections of the sports seats, steering wheel rim, gear and hand-brake levers, door handles and door storage compartments. It feels almost ticklish to the touch at first, but it’s a unique alternative to leather.
Equally unique is the centre console, the same Carrara white colour as the tester’s exterior, as well as the bright red seatbelts, the same shade as the piston calipers hiding behind the stunning black-spoke rims. Check this out Eagle Ridge Chevrolet GMC Trucks Buick.
What isn’t so cool is the way Porsche jams it to its dedicated fan base, and I’m not just talking about the price discrepancy between Canada and the United States. Come on, $600 for heated front seats on a car with a $117,600 sticker? Ridiculous! How about $2,410 for the navigation system? Shameful.
That beef aside, the GTS is otherwise one sweet ride – a driver’s car that is docile when need be, ferocious when unleashed and eminently controllable. It’s a modern muscle car from the other side of the pond and a tonic for those of us with long, fond memories of performance past.
THE SPECS
TYPE OF VEHICLE: Rear-wheel-drive sports coupe
ENGINE: 3.8L DOHC boxer six-cylinder
POWER: 408 hp 7,300 rpm, 310 lb-ft of torque 4,200 rpm
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual
BRAKES: Four-wheel disc with ABS
TIRES: P235/35ZR19 front, P305/30ZR19 rear
PRICE: base/as tested $117,600/$128,045
DESTINATION CHARGE: $1,085
TRANSPORT CANADA FUEL ECONOMY: L/100 km 11.6 City, 7.9 Highway