The Porsche Panamera GTS was premiered today at the 2011 LA Auto Show and the Stuttgart carmaker says it will go on sale in February next year. The Panamera GTS, short for Gran Turismo Sport, promises to offer high performance, packed in an everyday four-door luxury saloon. The Porsche Panamera GTS is powered by a 4.8-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, which is tuned to develop 430 hp (316 kW) at 6,700 rpm and 520 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm. This means that the Panamera GTS develops 30 hp and 20 Nm more than the Panamera S/4S does. Thanks to a weigh of "just" 1,920kg, the Panamera GTS can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds. Its top speed is rated at 179mph (288 km/h).
In terms of efficiency, the Panamera GTS is rated with a fuel economy of 10.9 l/100 km (25.9mpg) and a 256g/km CO2 emissions level.
Porsche equips the Panamera GTS with its all-wheel-drive system, which receives the power from the engine through the 7-speed PDK gearbox.
In terms of exterior design, the new GTS resembles the Panamera Turbo. Its front is the same as the one offered by the Sport-Design package of the Turbo. At the rear the GTS has the same adaptive four-way rear spoiler, which creates rear downforce on the rear axle, at speeds above 127 mph.
Other distinctive visual features of the Porsche Panamera GTS include the rear diffuser, the side vents, the matt black tailpipes and the black side skirts. The GTS is equipped with Bi-Xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights.
At the interior, the Panamera GTS comes with sport seats, a SportDesign steering wheel, the all-important stainless steel door sills, and the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system.
Porsche equipped the Panamera GTS with a neat little trick called the Sound Symposer. This system channels intake noise into the interior of the car at a push of a button. This, coupled with the exhaust noise, probably makes for a quite a nice soundtrack. The Sound Symposer, through a complicated system, sends vibrations to into the A-pillar, which then spreads them throughout the car. This system is activated through the sport button.
The Porsche Panamera GTS features a large diameter exhaust pipe, with a reduced backpressure, equipped with two tuning flaps. These valves are also used to create a unique sound. They can be activated / deactivated through a special switch on the console.
With its Turbo inspired design, the Sound Symposer and its loud exhaust, the Porsche Panamera GTS will most definitely not pass unnoticed. But the Panamera GTS is not just bells and whistles. It's built on an especially tuned chassis, and it comes equipped with an adaptive air suspension, and the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). The Panamera GTS' suspension has several settings. In normal mode, the car sits 10 mm closer to the ground than any other Panamera versions. To further increase the handling capabilities of the Panamera GTS, and its cornering speed, Porsche equips it with the same 19-inch alloys, 5 mm rear wheel spacers and big brakes as the Turbo.
The Panamera GTS can be equipped with the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), an electronically-controlled rear axle differential lock and PTV Plus. These systems help reduce the car's body roll. They are also responsible for distributing the torque between the wheels.
Optionally, the Panamera GTS can be fitted with Sport Chrono Plus Package, which adds the Sport Plus driving mode.
The Porsche Panamera GTS price for the UK market starts at £90,409. The price list for the rest of Europe and the United States will be announced at a later date.
